Nanoengineering the antibacterial activity of biosynthesized nanoparticles of TiO<inf>2</inf>, Ag and Au and their nanohybrids with Portobello mushroom spores (PMS) (TiO<inf>x</inf>/PMS, Ag/PMS and Au/PMS) and making them optically self-indicating

Abstract

Results show that nanoparticles (NPs) can be biosynthesized at room temperature on the reductive and chelating surfaces of Portobello mushroom spores (PMS). Using this green approach TiOx, Ag, Au, Ag-TiOx and Au-TiOx NPs have been prepared. These were characterized by TEM, SIMS and FTIR-FTIR. TiOx/PMS, Ag-TiOx/PMS, Au-TiOx/PMS and Ag/PMS were active in bacterial inhibition towards Eschericia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, but Au/PMS was not active (suggesting a strong Au-PMS interaction). TiOx/PMS, Ag/PMS and Ag-TiOx/PMS were equally active in an antibacterial and an antifungal sense when tested against Asperillus and Candide. All samples (except Ag-TiOx/PMS and Au-TiOx/PMS) showed an interesting interaction with DNA. We report on the process of fine-tuning these antibacterial properties, progress on making these nanomaterials optically selfindicating and movement towards optical control of their antibacterial activity. Au-TiOx/PMS shows a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) with a maximum at 518 nm that might be useful in following its anti-bacterial properties (i.e. making the bionanomaterial self-indicating). The future of such green bio-nanomaterials is strong.