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 TiO_x, Ag, Au, Ag-TiO_x and Au-TiO_x NPs have been prepared. These were characterized by TEM, SIMS and μFTIR-FTIR. TiO_x/PMS, Ag-TiO_x/PMS, Au-TiO_x/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). TiO_x/PMS, Ag/PMS and Ag-TiO_x/PMS were equally active in an antibacterial and an antifungal sense when tested against Asperillus and Candide. All samples (except Ag-TiO_x/PMS and Au-TiO_x/PMS) showed an interesting interaction with DNA. We report on the process of fine-tuning these antibacterial properties, progress on making these nanomaterials optically self-indicating and movement towards optical control of their antibacterial activity. Au-TiO_x/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.

Date Published: 27 September 2016
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 9930, Biosensing and Nanomedicine IX, 99300B (27 September 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2237643

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9930:
Biosensing and Nanomedicine IX
Hooman Mohseni; Massoud H. Agahi; Manijeh Razeghi, Editor(s)