Antimicrobial Activity of Zno Nanoparticles against Pathogenic Bacteria and Fungi

Antimicrobial growth inhibition and mechanistic activities of synthesized Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were investigated in this study. Nanoparticle size 20-25 nm and concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 μg/mL were used against pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) and Salmonella typhimurium (Gram negative) and also first time against two plant fungi Aspergillus strain of flavus and fumigatus. The growth analysis data indicated that the ZnO NPs have significant bactericidal effect on both the bacteria. The quantity of dried fungal biomass was negligible when the fungal culture was grown in presence of 100 μg/mL NPs. These microbial analyses data indicates that the ZnO NPs (size ~20-25 nm) have shown potential activity against these tested bacteria and fungi. Further examine the antimicrobial mechanisms of the ZnO NPs by UV photocatlytic and GSH oxidation methods, which suggested that ZnO NPs could produce reactive oxygen species, and also the oxidation capacity of NPs towards the γ-L-Glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine (GSH) oxidation stress, were responsible for antimicrobial behaviour of ZnO NPs.