Antifungal Efficacy of Chitosan-Modified Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Tube Sedge Products

The antifungal properties of ZnO were implemented in the real handicraft and showed promising results for the value addition of local products by sun-screen and fungi protections. The inhibition of Aspergillus sp. growth on tube sedge basketry by zinc oxide (ZnO) was demonstrated. ZnO nanoparticles synthesized with chitosan capping agents were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The crystallite size consistent with electron microscope images and surface area of ZnO were dependent on the amounts of chitosan. ZnO exhibited a large ultraviolet (UV) absorbance in an entire 200-400 nm range when large crystallites agglomerated into bulky aggregates. In the case of small amounts of chitosan used, small crystallites tending to agglomerate in close contacts enhanced antifungal activity on pieces of tube sedge basketry. The fungi inhibition by this chitosan-modified ZnO was attributed to the stress response in fungal hyphae and generation of hydrogen peroxide.