Biocompatible nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic and anti-microfouling potential

摘要

Biocompatible green synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) were investigated for their use in improving the photocatalytic efficacy of methylene blue (MB) dye and anti-microfouling activity. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using seaweed extract of Sargassum muticum (SM) as reducing agent and their structural, textural features were characterized by various analytical techniques. SM-AgNPs under UV-light irradiation attained a photocatalytic activity of MB dye up to 94.6% for 60 min in addition to anti-microfouling performance of MBF bacteria achieved 96% inhibition within 20 min. Kinetics study of MB removal followed a pseudo first order kinetics and the apparent constant rate value was calculated as 0.0365 min(-1) showing higher catalytic activity under UV-light irradiation. Anti-microbial screening against 16S rDNA confirmed MBF (n = 3) strains such as Gram Positive - Bacillus flexus (NCBI Accession No: MBF1 AB894825), Bacillus megaterium (NCBI Accession No: AB894828) and Gram Negative - Pseudomonas sp., (NCBI Accession No: AB894829) were studied. SM-AgNPs showed a maximum inhibition zone (18 mm) in Pseudomonas sp., and minimal inhibition zone (12 mm) in Bacillus flexus. These results signified that SM-AgNPs employed a biphasic phenomenon persuading by osmotic shock and thymine-dimer formation on microbial cells that cause microbial destruction.