Abstract

SPECTRAL CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTI-FUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ZINC OXIDE (ZNO) NANOPARTICLES SYNTHESIZED USING CYNODON DACTYLON LEAF EXTRACT

Arvind Singh K. Heer*

Abstract

A simple method for the green synthesis of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) using aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon leaf as a reducing and stabilizing agent. ZnO NPs were rapidly synthesized using aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon leaf with Zn(NO3)2 within 4hrs. The green synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized using physic-chemical techniques viz., X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). Characterization data reveals that the particles were crystalline in nature and spherical shaped with an average size of 86.84 nm. The zeta potential of ZnO NPs was determined at different pH. The zeta potential curve showed that with the increase in pH thezeta potential of the prepared nanoparticles decreases. The as synthesized ZnO NPs were found to exhibit strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Aspergillus niger was investigated along with standard control, Nystatin. The synthesized ZnO NPs exhibited a potent antifungal activity against tested fungal strains.

Keywords: Zinc Oxide, Green synthesis, zeta potential, XRD, FE-SEM, DSC, Antifungal activity, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Aspergillus niger.