Purpose: To evaluate a green process for the extracellular production of silver (Ag) nanoparticles
synthesized and stabilized using
Penicillium citrinum
isolated from soil.
Methods: The pure colonies of
Penicillium citrinum were cultured in Czapek dox broth. The supernatant
of the broth was examined for the ability to produce silver nanoparticles. The reactions were performed
in a dark compartment at 28 ºC. After 24 h, the synthesized silver nanoparticles were filtered through a
membrane filter (0.45 μ) and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy,
photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transformed
infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for particle size, shape and the presence of different functional groups in
the nanoparticles.
Results: The silver nanoparticles formed were fairly uniform in size with a spherical shape and a Zaverage
diameter of 109 nm. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of amide linkage groups which were
also found in the fungal extract itself.
Conclusion: The current approach suggests that rapid synthesis of nanoparticles of silver nitrate would
be suitable for developing a biological process for mass scale production of formulations.
