Synthesis of Polyaniline Coated Magnesium and Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles through Eco-Friendly Approach and Their Application as Antifungal Agents

Suryyia Manzoor; Ghazala Yasmin; Nadeem Raza; Javier Fernandez; Rashida Atiq; Sobia Chohan; Ayesha Iqbal; Shamaila Manzoor; Barizah Malik; Franz Winter; Mudassar Azam

doi:10.3390/polym13162669

Synthesis of Polyaniline Coated Magnesium and Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles through Eco-Friendly Approach and Their Application as Antifungal Agents

Polymers (Basel). 2021 Aug 10;13(16):2669. doi: 10.3390/polym13162669.

Authors

Suryyia Manzoor¹, Ghazala Yasmin¹, Nadeem Raza², Javier Fernandez³, Rashida Atiq⁴, Sobia Chohan⁴, Ayesha Iqbal¹, Shamaila Manzoor⁵, Barizah Malik⁶, Franz Winter⁷, Mudassar Azam^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Chemical Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60000, Pakistan.
² Department of Chemistry, Emerson University, Multan 60000, Pakistan.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK.
⁴ Department of Plant Pathology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60000, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Via Sansone1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
⁶ School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
⁷ Institute of Chemical, Environmental and Bioscience Engineering, TU WIEN, Getreidemarkt 9, 1060 Vienna, Austria.
⁸ Institute of Chemical Engineering & Technology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.

Abstract

Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles exhibits great potential to minimize the generation of chemical waste through the utilization of non-toxic precursors. In this research work, we report the synthesis of magnesium oxide (MgO) and cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanoparticles through a green approach using Manilkara zapota leaves extract, their surface modification by polyaniline (PANI), and antifungal properties against Aspergillus niger. Textural and structural characterization of modified and unmodified metal oxide nanoparticles were evaluated using FT-IR, SEM, and XRD. The optimal conditions for inhibition of Aspergillus niger were achieved by varying nanoparticles' concentration and time exposure. Results demonstrate that PANI/MgO nanoparticles were superior in function relative to PANI/Co₃O₄ nanoparticles to control the growth rate of Aspergillus niger at optimal conditions (time exposure of 72 h and nanoparticles concentration of 24 mM). A percentage decrease of 73.2% and 65.1% in fungal growth was observed using PANI/MgO and PANI/Co₃O₄ nanoparticles, respectively, which was higher than the unmodified metal oxide nanoparticles (67.5% and 63.2%).

Keywords: Aspergillus niger; Manilkara zapota leaves extract; PANI; green synthesis; nanoparticles.