Green Synthesis of TiO2 Nanoparticle Using Aspergillus tubingensis

Abstract

A new and innovative approach was attempted for biosynthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles which are rapid, cost effective, and environmentally benign in the context to green nanotechnology and may be directly used in agricultural, biomedical and engineering sector. The nanoparticle (< 100 nm) was synthesized from TiO2 precursor salt by employing Aspergillus tubingensis TFR-5 (NCBI GenBank Accession No. JQ675306). The fungal isolate was identified on the basis of morphological and molecular parameters. SDS-PAGE result exhibited a protein band of 32 KDa was releasing by the fungi. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for size and shape study. The result shows particle in the nano range, having downy outer surface and showing monodispersity which was further confirmed by AFM. To ensure the elemental proportion, electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was performed which confirms the 98.6 atom% of Ti nanoparticles. The size of the Ti nanoparticle was calculated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) was obtained to be between 1.5 and 30 nm with polydispersity index (PDI) 0.194. The isoelectric point was 3.6. The leaf chlorophyll content (56–287%) was enhanced significantly due to field application of Ti nanoparticles on 14 days old arid crops (pearl millet, cluster bean, moth bean and mung bean).