Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Biological Method and its Application in Protection of Wood from Ganoderma Species

Abstract

The major advancement in the field of nanotechnology during the last decade have resulted in the wide spread application of nanomaterials in the field of science and technology. Nanoparticles were synthesised biologically, which is a pure green chemistry and completely toxic free compared to chemical synthesis. The property of the reductases present in the E. coli culture filtrate reduces silver nitrate to silver oxide and also serves as a capping agent. The nanoparticle formed was monitored using UV-Visible spectroscopy and the maximum absorbance was obtained at 408 nm. The average size and morphology were determined by scanning electron microscopy as 20 to 30 nm. The wood samples were coated with silver nanoparticle by mixing it with absolute ethanol in different concentration 50 to 150 μg/ml to protect the raw wood against the activity of wood decaying fungi like the Ganoderma sp. which is a white rot fungi. The growth inhibitory effect of silver nanoparticles against Ganoderma species of wood rot fungi was established. Coating silver nanoparticle on wood could increase the durability of the same and hence, would reduce the extent of wood decays which extends the shelf life of the wood. The antifungal efficiency of silver nanoparticles coated wood samples was evaluated and they showed 90.90% of antifungal activity against the Ganoderma species of wood rot fungi. The study also brings to lime light the possibility of using silver nanoparticle thin films as agents for coating raw wood for protecting it from damage from wood rot fungi.