Synthesis and antifungal activity of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets were produced using a modified Hummers method. Antifungal activity of rGO nanosheets was tested against three fungi i.e., Aspergillus niger (A. niger), Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae) and Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum). The rGO inhibits the mycelial growth of the fungi and it is believed that this is due to its sharp edges. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), a measure of the effectiveness of the rGO in inhibiting the fungi, was investigated. IC50 values of the rGO against F. oxysporum, A. niger, and A. oryzae are 50, 100, and 100 μg ml−1, respectively.