Photocatalytic and antibacterial response of biosynthesized gold nanoparticles

Increase in the bacterial resistance to available antibiotics and water contamination by different toxic organic dyes are both severe problems throughout the world. To overcome these concerns, new methodologies including synthesis of nontoxic, human friendly and efficient nanoparticles is required. These nanoparticles not even inhibit the growth of microorganisms but are also effective in the degradation of toxic organics in waste water thus providing a clean and human friendly environment. The use of plants extracts to synthesize and stabilize noble metal nanoparticles have been considered as safe, cost-effective, eco-benign and green approach nowadays. In the present study, Longan fruit juice proficiently reduced ionic gold (Au+ 3) to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as well as mediated the stabilization of AuNPs. The antibacterial activity of AuNPs was carried out against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria using agar well diffusion method, followed by the determination of Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. AuNPs were found to have significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli with MIC values of 75 μg/ml while outstanding MIC values of 50 μg/ml against Staphylococcus areous and Basilus subtilus. AuNPs revealed significant photocatalytic degradation (76%) of methylene blue in time period of 55 min, indicating the effective photocatalytic property of biosynthesized AuNPs (K = 0.29/min, r2 = 0.95). The considerable antibacterial and photocatalytic activities of the photosynthesized AuNPs can be attributed towards their small size, spherical morphology and uniform dispersion. Our finding suggests the possible therapeutic potential of biogenic AuNPs in the development of new antibacterial agents as well as in the development of effective photocatalysts.