Biogenic Silver-Copper-Aluminum Nanoparticles: A Green Nanotechnology Approach for Sustainable Food Security
Abstract
Sustainable food security faces converging pressures from climate change, pests and pathogens, postharvest losses, and supply-chain disruptions. Again, due to the erroneous use of antimicrobial agents in the management of food pathogens, many pathogens have become resistant and as such, there has been a surge in multi-drug-resistant strains of food pathogens. Green (biogenic) nanotechnology, where metal or metal-oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are produced using plant, microbial or agro-waste extracts, has been proven to have enhanced antimicrobial activity against food pathogens. This paper examines biogenic synthesis of Silver-Copper-Aluminium trimetallic nanoparticles involving aqueous leaves extract of Azadirachta Indica Juss (Neem) at room temperature and characterization using UV-Visible, FTIR, XRD, and SEM-EDX spectrophotomerty. In vitro anti-microbial studies of the nanoparticles was performed on selected food pathogens. UV-Vis spectroscopy of the Ag- Cu-Al NPs revealed a characteristics peak maximum at 405 nm. XRD analysis showed the crystalline nature of the NPs of 36.10 nm average crystallite size. SEM and EDX analysis showed surface features and material composition of the NPs. FTIR analysis revealed functional groups in the extract as responsible for the reduction, coating, and stabilization of NPs. Data obtained from the inhibition zone (mm) was investigated using Version 20 statistical package for social sciences, SPSS. The data was evaluated using ANOVA with LSD post hoc test and recorded as Mean ± SD at p < 0.05. The Ag-Cu-Al NPs demonstrated antimicrobial action in a dose-response relationship against five pathogenic fungi: Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus stolenifera, and Botryodioplodia theobromae as well as three bacteria: Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcenscens. The NPs compared positively with standard antifungal (Fluconazole) and antibacterial
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