title: Surface-modified sulfur nanoparticles: an effective antifungal agent against Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum.
abstract: Surface-modified sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) of two different sizes were prepared via a modified liquid-phase precipitation method, using sodium polysulfide and ammonium polysulfide as starting material and polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG-400) as the surface stabilizing agent. Surface topology, size distribution, surface modification of SNPs with PEG-400, quantitative analysis for the presence of sulfur in nanoformulations, and thermal stability of SNPs were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) plus high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. A simultaneous study with micron-sized sulfur (S(0)) and SNPs was carried out to evaluate their fungicidal efficacy against Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum in terms of radial growth, sporulation, ultrastructural modifications, and phospholipid content of the fungal strains using a modified poisoned food technique, spore-germination slide bioassay, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and spectrometry. SNPs expressed promising inhibitory effect on fungal growth and sporulation and also significantly reduced phospholipid content.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural & Ecological Research Unit, Biological Sciences Division, Indian statistical Institute, 203 B. T. Road, Kolkata 700108, India.
authors.forename: Samrat Roy
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.forename: Mahua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Amrita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Dipankar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chakravorty
authors.forename: Moumita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Saheli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pradhan
authors.forename: Arunava
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goswami
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005670:Fusarium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry*; D013818:Thermogravimetry
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D013455:Sulfur