title: Sol-gel synthesis of thorn-like ZnO nanoparticles endorsing mechanical stirring effect and their antimicrobial activities: Potential role as nano-antibiotics.
abstract: The effect of mechanical stirring on sol-gel synthesis of thorn-like ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and antimicrobial activities is successfully reported in this study. The in-house synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA, DSC and UV-visible spectroscopy. The X-Ray Diffraction analysis revealed the wurtzite crystal lattice for ZnO-NPs with no impurities present. The diametric measurements of the synthesized thorn-like ZnO-NPs (morphology assessed by SEM) were well accounted to be less than 50 nm with the help of TEM. Relative decrease in aspect ratio was observed on increasing the agitation speed. The UV-visible spectroscopy showed the absorption peaks of the ZnO-NPs existed in both UVA and UVB region. A hypsochromic shift in λmax was observed when stirring pace was increased from 500 rpm to 2000 rpm. The FTIR spectroscopy showed the absorption bands of the stretching modes of Zn-O between 500 cm(-1) to 525 cm(-1). The Thermal analysis studies revealed better stability for ZnO-NPs prepared at 2000 rpm (ZnO-2000 rpm). TGA revealed the weight loss between two main temperatures ranges viz. around (90 °C-120 °C) and (240 °C-280 °C). Finally, the effect of ZnO-NPs prepared at different stirring conditions on the growth of Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis), Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and a fungi (Candida albicans) were examined; which showed good antibacterial as well as antifungal properties. These findings introduce a simple, inexpensive process to synthesize ZnO-NPs using conventional methods without the use of sophisticated equipments and its application as a potent nano-antibiotic.
authors.affiliation: Nano Solver Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Z. H. College of Engineering &Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.|Faculty of Science, Gagan College of Management &Technology (GCMT), Aligarh-202002, India.
authors.forename: Mohd Farhan
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Nano Solver Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Z. H. College of Engineering &Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.
authors.forename: Akhter H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Nano Solver Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Z. H. College of Engineering &Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hameedullah
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH43606, USA.
authors.forename: Ejaz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.|Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture, King Saud University, Riyadh-11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fohad Mabood
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.|Department of Biotechnology, Gagan College of Management and Technology (GCMT), Aligarh, India.
authors.forename: Qamar
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zia
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Scientific Research Collaboration with MIT, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Umair
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Gagan College of Management &Technology (GCMT), Aligarh-202002, India.
authors.forename: Mohd Rehan
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zaheer
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Research Chair, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Building 5, King Saud University, Riyadh-11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mezbaul
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.
authors.forename: Abu Mustafa
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Advanced Materials Research Chair, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Building 5, King Saud University, Riyadh-11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zeid A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: AlOthman
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, India.
authors.forename: Iqbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ghulam Md
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.affiliation: GALLY International Biomedical Research Consulting LLC., 7733 Louis Pasteur Drive, #330, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.|School of Health Science and Healthcare Administration, University of Atlanta, E. Johns Crossing, #175, Johns Creek, GA, 30097, USA.|Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia.
authors.forename: Gjumrakch
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aliev
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D044367:Phase Transition; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015034:Zinc Oxide