title: Biosynthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles by Aspergillus Species.
abstract: Currently, researchers turn to natural processes such as using biological microorganisms in order to develop reliable and ecofriendly methods for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. In this study, we have investigated extracellular biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using four Aspergillus species including A. fumigatus, A. clavatus, A. niger, and A. flavus. We have also analyzed nitrate reductase activity in the studied species in order to determine the probable role of this enzyme in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles. The formation of silver nanoparticles in the cell filtrates was confirmed by the passage of laser light, change in the color of cell filtrates, absorption peak at 430 nm in UV-Vis spectra, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). There was a logical relationship between the efficiencies of studied Aspergillus species in the production of silver nanoparticles and their nitrate reductase activity. A. fumigatus as the most efficient species showed the highest nitrate reductase activity among the studied species while A. flavus exhibited the lowest capacity in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles which was in accord with its low nitrate reductase activity. The present study showed that Aspergillus species had potential for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles depending on their nitrate reductase activity.
authors.affiliation: Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Kamiar
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3338-7112
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zomorodian
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyedmohammad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pourshahid
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Arman
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5779-1128
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadatsharifi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: Pouyan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehryar
authors.affiliation: Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pakshir
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Group, Research Area Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Engineering, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arabi Monfared
mesh_terms: D001230:Aspergillus / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012834:Silver