Multifunctional silver nanoparticles synthesized by marine fungus Aspergillus terreus: Antimicrobial, photocatalytic, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties.

In the present work, silver nanoparticles were green synthesized using Aspergillus terreus (MT316343.1) isolated from marine environment. It is non-toxic, eco-sustainable and cost-effective method. Silver nanoparticles have become an attracted candidate in modern nanotechnology due to their unique physiochemical properties and broad applicability. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by changing in color of mixture from pale yellow to dark brown and its confirmed by indicate peak at 433 nm in UV-Visible spectroscopy. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized through several analytical techniques: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy revealed functional groups responsible for reduction and capping, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) showed spherical AgNPs with an average size of 19 nm, and X-ray diffraction revealed silver nanoparticles attributes diffraction at 38.1° (111), 46.26° (200), 64.26° (220), 77.12° (311) plane which show crystalline nature of silver nanoparticles. The mycosynthezied AgNPs exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against both types of bacterial strain. Further these AgNPs exhibited photocatalytic degradation of hazardous azo dye, methylene blue was degraded within 5 h under sunlight exposure. The nanoparticles exhibited significant antioxidant activity, as shown by their radical scavenging ability against DPPH with IC value 55.19 μg/mL emphasizing their potential in antioxidant defence. Additionally, silver nanoparticles showed dose dependent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells with IC value of 53.33 μg/mL. These finding highlight the potential of Aspergillus terreus derived silver nanoparticles have multifunctional properties that suitable for environmental remediation and biomedical applications that indicates the how marine fungi use as a source for designing biocompatible and efficient nanomaterials.