ABSTRACT

The fungicide activity of bimetallic Cu/Ag nanoparticles synthesized through

sonochemical reduction of copper and silver ions with Pyracantha koidzumii leaf
aqueous extract was investigated. The formation of bimetallic Cu/Ag
nanoparticles was confirmed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR), scanning electron
microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and
transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface charge and concentration
of bimetallic nanoparticles was evaluated by means of Z potential and
nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), respectively. Transmission electron
microscopy revealed that nanoparticles were copper-silver core-shell and the
EDS analysis confirmed that all particles were bimetallic in nature. Bimetallic
nanoparticles exhibited antifungal activity towards Aspergillus flavus and
Fusarium verticillioides. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was
recorded at 85 µg/mL and at 42 µg/mL for A. flavus and F. verticillioides,
respectively. From these results, it is concluded that bimetallic copper-silver core-
shell nanoparticles have important antifungal activity against the most important
fungal phytopathogens.