RAPID GREEN SYNTHESIS OF GOLD NANOPARTICLE USING PLANT LEAF ESSENTIAL OIL CYMBOPOGON MARTINII AND THEIR ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY AGAINST DEADLY HUMAN PATHOGENIC FUNGI

ABSTRACT A new method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles is reported. The plant leaf essential oils extracted from the fresh leaves of Cymbopogon martinii are used for the reduction of chloroauric acid to Au nanoparticles (NPs). The formation and morphology of synthesized AUNPs are investigated with the help of UV–visible, TEM and FTIR spectroscopy. The AUNPs synthesized at room temperature are mono-dispersed and big round in shape with an average size of 47 nm while those prepared at higher temperature are composed of a mixture of anisotropic particles. The UV–visible absorption spectra of these anisotropic AUNPs show asymmetry in the longer wavelength side. The quantity of leaf oil is an important criteria on modulating the shape of AUNPs. Possible chemical compounds of AUNPs are studied using FTIR spectroscopy. The antifungal activity results showed that synthesized gold nanoparticle from the plant oil Cymbopogon martinii was highly active against clinically isolated human fungal pathogens, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida kefyr. KEYWORDS: Candida tropicalis, Green synthesis, Fluroscence spectroscopy, Gold nanoparticles, Tem