Abstract
The biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using fungi has received considerable attention, given that they are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and inexpensive. Therefore, the current work investigates the biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the extracellular filtrate of Penicillium commune NRC 2016-3. Physicochemical analyses confirmed the formation of AgNPs with a surface plasmon resonance peak at 420 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed spherical particles ranging in size from 3.69 to 9.61 nm, with a zeta potential of -30.5 mV, indicating good stability. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial and antifungal activity against various test microorganisms, with inhibition zones ranging from 30 to 33 mm for Gram-positive and 26 to 30 mm for Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were found to be 2-5 µg/mL and 20-30 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the AgNPs-treated fabrics revealed good antimicrobial properties and demonstrated their durability even after multiple washing cycles. This finding highlights the potential of green-synthesized AgNPs for creating durable antimicrobial textiles.