Using Fomitopsis pinicola for bioinspired synthesis of titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles, targeting biomedical applications

Abstract

The current study proposes a bio-directed approach for the formation of titanium oxide and silver nanoparticles (TiO₂ and Ag NPs), using a wild mushroom, Fomitopsis pinicola, identified by 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (gene accession no. MK635350) and phenotypic examination. NP synthesis was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy (DR-UV), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM). Furthermore, the impact of NPs on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and a human colon cancer cell line (HCT) were evaluated by MIC/MBC and MTT assays, respectively, along with structural morphogenesis by different microscopy methods. The results obtained showed that TiO₂ and Ag NPs were found to be significantly active, however, slightly enhanced antibacterial and anticancer action was seen with Ag NPs (10–30 nm). Such NPs can be utilized to control and treat infectious diseases and colon cancer and therefore have potential in a range of biomedical applications.