ZnO Nanoparticles of Different Shapes and Their Antimycotic Property Against Penicillium and Mucor

ZnO nanoparticles, as a kind of multifunctional inorganic nanomaterial, are reported with a broad-spectrum effective antimicrobial activity. This study was aimed at determining the antimycotic ability of home-made ZnO nanoparticles. Three methods including emulsion, micro-emulsion and direct precipitation were applied to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles. Penicillium and Mucor were selected as experimental subjects to determine the antimycotic ability of ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, Myxomycete was selected as a reference. Hexagonal wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles were obtained in each method. Emulsion method yielded monodispersed spherical nanoparticles with size distribution in range between 60 to 250 nm. Direct precipitation method yielded irregular polygonal-flake nanoparticles with average thickness of 50 +/- 2 nm and width ranging from 100 to 800 nm. ZnO nanoparticles prepared by micro-emulsion method have a uniform shape and flower-like morphology formed by uniform wafers embedded in each other, and also have a narrow size distribution with 20 nm in average thickness and 600 nm in average diameter. Antimycotic experiment showed that the as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles, especially by micro-emulsion method, could change the morphology of mycetes, and inhibit the growth and the reproduction of these three kinds of fungi as well. It was also indicated that ZnO nanoparticles prepared by micro-emulsion method could find wide application in antimicrobial scope.