Comparative analysis of the antimicrobial activity of iron and iron oxide nanoparticles against Trichothecium roseum

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance poses a significant challenge to global health, necessitating the exploration of alternative antimicrobial agents. Iron and iron oxide nanoparticles have garnered attention due to their potential antimicrobial properties. This study aims to comparatively analyse the efficacy of iron and iron oxide nanoparticles against Trichothecium roseum, a common fungal pathogen known for its detrimental effects on various crops and stored grains. The findings showed that the spore germination of the investigated fungal pathogens was significantly inhibited by the various quantities of iron and iron oxide nanoparticles at various serial dilution doses (10-3, 10-6, and 10-9). However, when the concentration of the nanoparticles rises, so does the suppression of mycelial growth. The highest concentration of iron and iron oxide nanoparticles (10-3) against Trichothecium roseum was found to inhibit mycelial growth the most, with optical densities of 0.911 and 0.544, respectively. The control group, which did not have any iron or oxide nanoparticles, displayed the highest mycelial growth, with an optical density of 1.011. Iron and iron oxide nanoparticle optical densities at 10-6 concentration were found to be 0.929 and 0.880, respectively. Conversely, concentrations of iron and iron oxide nanoparticles at 10-9 serial dilution resulted in optical densities of 0.984 and 0.954, respectively. It is discovered that iron oxide nanoparticles have a greater antifungal efficacy than iron nanoparticles against Trichothecium roseum. This comparative analysis sheds light on the promising antimicrobial properties of iron and iron oxide nanoparticles and underscores their potential applications in agriculture and food preservation industries for controlling fungal pathogens like Trichothecium roseum. Further research is warranted to optimize nanoparticle synthesis and understand their interactions with microbial cells for effective antimicrobial strategies.