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Lactic acid bacteria as reducing and capping agent for the fast and efficient production of silver nanoparticles

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
  • Published:
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Abstract

There is a growing demand for silver-based biocides, including both ionic silver forms and metallic nanosilver. The use of metallic nanosilver, typically chemically produced, faces challenges including particle agglomeration, high costs, and upscaling difficulties . Additionally, there exists a need for the development of a more eco-friendly production of nanosilver. In this study, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were utilized in the non-enzymatic production of silver nanoparticles via the interaction of silver ions and organic compounds present on the bacterial cell. Only lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus pentosaceus, Enterococcus faecium, and Lactococcus garvieae, were able to reduce silver. The nanoparticles of the five best producing Lactobacillus spp. were examined more into detail with transmission electron microscopy. Particle localization inside the cell, the mean particle size, and size distribution were species dependent, with Lactobacillus fermentum having the smallest mean particle size of 11.2 nm, the most narrow size distribution, and most nanoparticles associated with the outside of the cells. Furthermore, influence of pH on the reduction process was investigated. With increasing pH, silver recovery increased as well as the reduction rate as indicated by UV–VIS analyses. This study demonstrated that Lactobacillus spp. can be used for a rapid and efficient production of silver nanoparticles.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the project grant 71333 of IWT, the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders, and by the “Industrieel Onderzoeksfonds” of Ghent University (IOF07/VAL/006). We thank Niels D’ Haese and Greet Van De Velde for their assistance in the lab; Kim Verbeken for using the AAS; Olivier Janssens of the department of Solid State Sciences at Ghent University for the XRD analyses; Bart Declercq for his help with the statistics; and Brian Laird, Pieter Van De Caveye, Pieter Verhagen, and Tom Hennebel for critically reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Liesje Sintubin, David van der Ha, Willy Verstraete & Nico Boon

  2. Avecom, Industrieweg 122P, 9032, Wondelgem, Belgium

    Wim De Windt & Jan Dick

  3. EM-unit of CODA-CERVA, Groeselenberg 99, 1180, Brussel, Belgium

    Jan Mast

Authors
  1. Liesje Sintubin
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  2. Wim De Windt
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  3. Jan Dick
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  4. Jan Mast
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  5. David van der Ha
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  6. Willy Verstraete
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  7. Nico Boon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nico Boon.

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Supplement I

The particle size distribution curves showing the frequency (counts) and cumulative frequency (%) for L. farciminis, L. fermentum, L. plantarum LMG 24832, L. plantarum LMG 24830, and L. rhamnosus (DOC 34 kb)

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Sintubin, L., De Windt, W., Dick, J. et al. Lactic acid bacteria as reducing and capping agent for the fast and efficient production of silver nanoparticles. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 84, 741–749 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-009-2032-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-009-2032-6

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