An Eco-Friendly Approach to the Control of Pathogenic Microbes and Anopheles stephensi Malarial Vector Using Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles (Mg-NPs) Fabricated by Penicillium chrysogenum

The discovery of eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective compounds to control diseases caused by microbes and insects are the main challenges. Herein, the magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) are successfully fabricated by harnessing the metabolites secreted by Penicillium chrysogenum. The fabricated MgO-NPs were characterized using UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, DLS, EDX, FT-IR, and XPS analyses. Data showed the successful formation of crystallographic, spherical, well-dispersed MgO-NPs with sizes of 7-40 nm at a maximum wavelength of 250 nm. The EDX analysis confirms the presence of Mg and O ions as the main components with weight percentages of 13.62% and 7.76%, respectively. The activity of MgO-NPs as an antimicrobial agent was investigated against pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans, and exhibited zone of inhibitions of 12.0 +/- 0.0, 12.7 +/- 0.9, 23.3 +/- 0.8, 17.7 +/- 1.6, and 14.7 +/- 0.6 mm respectively, at 200 mu g mL(-1). The activity is decreased by decreasing the MgO-NPs concentration. The biogenic MgO-NPs exhibit high efficacy against different larvae instar and pupa of Anopheles stephensi, with LC50 values of 12.5-15.5 ppm for I-IV larvae instar and 16.5 ppm for the pupa. Additionally, 5 mg/cm(2) of MgO-NPs showed the highest protection percentages against adults of Anopheles stephensi, with values of 100% for 150 min and 67.6% +/- 1.4% for 210 min.

Automated summary

The study successfully fabricated magnesium oxide nanoparticles using metabolites secreted by Penicillium chrysogenum, which exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity and high efficacy against larvae and pupae of Anopheles stephensi.