PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISATION OF SELENIUM NANOPARTICLES BY MYCELIUM OF FUNGUS PHYCOMYCES BLAKESLEEANUS

Abstract

In this study, mycelium of fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus was exposed to soluble toxic form of selenium, selenite (Se+4), to examine its ability to reduce it to nanoparticles. Red coloration appeared after only a few hours of incubation with 10 mM Se+4 indicating formation of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs). SEM-EDS confirmed pure selenium NPs with an average diameter of 57 nm, which indicates to potentially very good medical, optical and photoelectric characteristics. Raman spectroscopy showed several structural forms of SeNPs formed in the extracellular space with a monoclinic Se8 chain as the most represented, and the other observed forms were trigonal Se polymer chain, Se8 ring and Se6 chain structures.