ABSTRACT
The biosurfactants (BSs) are emerging as a green surfactant alternate to their chemically synthesized counterparts for the synthesis and stabilization of nanoparticles. Rhamnolipid (RL) BSs produced by the bacterial strain OBP1 exhibited stabilization of silver and iron oxide nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles (SNP) synthesized in the RL colloid were found to be stable for more than one month. Iron oxide nanocrystal-rhamnolipid and silver nanoparticle rhamnolipid (SNP-RL) nanocomposites were found to be effective against gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria suggesting their broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. Different strains belonging to the same species of bacteria exhibited different susceptibility towards the BS, ION-RL, and SNP-RL. The nanocomposite films were the only sole carbon source in the culture medium required for the growth of the bacterial strain. The growth of the bacterial strain was monitored by measuring the optical density at 630 nm at a time interval of 7 days.
