Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Science, Microbiology Department, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt
2
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University (Girls Branch), Cairo, Egypt.
3
Department of Plant Pathology, National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
4
Pesticide Chemistry Department, Chemical Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract
Fungi play a critical role in the bio-deterioration of paper-based materials in libraries and archives, necessitating the prioritization of preserving and maintaining these historical documents. Consequently, natural and non-toxic agents for paper preservation are increasingly favored over traditional chemical treatments. Therefore, this study aims to develop a new green and eco-friendly antifungal formulation to protect old manuscripts from deterioration caused by the isolated fungi Aspergillus niger (OQ476657) and Amesia atrobrunnea (OQ507386). The food poisoning technique was utilized to amend nutritional media with these antifungal agents. Nanoemulsions of clove and thyme essential oils (5%) were formulated using Tween 80 at varying ratios (1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:1.5) and sonication times to achieve a stable nanoemulsion. The results indicated that a clove nanoemulsion at 600 ppm significantly reduced the diameter of linear mycelial development in both fungal isolates. Optimal results were achieved at concentrations of 8,000 and 10,000 ppm, with 100% and 78.05% suppression of mycelial growth for Amesia atrobrunnea and A.niger, respectively, using the thyme nanoemulsion fumigation approach at a 1:1.5 ratio of oil (5%) to Tween 80. The antimicrobial efficacy of clove and thyme oils can be enhanced by formulating them as nanoemulsions, thereby achieving biocidal activity at lower concentrations. Clove and thyme oils nanoformulations represent a promising, green, safe, and cost-effective alternative to synthetic fungicides.
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