What Does Zno Nanoparticles Exhibit High Toxicity Against...

ZnO is an inorganic metal oxide with Wurtzite structure. ZnO nanoparticles have been extensively studied in the field of catalysis, paints, cosmetics, solar cells, gas sensors and food packaging materials [1-6]. It is due to their ease of preparation in different morphologies, low cost, UV shielding properties, large surface to volume ratio, chemically alterable physical properties. The effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on sex hormones and cholesterol in rat has also been reported [7]. Literature shows that ZnO nanoparticles exhibit high toxicity against bacteria but minimum effect on human cells [8-9]. Clostridium perfringens is a bacterium that is usually responsible for food poisoning. Because the toxin-encoding genes can be located on extra chromosomal elements or in variable regions of the chromosome, several pathovars have arisen, each of which is involved in a specific disease [10]. It has been estimated by the Centers for Diseases Control and the Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America that around 30 million people every year fall sick due to the infections caused by eating food which is contaminated [11,12]. Studies have shown that Salmonella enterica is one amongst the more prevalent bacterial pathogens that causes food borne infections [11]. It is estimated that the medical and productivity losses caused by this bacterium were of high order. [11]. The interaction between NPs and microorganisms and biomolecules is an expanding area of