Valorization of Pichia spent medium via one-pot synthesis of biocompatible silver nanoparticles with potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, tyrosinase inhibitory and reusable catalytic activities

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a novel biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Pichia pastoris spent medium – a major waste product from heterologous protein expression as the sole reducing and capping agent, with potential biological, antimicrobial and wastewater remediation applications. Using UV–vis spectroscopy, TEM, XRD, EDX, FTIR, SEM we demonstrated the successful bio-fabrication of Pichia spent medium encapsulated silver nanoparticles (PSM-AgNPs). PSM-AgNPs displayed substantial antiradical activity against DPPH and ABTS. The antiradical activity against ABTS was similar to that of the control, ascorbic acid. PSM-AgNPs also revealed potent anti-tyrosinase and antibacterial activity against some common foodborne pathogenic microbes. Human erythrocyte hemolytic and embryonic colon Caco-2 cell viability assays suggest that PSM-AgNPs was biocompatible. In addition, PSM-AgNPs, was also effective in the catalytic degradation of methyl orange and Congo red dyes with pseudo first order rate constants of 0.2301 min−1 and 4.7 × 10−3 s−1, respectively. These results present a clean, convenient, and inexpensive approach for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles with potential implications in the eco-friendly, safe and effective utilization of waste culture media, mitigation of pathogenic bacteria and management of industrial effluents.