Extracellular Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by the Fungus Fusarium oxysporum

A green chemistry approach to nanoparticle synthesis is the exciting possibility opened up by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. The fungus (shown in the flask on the left), when exposed to aqueous AuCl4− ions, reduces the metal ions; this leads to the extracellular formation of gold nanoparticles (shown in the flask on the right).