Azomethine based Nano-chemicals as Antibacterials against Nitrifying Bacteria

Nitrifying bacteria (family nitrobacteraceae) convert reduced nitrogenous compounds (primarily ammonia) to nitrite and nitrate, resulting in low nitrogen use efficiency of nitrogenous fertilizers. Nitrate produced is vulnerable to loss by leaching or gaseous emissions through denitrification. Several antibacterial agents have been commercialized in agriculture but there is considerable variation with respect to economic return, the degree of inhibition and the ultimate potential benefits. Lately, azomethines have been utilized regularly for human benefit and improvement of agricultural systems. The present study was aimed to develop azomethine based nanochemicals as potent bactericides. Technical grade azomethines were transformed into their nano-forms exploiting poly (ethylene glycol) as the surface stabilizer. The products were characterized by optical (imaging) (Zetasizer) and transmission electron probes. The true particle sizes of all the test chemicals were below 100 nm. The potential of nano-chemicals as antibacterial agents was expressed through inhibition of nitrification which showed about 12–25% increase over the conventional sized azomethines.