title: Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles using Cynodon dactylon leaves and assessment of their antibacterial activity.
abstract: Many methods of synthesizing silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by reducing Ag⁺ ions using aqueous/organic extracts of various plants have been reported in the past, but the methods are rather slow. In this investigation, silver nanoparticles were quickly synthesized from aqueous silver nitrate through a simple method using leaf extract of a plant--Cynodon dactylon which served as reducing agent, while sunlight acted as a catalyst. The formation of Ag-NPs was indicated by gradual change in colour and pH and confirmed by ultraviolet--visible spectroscopy. The Ag-NPs showed a surface plasmon resonance at 451 nm. Based on the decrease in pH, a possible mechanism of the synthesis of Ag-NPs involving hydroxyl (OH⁻) ions of polyphenols of the leaf extract is postulated. Ag-NPs having (111) and (200) crystal lattices were confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the spherical nature of the Ag-NPs, while transmission electron microscopy showed that the nanoparticles were polydispersed with a size range of 8-10 nm. The synthesized Ag-NPs also demonstrated their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biotechnology Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute-CSIR-NEERI, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, India.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.forename: Deepika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chandrashekhar
authors.forename: Bijaya Ketan
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sarangi
authors.forename: Devanand
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Satpute
authors.forename: Ram Avatar
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pandey
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects; D031744:Cynodon / Q000378:metabolism*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012834:Silver