title: One pot light assisted green synthesis, storage and antimicrobial activity of dextran stabilized silver nanoparticles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Green synthesis of nanomaterials finds the edge over chemical methods due to its environmental compatibility. Herein, we report green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) mediated with dextran. Dextran was used as a stabilizer and capping agent to synthesize Ag NPs using silver nitrate (AgNO3) under diffused sunlight conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  UV-vis spectra of as synthesized Ag nanoparticles showed characteristic surface plasmon band in the range from ~405-452 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies showed spherical Ag NPs in the size regime of ~50-70 nm. Face centered cubic lattice of Ag NPs was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed that dextran not only acts as reducing agent but also functionalizes the surfaces of Ag NPs to make very stable dispersions. Moreover, on drying, the solution of dextran stabilized Ag NPs resulted in the formation of thin films which were found stable over months with no change in the plasmon band of pristine Ag NPs. The antimicrobial assay of the as synthesized Ag NPs showed remarkable activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Being significantly active against microbes, the Ag NPs can be explored for antimicrobial medical devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Pakistan. majaz172@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad Ajaz
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Pakistan. abdullah_uos@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia. profibj@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jantan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Johannes Guttenberg University of Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, Mainz, 55128, Germany. tahir@uni-mainz.de.
authors.forename: Muhammad Nawaz
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Tahir
authors.affiliation: International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan. raza.shah@iccs.edu.
authors.forename: Muhammad Raza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Centre for Advanced Studies in Physics (CASP), GC University, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan. ahriaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Riaz
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia. snab@ukm.edu.my.
authors.forename: Syed Nasir Abbas
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bukhari
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012835:Silver Nitrate / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D003911:Dextrans; D012834:Silver; D012835:Silver Nitrate