Sodium Borohydride and Essential Oils as Reducing Agents for the Chemically and Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have gained immense attention among the variety of metallic nanoparticles during the past decades. In addition to the distinctive optical and electrical properties, Ag-NPs have been particularly employed for their biocidal features in industrial products, especially in biomedicine. Despite the wide range of studies and applications of Ag-NPs, yet serious limitations remained unsolved such as environmental toxicity caused by the reaction byproducts. In the present study, Ag-NPs synthesized by chemical synthesis as well by green synthesis method as a safer alternative considered as environmentally friendly, cost effective and easy-to-handle. Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and the natural essential oils originating from rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and grape seed (Vitis Vinifera) used as synthetic and bio-reducing agents, respectively. An ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy analysis were performed, providing an insight into the composition of the Ag-NPs. Ultimately, the antimicrobial activity of the nanoparticles was tested on a gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli (E. coli). The results revealed that Ag-NPs can be synthesized by a sustainable alternative method with the usage of essential oils originating from rosemary and grape seed, and the resultant Ag-NPs exhibit enhanced the antimicrobial activity compared to the ones synthesized by the chemical reduction method.

Keywords

• Silver nanoparticles
• sodium borohydride
• green synthesis
• essential oils
• antibacterial activity

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