A Study on Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Ocimum Sanctum L (Tulsi) Leaf Extract & their Antimicrobial Activity: A Green Chemistry Approach

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) are being widely used in different fields; therefore, there is growing interest in the development of a biological and environmental safety method for their production. Now a day’s chemical and physical methods are being used for the development of nanoparticle that is costly, time-consuming, and harmful for the environment. Plant-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles is a “Green chemistry” approach that connects different types of plants with nanotechnology. It has gained much more attention as a reliable, sustainable, and eco-friendly method for synthesizing a wide range of materials/nanomaterials. Plants are called nature’s “chemical factories” therefore, plants and plant extracts are the best options to produce different types of nanoparticles. In this present study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by using leaf extract of Ocimum sanctum and aqueous silver nitrate solution through a simple and eco-friendly method. Then the developed silver nanoparticles were characterized by using different types of techniques such as Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and Fourier transforms infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Their antimicrobial activity was screened against microbial culture, and it was found that the synthesized silver nanoparticles have potential applications in antibacterial activity.