Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Fabricated by Euphorbia granulata Forssk’s Extract: Investigating the Antimicrobial, Radical Scavenging, and Catalytic Activities

Abstract

The plants of Euphorbiaceae have high medicinal values and their phytochemical composition plays a major role in metal ion reduction. In this research, Euphorbia granulata (EG) the “spurge family” plant extract was used to reduce silver ions to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). This nanoparticle formation was observed by UV-VIS spectrophotometric analysis at different times and temperatures to achieve the most optimal conditions. The synthesized biogenic silver nanoparticles (EG-AgNPs) were subjected to FTIR studies. The obtained low-intensity bands of fingerprint region bands (612 cm-1) and aromatic OH bands (3385 cm-1) are identified that the reduction of silver ions (Ag+) into metallic silver (Ag0) nanoparticles. Further, the charge, size, and morphology of the synthesized EG-AgNPs were studied using various spectroscopic methods including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM), FESEM-EDX elemental mapping, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The notable efficacy of the EG-AgNPs in antimicrobial activity including minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) suggested the EG-AgNPs are noteworthy material for biomedical applications. EG-AgNPs exhibited an efficient photocatalytic activity by degrading environmental pollutants, methylene blue (MB), and methyl orange (MO) dyes. The antioxidant property by radical scavenging (DPPH) assay of synthesized AgNPs was studied. Furthermore, the studied antioxidant behavior of EG-AgNPs by DPPH assay strongly supports that the EG-AgNPs are highly suitable materials for anticancer agents.