Green one-pot synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Sansevieria roxburghiana leaf extract for the catalytic degradation of toxic organic pollutants

Abstract

Biogenic gold nanoparticles were synthesized using aqueous solution of Sansevieria roxburghiana leaf extract. Optimum synthesis of gold nanoparticles was observed at 2 mM concentration of chloroauric acid and the reaction was completed by 60 min at 40 °C. The biomolecules, proteins and polyphenols present in the leaf extract were involved in the bioreduction of chloroauric acid. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The bioreduced gold nanoparticles exhibited shapes such as spherical, triangle, hexagonal, rod and decahedral. In the present investigation, for the first time, we report the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles from S. roxburghiana and their catalytic potential in the degradation of organic pollutants such as 4-nitrophenol, acridine orange, congo red, bromothymol blue, phenol red and methylene blue.