Abstract
This study proposes the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). AgNPs were synthesized from the leaf extracts of plants from the Arecaceae family, which are abundant in the Amazon region. AgNPs were characterized using UV/Vis spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. AgNPs presented maximum absorbance between 420 and 430 nm, the mean diameter obtained by DLS ranged from 130.43 to 352.93 nm and the polydispersity index (PdI) ranged from 0.523 to 0.689. The surface charge measured by the Zeta potential was negative and ranged from -17.2 to -26.97 mV. FTIR analysis suggests that the phenolic compounds and/or proteins in the chemical composition of the plants studied may have been responsible for the reduction of Ag+ ions and stabilization of AgNPs. The morphology of AgNPs observed was largely spherical and presented some agglomerates. Transmission electron microscopy analyses showed polydispersed AgNPs without the formation of large agglomerates. The synthesized AgNPs presented homogeneity and rapid bioreduction. The concentration of AgNPs required to eliminate microorganisms by up to 90% was lower for Gram-negative bacteria (2.75 μg mL-1) than for Gram-positive bacteria (21.75 μg mL-1). In addition, AgNPs synthesized from plant species that are native to the Amazon proved to be promising, since they showed excellent antimicrobial activity against microorganisms of clinical interest.
Highlights
Nanotechnology is a science that deals with the creation, manipulation, and applications of nanometerscale materials (10-9 m) (Korbekandi & Iravani, 2012; Ghaedi, Yousefinejad, Safarpoor, Khafri, & Purkait, 2015)
The great interest in "nano" materials is due to their physicochemical properties, which differ from materials at larger scales, and make it possible to use them in new applications (Ahmed, Ahmad, Swami, & Ikram, 2016)
Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and surface Zeta potential analysis Due to the Brownian motion, the light scattered in the AgNP solution undergoes oscillations over time (Michaelides, 2015)
Summary
Nanotechnology is a science that deals with the creation, manipulation, and applications of nanometerscale materials (10-9 m) (Korbekandi & Iravani, 2012; Ghaedi, Yousefinejad, Safarpoor, Khafri, & Purkait, 2015). Several methods are available for synthesizing metallic nanoparticles (NPs), and among the most reported is chemical reduction via reducing agents in order to stabilize the nanoparticles, many of these reducing agents are toxic and/or have high costs. This process requires the use of specific equipment and has a high consumption of energy (Cauerhff & Castro, 2013; Iravani, 2011). Biological organisms, such as plants, can be exploited as a substitute for chemical reagents that, besides being expensive, are potentially harmful to the environment
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