Starch mediated production of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and their antimicrobial activity against selected pathogens

Abstract

Nanotechnology has drawn significant attention due to their unique and exceptional applications in recent years. Current scenario protract chemical methods of silver nanoparticle (Ag-NPs) production have noteworthy interest due to their huge demand. The demands of silver nanoparticle keep on increasing day by day. Silver nanoparticles are attracting much interest because of their potent antimicrobial activity. In the present study, silver nanoparticles were produced in aqueous solutions of starch in DMSO and Milli-Q water at high temperature (80°C) under continuous stirring condition. Starch acted as both reducing and stabilizing agents simultaneously for the production of silver nanoparticles. Silver nitrate (AgNO3) of 2mM aqueous solution was used as the metal ion precursor for the fabrication of Ag-NPs under the reaction condition over the period of time. The Plasmon resonance kinetics and their activation energy of nanoparticles were determined by UV – visible spectroscopy. The UV-Vis spectrum revealed the formation of silver nanoparticles by exhibiting the typical surface plasmon absorption maxima at 420 nm. The Milli-Q water solution of starch exhibited better reductive activity than the DMSO solution of starch. The produced silver nanoparticles were subjected to performed antimicrobial activity against selected microbial pathogens. The Milli-Q water solution of starch refereed silver nanoparticles were demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans than other tested pathogens. The produced silver nanoparticles further to be characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, AFM etc., to pinpoint the size, morphology and actual constituents responsible for the antibacterial activity. This research opens a new avenue of nanotechnological niche in the field of nanobiotechnology.