Edwina Uzunuigbe
University of Zululand, South Africa
Title: Synthesis, Characterization and antibacterial activity of Silver nanoparticles using Acacia senegal leaf extract
Biography
Biography: Edwina Uzunuigbe
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles have gained considerable attention because of their unique properties and applications in medicine, cosmetics, water purification, food packaging, and as antibacterial agents, as well as in so many other everyday life applications. In this present work, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using aqueous leaf extracts of Acacia senegal. UV-Vis absorption spectrum showed absorption maxima at about 467 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed formation of close to spherical nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 10 nm to 19 nm, while X-ray diffraction studies (XRD) confirmed formation of crystalline cubic structure of silver nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated some functional groups revealing interaction of silver nanoparticles and the leaf extract. More so, the antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles was explored on some strains of both gram negative and positive bacteria and it was found to exhibits significant antibacterial activities. The results showed that the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles is ecofriendly, easy, cost-effective, fast, are not harmful and the AgNPs obtained are very potent against some strains of gram negative and positive organisms.