Bio-fabrication of silver nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of Quercus baloot: Preparation, characterization and in vitro antimicrobial evaluation

Abstract

In the current study, a novel method was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by utilizing Quercus baloot aqueous extract as a reducing agent. The biosynthesized AgNPs were then subjected to various physicochemical characterizations to assess their effectiveness against microbial familiarity. The characterization techniques included ultraviolet-visible spectro-photometry (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The UV-Vis analysis revealed a distinctive spectral peak at 420 nm, indicating the presence of silver nanoparticles. SEM imaging displayed the nanoparticle size range of about 100 nm at a magnification of 30,000x, while TEM demonstrated that the nanoparticles had a spherical morphology with a size of approximately 100 nm. Moreover, the crystalline structure of the silver nanoparticles was confirmed by XRD analysis, further validating their successful synthesis. Additionally, FTIR analysis provided evidence of the presence of phytochemicals involved in synthesizing the AgNPs. the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activities. The AgNPs displayed substantial efficacy against common bacterial strains, including Staphylococcus aureus (71%), Escherichia coli (59%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (64%). Furthermore, they demonstrated significant antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi, namely Aspergillus niger (65%), Aspergillus flavus (70%) and Fusarium oxysporum (61%).