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E-ISSN: 2278-3229 IJGHC, March 2014 - May-2014; Vol.3, No.2,
401-408.
International Journal of Green and Herbal Chemistry
An International Peer Review E-3 Journal of Sciences
Available online atwww.ijghc.com
Green Chemistry Research Article CODEN (USA): IJGHAY
401 IJGHC, March 2014 - May-2014; Section A; Vol.3, No.2,
401-408.
Eco-friendly Green Synthesis and Spectrophotometric
Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized
using Some Common Indian Spices Sankar Narayan Sinha* and Dipak
Paul
Environmental Microbiology Research Laboratory,
Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235,
West Bengal, India
Received: 20 January 2014; Revised: 20 February 2014; Accepted:
1 March 2014
Abstract: Biosynthesis of nanoparticles is under exploration is
due to wide biomedical applications and research interest in
nanotechnology. In this study bio-reduction of silver nitrate
(AgNO3) for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles with the
twelve spices extract has been carried out. The spices extract are
mixed with silver nitrate solution, incubated and studied synthesis
of nanoparticles using UVvisible spectrophotometer and also
confirmed by the change of the colour of the nanoparticle solutions
and concerned pH was also determined. The results showed that the
spice extracts are very good bio-reductant for the synthesis of
silver nanoparticles.
Keywords: Eco-friendly synthesis, Green synthesis, Silver
nanoparticles, Spices extract, Spectrophotometry
INTRODUCTION
The field of nanotechnology is one of the most active areas of
research in modern materials science. Nanoparticles exhibit totally
new or improved properties based on specific characteristics like
size, form and distribution1-3. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles
has drawn considerable attention owing to their various properties
like catalysis, magnetic and optical polarizability4, electrical
conductivity5, antimicrobial activities6 and surface enhanced Raman
scattering7. Various techniques are available for the synthesis of
silver nanoparticles for example, reduction in solutions8, thermal
decomposition of
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402 IJGHC, March 2014 - May-2014; Section A; Vol.3, No.2,
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silver compounds9, chemical and photochemical reactions in
reverse micelles10, radiation assisted11, electrochemical12,
sonochemical13, microwave assisted process14 and via green
chemistry route15-17. Green synthesis provides benefit over
chemical and physical method because it is cost effective,
eco-friendly, easily scaled up for mass-scale synthesis and there
is no need to use temperature, high pressure, energy and toxic
chemicals. Synthesis of nanoparticle using bacteria18, fungus19,
algae20, enzymes21 and plants extracts22-24 have been suggested as
possible eco-friendly alternatives to chemical and physical
methods. Using plant parts for nanoparticle synthesis can be
advantageous over other biological methods because it eliminates
the elaborate process of maintaining cell cultures and can also be
suitably scaled up for mass-scale synthesis of nanoparticles under
natural environment25. It has been reported that medicinally
important angiosperms have the greatest potential for the synthesis
of metallic nanoparticles with respect to quality and quantity26,
27. The main phytochemical compounds responsible for the synthesis
of nanoparticles are terpenoids, flavonoids, ketones, aldehyde,
amides and other molecules with bioactivity. Herein, we
investigated the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles via green
chemistry route, reducing the silver ions present in the silver
nitrate solution by the aqueous extract of twelve common Indian
spices. Reduction of silver nitrate to silver ions was confirmed by
the colour change from colourless to brown. The formation of silver
nanoparticles was also confirmed by spectrophotometric
determination.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Preparation of plant extracts: Twelve spices (Figure 1), such as
Cuminum cyminum, Foeniculum vulgara, Nigella sativa, Trigonella
foenum-graecum, Trachyspermum roxburghianum, Trachyspermum ammi,
Elettaria cardamomum, Coriandrum sativum, Syzygium aromaticum,
Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum tamala and Piper nigrum which was
included in this study were collected from local market and it was
thoroughly washed with distilled water and dried with water
absorbent paper (wet filter paper).
Figure 1: Photographs of the spices used for silver
nanoparticles synthesis. A. Cumin, B. Fennel, C. Black cumin, D.
Fenugreek, E. Ajmod, F. Ajwain,
G. Coriander, H. Cardamom, I. Clove, J. Cinnamon, K. Indian bay
leaf, L. Black pepper
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After that, grind the spices to make fine powder using mortar
and pestle. About 10 g of freshly prepared dry powder of each spice
were suspended in 100 ml of double distilled water and boiled at
80C temperature for one hour. Then filtered the solution through a
Whatman No. 1 filter paper and the solution was used as stock
solution for further experimental use.
Plant mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles: The silver
nitrate (AgNO3) was purchased from Merck India Ltd and it was used
as a precursor in the silver nanoparticles synthesis process. Five
millilitre of spice extract was added to 95 ml 1 mM silver nitrate
solution and allowed to react at ambient conditions. The same
protocol was followed for all the twelve spice extracts. The colour
change of the extracts from pale yellow to dark brown was observed
periodically. The colour change in the solutions occurred
indicating the formation of silver nanoparticles.
UV-visible spectral analysis: The reduction of pure Ag+ ions was
monitored by measuring the UV-vis spectrum of the solution by
diluting a small aliquot of the sample. UV-vis spectral analysis
was performed through a UV-vis spectrophotometer (Shimadzu
UV-1601PC) at the range of 300-700 nm and observed the absorption
peaks at 420-460 nm regions, which are identical to the
characteristics UV-visible spectrum of metallic silver and it was
recorded.
pH analysis: Change in pH of silver nanoparticle solution due to
synthesis of silver nanoparticles using extracts of spices was
determined by digital pH meter (Jenway 3510).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Twelve spices extracts were used to produce silver nanoparticles
(AgNPs) (Table 1). The synthesized silver nanoparticles were
confirmed by visual observation. The colours of the all extracts
were changed into different yellowish-brown due to reduction of
silver ions (Figure 2 and Table 2). The reduction of various
complexes with Ag+ ions leads to the formation of silver atoms
(Ag0), which is followed by agglomeration into oligomeric clusters
28.
UVvis spectroscopy is an indirect method to study the
bioreduction of silver nanoparticles from aqueous AgNO3 solution.
One of the most considerable features in optical absorbance spectra
of metal nanoparticles is surface plasmon band, which appear as a
result of collective electron oscillation around the surface mode
of the particles.
Table-1: Details of spices used for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)
synthesis
S. Scientific name Common name Local name Family name Part used
1 Cuminum cyminum Cumin Jeera Apiaceae Seed 2 Foeniculum vulgar
Fennel Mouri Apiaceae Seed 3 Nigella sativa Black cumin Kalo jeera
Ranunculaceae Seed 4 Trigonella foenum-graecum Fenugreek Methi
Fabaceae Seed 5 Trachyspermum roxburghianum Ajmod Radhuni Apiaceae
Seed 6 Trachyspermum ammi Ajwain Jowan Apiaceae Seed 7 Coriandrum
sativum Coriander Dhone Apiaceae Seed 8 Elettaria cardamomum
Cardamom Elaichi Zingiberaceae Seed pod 9 Syzygium aromaticum Clove
Labanga Myrtaceae Flower bud
10 Cinnamomum verum Cinnamon Darchini Lauraceae Bark 11
Cinnamomum tamala Indian bay leaf Tej pata Lauraceae Leaf 12 Piper
nigrum Black pepper Gol morich Piperaceae Fruit
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Figure 2: Colour change of twelve spices extracts containing
AgNO3 solution: A. 1 mM AgNO3 solution, B. before synthesis, C.
after synthesis of nanoparticles. (a) Cuminum cyminum,
(b) Foeniculum vulgara, (c) Nigella sativa, (d) Trigonella
foenum-graecum,(e) Trachyspermum roxburghianum, (f) Trachyspermum
ammi,(g) Coriandrum sativum, (h) Elettaria cardamomum, (i) Syzygium
aromaticum, (j) Cinnamomum verum, (k) Cinnamomum tamala, (l) Piper
nigrum
Table-2: Change of colour of the solution due to silver
nanoparticles synthesis
Sl. no
Plants used for AgNPs synthesis Change of colour Colour
intensity
Absorption maxima ( max)
Before After
1. Cuminum cyminum Pale yellow Reddish brown ++ 443 2.
Foeniculum vulgara Pale yellow Deep brown +++ 460 3. Nigella sativa
Pale yellow Yellowish brown ++ 440 4. Trigonella foenum-graecum
Pale yellow Yellowish brown ++ 456 5. Trachyspermum roxburghianum
Light yellow Reddish brown ++ 466 6. Trachyspermum ammi Pale yellow
Brown ++ 458 7. Coriandrum sativum Whitish Yellowish brown ++ 439
8. Elettaria cardamomum Whitish Deep brown + 447 9. Syzygium
aromaticum Dark yellow Blackish brown +++ 469 10. Cinnamomum verum
Pale yellow Yellowish brown ++ 436 11. Cinnamomum tamala Pale
yellow Deep brown +++ 453 12 Piper nigrum Dark yellow Deep brown
+++ 445
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Previous studies have reported that silver exhibits
yellowish-brown colour due to the excitations of their surface
plasmon response (SPR) 29, when dissolved in water. In this work
all of the twelve spices extract showed characteristics band in
UV-vis region (Figure 3 and Figure 4) such as Cuminum cyminum at
443 nm, Nigella sativa at 440 nm, Elettaria cardamomum at 447 nm,
Cinnamomum tamala at 453 nm etc which are identical to the
characteristics UV-vis spectrum of metallic silver. Similar types
of observation were also reported by many researchers 30, 31.
Figure 3: UV-vis absorption spectrum of different silver
nanoparticles solutions (A) Cuminum
cyminum, (B) Foeniculum vulgara, (C) Nigella sativa, (D)
Trigonella foenum-graecum, (E) Trachyspermum roxburghianum, (F)
Trachyspermum ammi
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Figure 4: UV-vis absorption spectrum of different silver
nanoparticles solutions (G) Coriandrum
sativum, (H) Elettaria cardamomum, (I) Syzygium aromaticum, (J)
Cinnamomum verum, (K) Cinnamomum tamala, (L) Piper nigrum
In this work almost all silver nanoparticles solutions were
showed characteristic increase in pH after incubation at room
temperature (Figure 5). The increased pH indicated the formation of
nanoparticles by the reduction of silver nitrate by aqueous extract
of spices. This may be probably due to the availability of more H+
from the metabolites at higher pH which enables quicker reduction
of silver nitrate and hence the oxidation of the metabolites 32.
Similar type of observation was also reported by Priya et al. 33.
Maximum increase in pH was showed in case of Piper nigrum.
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Figure 5: Change of pH of the solution due to synthesis of
silver nanoparticles
CONCLUSION
The reduction of Ag+ ion by these spices extracts resulted in
the formation of stable nanoparticles. The rate of reduction for
the synthesis of nanoparticles by this method was rapid. Synthesis
of silver nanoparticles by the green chemistry approach reported in
this study using twelve spice extracts may find potent use in
biomedical applications. Furthermore, we demonstrated that use of
natural, renewable and low cost biological reducing agent, such as
these spices could produce metal nanostructures in aqueous solution
at ambient temperature, avoiding the occurrence of hazardous and
toxic solvents.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors thank to University of Kalyani, West Bengal, India
for providing necessary facilities for doing this research. Authors
acknowledge the financial support received under the grant from DST
PURSE, New Delhi, India for this study.
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*Corresponding Author: Sankar Narayan Sinha; Environmental
Microbiology Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, University
of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, W.B., India