Dye degradation and antibacterial activity of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using Ipomoea digitata Linn. flower extract

A new greener approach for the synthesis and stabilization of silver nanoparticles using aqueous flower extract of Ipomoea digitata Linn. is reported in this study. The nature of silver nanoparticles was analyzed by various techniques. The silver nanoparticles produced a peak centered near 412nm which confirmed the synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy portrayed the polydispersed nature of the nanoparticles, and a distinct peak at 3keV in energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum confirmed the elemental silver. X-ray diffraction studies showed the presence of 111 reflection plane of a face-centered cubic structure. The zeta potential value was -25.1mV which substantiated the stability of the nanoparticles. The antibacterial potential of silver nanoparticles was verified using well diffusion method. The silver nanoparticles appreciably inhibited growth of multi-drug resistant bacteria like Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The nanoparticles also exhibited a good catalytic reduction for methylene blue dye in the presence of NaBH4. It followed a pseudo-first order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.1714min(-1).