Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles using Terminalia ferdinandiana Leaf and Fruit Extract

Metal nanoparticles produced by green methods have received much interest from chemists and researchers due to their extensive applications in the biomedical field and environmentally friendly nature. Among all green synthesis methods, production of metal nanoparticles using plants are more stable and they are suitable for large-scale biosynthesis. In my PhD project, water extracts of both leaves and plums of the Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) is used in synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Kakadu plum is an Australian native plant endemic to the Northern Territory and has been used as a food source and traditional medicine from early years by indigenous Australians. More recently it is used to produce value-added products such as food products, cosmetic products as well as preservatives due to its high Vitamin C, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
To optimize the synthesis of AgNPs, the effect of several conditions like ratio of plant extract to silver ion solution, contact time and pH at room temperature, on synthesis of the Ag nanoparticles is examined. The nature of synthesized AgNPs is analyzed by UV–vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and zeta potential analyzer. The results show that the formation of uniform sized AgNPs increases significantly in the basic medium (pH 7.5-8).