Biosynthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) Using <i>Borassus Aethiopum</i> ( <i>B. aethiopum)</i> Leaf Extract and Their Antibacterial Activity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recent advancements in nanoscience have sparked a surge in scientific research focused on the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of nanoparticles. Green synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant extracts has attracted significant attention as an eco‐friendly and cost‐effective alternative to conventional chemical methods. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using Borassus aethiopum ( B. aethiopum ) leaf extract. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of the B. aethiopum leaf extract confirmed the presence of several bioactive compounds. FT‐IR spectroscopic analysis further confirmed the presence of these bioactive compounds in the plant extract. These bioactive compounds serve as both reducing and stabilizing agents during the synthesis of AgNPs. The formation of AgNPs was verified by the appearance of a deep red‐colored solution and confirmed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, which showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 416 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs were further characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed distinct diffraction peaks at 2θ values of 38.23°, 44.38°, 64.52°, and 77.39°, corresponding to the Miller indices (111), (200), (220), and (311), respectively, confirming a face‐centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure. The average crystallite size of the biosynthesized AgNPs was calculated using the Debye–Scherrer equation and was found to be approximately 19.65 nm. Antibacterial assays demonstrated that the nanoparticles exhibited significant inhibitory activity against human pathogens, with inhibition zones of 18 ± 0.35 mm for Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and 13 ± 0.20 mm for Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ). This study encourages further investigation of regional biodiversity as a sustainable and environmentally friendly source of technological innovations.