Author : T. Tejaswi, K. Venakteswara Rao Ch. Shilpa Chakara

Metallic nanoparticles are traditionally synthesized by wet chemical techniques, where the chemicals used are quite often toxic and flammable. Present work deals a cost effective and environment friendly technique for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from Silver Nitrate solution by co-precipitation using the leaf extract of different species of Ocimum that acts as reducing as well as capping agent. The important ingredients responsible for the formation of silver nanoparticles present in the leaf extract are triterpenes, flavonoids and eugenol. UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor the formation of silver nanoparticles and Characterizations performed to study different properties of the obtained particles, crystalline size and shape analysis by X-ray diffraction, surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscope, elemental analysis by Dispersive X-ray analysis and particle size by Dynamic Light Scattering. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was performed to identify types of chemical bonds, i.e. functional groups in a molecule. Antimicrobial activity of Silver Nanoparticles against Klebsiella and Staphylococcus has been tested by well diffusion technique.

Keywords: silver nanoparticles, green synthesis, ocimum, antibacterial activity.

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.3,No.2 (June- 2013)