CESTRUM NOCTURNUM: AN EMERGING NANOFACTORY FOR THE GREEN SYNTHESIS OF SILVER AND COPPER NANOPARTICLES AND EVALUATION OF THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

The objective of this research was to develop reliable green processes for the synthesis of multiple metallic nanoparticles from a single plant system.
In this investigation, we have focused on a single plant system for the synthesis of silver, as well as copper nanoparticles from the Cestrum nocturnum
leaf extract, which acts as a reducing and capping agent. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy
(TEM), which revealed spherical silver nanoparticles of the size range 10 nm to 37 nm and spherical copper nanoparticles of the size range 10 nm to
30 nm. Antibacterial activity of the generated nanoparticles was evaluated against Escherichia coli using a well diffusion assay. Compared to silver
nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles were found to be more effective as an antibacterial agent against Escherichia coli. Present study concluded that
this method is a simple, efficient, eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative for the synthesis of silver and copper nanoparticles.