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Green synthesis employs environmentally friendly, biodegradable substances for the production of nanomaterials. This study aims to develop an innovative method for synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a methanolic extract of Fomes fomentarius L. Fr. as the reducing agent and to assess the potential antibacterial properties of the resulting nanoparticles. The successful synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed through characterization techniques such as UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The UV-Vis analysis revealed an absorption peak at 423 nm, while FT-IR identified key phytochemical compounds involved in the reduction process. PXRD analysis indicated a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure with prominent peaks observed at 2θ = 38°, 44.6°, 64.6°, and 78°, confirming the crystalline nature of the AgNPs, with a crystallite diameter of approximately 24 nm, consistent with TEM analysis. The synthesized AgNPs demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, particularly against S. aureus, with higher efficacy against gram-positive bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized from cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) by varying the concentration of silver ions and the pH of the CNSL extract. The synthesized AgNPs were further characterized to study their surface, structural, and morphological properties and tested for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye. The results of this study showed that depending on the conditions, particles of various sizes, ranging from 1 to 60 nm, and different degrees of stabilization and agglomeration were produced. The concentration of silver ions equal to 3 mM and the pH of the extract of ~4.5 (AgNP3) resulted in the most efficient synthesis, where particles appeared to be highly stabilized and homogeneously distributed on the surface, exhibiting a small average particle size and a narrow particle size distribution (6.7 ± 6.5 nm). Such particles further showed the highest percent removal of MB, where up to 80% removal was recorded within the first 20 min. Higher concentrations of silver ions and higher pH of the extract resulted in substantial particle agglomeration and particles being over-capped by the CNSL biomolecules, respectively, which further negatively affected the ability of particles to remove MB. Finally, the fact that visible light showed no significant effect on the removal of MB, with the average removal rates found to be about the same as in the dark, suggests the strong catalytic nature of AgNPs, which facilitates the electron transfer reactions leading to MB reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of green chemistry protocols in nanoparticle (NP) synthesis has exhibited substantial potential and is presently a central focus in research for generating versatile NPs applicable across a broad spectrum of applications. In this scientific contribution, we, for the first time, examined the ability of Aconitum Laeve (A. Laeve) crude extract to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles (AgNPs@AL; AuNP@AL) and explored their potential applications in biological activities and the catalytic degradation of environmental pollutants. The synthesized NPs exhibited a distinctive surface plasmon resonance pattern, a spherical morphology with approximate sizes of 5–10 nm (TEM imaging), a crystalline architecture (XRD analysis), and potential functional groups identified by FTIR spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity was demonstrated by inhibition zones that measured 16 and 14 mm for the AgNPs@AL and AuNP@AL at a concentration of 80 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and 14 and 12 mm against Escherichia coli, respectively. The antioxidant potential of the synthesized NPs was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2-Phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-Oxide (PTIO), and 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays. Our findings suggest that the AuNP@AL effectively countered the tested radicals considerably, displaying IC50 values of 115.9, 103.54, and 180.85 µg/mL against DPPH, PTIO, and ABTS, respectively. In contrast, the AgNPs@AL showed IC50 values of 144.9, 116.36, and 95.39 µg/mL against the respective radicals. In addition, both the NPs presented significant effectiveness in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B. The overall observations indicate that A. Laeve possesses a robust capability to synthesize spherical nanoparticles, exhibiting excellent dispersion and showcasing potential applications in both biological activities and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal nanoparticle synthesis via environmentally friendly methods is gaining interest for their potential advantages over conventional physico-chemical approaches. Herein, we propose a robust green synthesis route for lignin-modified silver nanoparticles, utilizing the recovery of lignin as a renewable raw material and exploring its application in valuable areas. Through a systematic approach combining UV-Vis spectroscopy with AAS and DLS, we identified repeatable and scalable reaction conditions in an aqueous solution at pH 11 for homogeneous silver nanoparticles with high uniformity. The TEM median sizes ranged from 12 to 15 nm with circularity between 0.985 and 0.993. The silver nanoparticles yield exceeded 0.010 mol L−1, comparable with traditional physico-chemical methods, with a minimal loss of silver precursor ranging between 0.5 and 3.9%. Characterization by XRD and XPS revealed the presence of Ag-O bonding involving lignin functional groups on the pure face-centered cubic structure of metallic silver. Moreover, the lignin-modified silver nanoparticles generated a localized thermal effect upon near-infrared laser irradiation (808 nm), potentially allowing for targeted applications in the biomedical field. Our study showcases the potential of lignin as a renewable reducing and capping agent for silver nanoparticle synthesis, addressing some shortcomings of green synthesis approaches and contributing to the development of suitable nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]