ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES PRODUCED BY APRICOT LEAF EXTRACT.

Metallic nanoparticles are important substances in medicine. These particles could be prepared by various ways including green synthesis. The production of silver nanoparticles by plant extracts is widely used because of their environmentally friendly properties. In this study, silver nanoparticles have been synthesized by biological method and Apricot tree (Prunus armeniaca) leaf extract was used as reducing agent. The color change and formation of the characteristic absorption peak at 400-500 nm were the first indications of AgNP formation. XRD analysis showed the crystalline particles and obtained AgNPs were generally in spherical shape with the average particle size of 24 nm. Their antimicrobial activity studies against various pathogenic microorganisms showed that they have strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentrations for E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans were 0.125, 0.125 and 0.250 μg/mL, respectively. The results confirmed that Prunus armeniaca leaf extract could be used to produce AgNPs with efficient antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]