Conventional approaches such as physical and chemical methods have been proposed for synthesis of metal nanoparticles. However, these are associated with the use of heavy equipment, huge amount of energy input, highly toxic and dangerous chemical compounds that cause biological hazards.
Apart from these, plant-mediated synthesis of metal nanoparticles seems to be very rapid, simple, dependable, non-toxic and ecofriendly.
Recently, great efforts have been made to use environmentally-friendly methods for the synthesis of silver (Ag) nanoparticles which have become a promising material in the recognition of ultrasensitive chemical and biological molecules owing to its low cost, high catalytic activity and noteworthy optical properties. Most plants used in green synthesis of Ag nanoparticles are medical herbs. The extracts of such medical herbs include several kinds of useful ingredients including polyphenol, protein and polysaccharide for reduction and stabilization of Ag nanoparticles.
Ri Yun Sik, a researcher at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, has investigated an eco-friendly route to the synthesis of Ag nanoparticles by extracts derived from Epimedium Koreanum Nakai leaves, which have been traditionally used as aphrodisiac and for low blood pressure, neurasthenia, infertility, impotence and amnesia, and their antibacterial properties and colorimetric sensing property on hydrogen peroxide.
As a result, he has found that the Ag nanoparticles he synthesized were small, nearly monodispersed and highly crystalline with face centered cubic structure and that these Ag nanoparticles show high antibacterial activity against bacteria such as E. coli and S. aureus. He has also proved that the degradation of Ag nanoparticles induced by catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide causes a considerable change in the surface plasmon resonance absorbance with hydrogen peroxide concentration and that this sensor reaction has a very good sensitivity and a linear response over wide hydrogen peroxide concentration range of 10−6 to 10−1M hydrogen peroxide.
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