Investigation of Antimicrobial Potential of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesised from Vegetable Peel Extracts

The aim of the present study is to synthesise silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from ash gourd and cucumber peel extracts and analyse their antimicrobial activities. The synthesised AgNPs are characterized by UV-Visible and FTIR spectral analysis. The synthesised AgNPs showed the corresponding surface plasmon resonance peak in the range of 440-459 nm. The absorption peaks indicated the poly dispersed nature of the AgNPs. The bioactive molecules present in the peel extracts not only reduced the Ag+ ions to AgNPs but also stabilized the synthesised AgNPs. The nature and the particle size of the synthesised AgNPs were determined using XRD analysis. The surface morphology of the synthesised AgNPs was analyzed by SEM analysis. The synthesised AgNPs exhibited antimicrobial activity on selected microorganisms taken in the present study. The synthesised AgNPs directly interacted with the outer membrane of the microorganism, causing the membrane to rupture and thus killing the microorganism. Hence, the AgNPs synthesised from ash gourd and cucumber peel extracts are used as drugs for microbial infection.