Biogenic robust synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Punica granatum peel and its application as a green catalyst for the reduction of an anthropogenic pollutant 4-nitrophenol

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy, 2013-03, Vol.104, p.262-264
• Main Authors: Edison, T. Jebakumar Immanuel, Sethuraman, M.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4-Nitrophenol; Biogenic synthesis; Green catalyst; Punica granatum peel; Silver nanoparticles
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2012.11.084

[Display omitted] . ► Ag nanoparticles are synthesized by Punica granatum peel in green conditions. ► AgNPs are characterized by visual observation, UV, FTIR, DLS and HR-TEM. ► 4-Nitrophenol is reduced by NaBH4 using AgNPs as green catalyst. A robust synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the peel extract of Punica granatum is reported in this article. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by the appearance of brownish yellow color and the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) peak at 432nm. The biogenic AgNPs were found to have the size approximately 30nm with distorted spherical shape. The high negative zeta potential values of AgNPs revealed their high stability which could be attributed to the capping of AgNPs by the phytoconstituents of the Punica granatum peel. The biogenic AgNPs were also found to function as an effective green catalyst in the reduction of anthropogenic pollutant viz., 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by solid sodium borohydride, which was evident from the instantaneous color change of bright yellow (400nm) to colorless (294nm) solution, after the addition of AgNPs. The catalytic action of biogenic AgNPs in the reduction of 4-NP could be explained on the basis of Langmuir–Hinshelwood model.