PLANT MEDIATED GREEN SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING RUMEX OBTUSIFOLIUS LEAF EXTRACT AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Rumex obtusifolius, belonging to the Polygonaceae family, commonly known as ‘broad-leaf-dock’ is one of the most important medicinal plants. It is common wayside weeds and uses as an antidote to nettle, depurative, astringent, laxative, and tonic and in the treatment of sores, blisters, jaundice, burns, cancer, and tumors. In this study, we design to synthesize silver nanoparticles from silver nitrate via a green route using the aqueous leaf extracts of Rumex obtusifolius. This biogenic reduction of metal ion to base metal is quite rapid, readily conducted at room temperature and pressure, and easily scaled up. The use of silver nanoparticles is gaining popularity due to its antibacterial properties. The silver nanoparticles formation in the solution was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy, and further characterization was carried out by FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) analysis. To optimize the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles, the effect of process variables such as extract concentrations, the mixing ratio of the reactants, time, and pH were also investigated. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized silver nanoparticles was tested against some pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacilius cereus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhii and DMSO is used as a positive control.