Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles using Olea europaea Leaves Extract and its Antibacterial Activity

This paper reports a rapid and ecofriendly green method for the synthesis of silver nonoparticles from silver nitrate solution using Olea europaea leaves extract. Effect of Olea europaea leaves extract, silver nitrate concentration, reaction time and temperature on reaction rate were investigated. The synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPS) were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). UV-vis spectra gave surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 430 nm. This reveals the reduction of silver ions (Ag+) to silver (Ago) which indicates the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The antibacterial activity of green synthesized AgNPs showed effective inhibitory activity against water borne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella and Staphylococcus aureus. This reveals that silver nanoparticles could provide a safer alternative to conventional antimicrobial and antibacterial agents.