Biosynthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Copper and Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized using Ricinus communis

Author(s): Umar Khan, Mohammed Mubeen Shaikh, Vikas Gupta and Ganesh Lad

Abstract: The antimicrobial activities of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are well known and research is currently underway to develop protocols using nanoparticles for treatment of diseases caused by an increasingly growing number of antibiotic resistant microbes. In the present work, we have synthesized copper and silver nanoparticles from various tissues of the plant Ricinus communis (Castor bean). The effect of change in four different environmental variables on the synthesis of nanoparticles was investigated viz. concentration, pH, temperature and incubation period. Successful biosynthesis of nanoparticles was indicated by a change in the colour of the solution. Characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles was done using UV-Visible spectroscopy and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). The antimicrobial and synergistic effects of the synthesized nanoparticles were studied on antibiotic resistant strains of E. coli and S. aureus. CuNPs did not exhibit any antimicrobial activities whereas AgNPs did exhibit antimicrobial activity. No synergistic effect was observed between CuNPs and AgNPs.

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