Microwave-assisted green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using pineapple leaves waste

Abstract

A cost-effective and eco-friendly method for synthesizing silver nanoparticles using pineapple leaves waste mediated by microwave-assisted extraction is presented. The green synthesis of AgNPs is accomplished through a simple reduction method utilizing silver nitrate. Various parameters, including silver nitrate concentration (5–25 mM), incubation time (2–24 h), and sample volume (2–8 mL), are employed to determine the optimal green synthesis condition. The presence of an absorption band in the range of 400–500 nm in the UV–Vis spectrophotometer indicates the reduction of silver metal ions into silver nanoparticles. The intensity of the absorption is found to increase with prolonged duration and higher concentrations of the silver nitrate solution and sample volume. FE-SEM results demonstrate that the green synthesized silver nanoparticles range in size from 40 to 150 nm and display hexagonal spherical-shaped structures. Furthermore, FTIR and XRD analyses confirm the presence of green synthesized AgNPs. The microwave-assisted treatment of silver nanoparticles exhibits greater antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus compared to non-microwave-assisted treatment. The minimum inhibitory concentration of silver nanoparticles for bacterial growth is 60 µg/mL. Overall, this research offers a promising avenue for the eco-friendly and cost-effective green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the microwave-assisted method, with significant potential in various applications.