Facile green synthesis of metal and oxide nanoparticles using papaya juice

A novel method for synthesis of metal (Ag) and oxide (ZnO) is reported employing crude papain extracted from the green papaya fruit. The synthesis was performed akin to room temperature. X-ray and transmission electron microscopy analyses were performed to ascertain the formation of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Individual nanoparticles having the particle sizes of 8-20 nm were found. UV-vis study revealed the surface plasmon resonance at 449 nm and 359 nm respectively for Ag and ZnO nanoparticles. A possible involved mechanism for the biosynthesis of nano silver and zinc oxide has also been proposed. The use of papaya juice for the synthesis of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles offers the benefit of eco-friendliness and amenability for large scale production through scaling up. Copyright © 2015 American Scientific Publishers.