Eco-Friendly Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles for Sustainable Water Purification and Antibacterial Synergy

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the aqueous extract of Terminalia chebula (T-Chebula) fruits. Characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed AgNPs with a crystalline size ranging from 21 to 24 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited a morphology unique to T-Chebula-AgNPs (TC-AgNPs), with an average size of 50 nm and a band gap energy of 2.8 eV. Evaluation of antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli) showcased the potential antibacterial activity of AgNPs compared to the standard gentamicin antibiotic. Notably, increasing concentrations of TC-AgNPs correlated with larger zones of inhibition, highlighting their efficacy. In contrast, the T-Chebula extract alone showed no bactericidal activity. Furthermore, under visible light irradiation, TC-AgNPs exhibited significant catalytic potential in degrading water-soluble industrial methylene (MB) dyes, achieving 92% dye degradation rate compared to the previous studies. The stability and recyclability of TC-AgNPs were notably robust across three iterations. Biogenically synthesized TC-AgNPs demonstrate exceptional potential in degrading organic pollutants and deactivating microorganisms. These findings underscore their promising applications in microbial control and the photodegradation of organic pollutants, highlighting their role in sustainable environmental remediation efforts.