Eco-friendly synthesis of size-controlled silver nanoparticles by using Areca catechu nut aqueous extract and investigation of their potent antioxidant and anti-bacterial activities

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their unique biological applications. AgNPs synthesized by plant extract is considered as a convenient, efficient and eco-friendly material. In this work, the aqueous extract of Areca catechu L. nut (ACN) was used as the reducing and capping agents for one-pot synthesis of AgNPs, and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities were investigated. UV (Ultra Violet)-visible spectrum and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed that the size of AgNPs was sensitive to the synthesis conditions. The synthesized AgNPs were composed of well-dispersed particles with an small size of about 10 nm under the optimal conditions (pH value of extract was 12.0; AgNO3 concentration was 1.0 mM; reaction time was 90 min). In addition, scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results further verified that the synthesized AgNPs had a stable and well-dispersed form (Zeta potential value of similar to 30.50 mV and polydispersity index of 0.328) and a regular spherical shape (average size of 15-20 nm). In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) results revealed that phytochemical constituents in ACN aqueous extract accounted for Ag+ ion reduction, capping and stabilization of AgNPs. The possible reductants in the aqueous extract of Areca catechu L. nut were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionizationquadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-qTOF/MS) method. More importantly, the synthesized AgNPs indicated excellent free radical scavenging activity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH center dot, IC50 = 11.75 +/- 0.29 mu g/mL) and 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS(+center dot), IC50 = 44.85 +/- 0.37 mu g/mL), which were significant higher than that of ascorbic acid. Moreover, AgNPs exhibited an enhanced antibacterial activity against six selected common pathogens (especially Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) compared with AgNO3 solution. In a short, this study showed that the Areca catechu L. nut aqueous extract could be applied for eco-friendly synthesis of AgNPs. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.