Green synthesis and antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles using Eucalyptus camaldulensis

Introduction and Aims: Due to the developing bacterial drug resistance to classical antimicrobial agents, it seems necessary to produce an innovative therapeutic approach to eliminate resistant pathogens. This study aimed to biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using flowers extract of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and determined of antibacterial activity of produced AgNPs.
We used an environmentally friendly extracellular biosynthetic technique for the production of the AgNPs. The reducing agents used to produce the nanoparticles were from the aqueous flowers extract of Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The AgNPs were characterized by color changes, the UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR analysis, XRD patterns and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique. The antibacterial activity of AgNPs was investigated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria ,through broth micro dilution (MIC values) and MBC (Minimum bactericidal concentration) assays.
An absorption peak at 413 nm and the color change to dark brown were corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of AgNPs and then were performed by FTIR and XRD methods. The average size of nanoparticles was observed between 67 and 80 nm. Furthermore, the MIC value of extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 3.12, 6.25, and 50 mg/mL, respectively. The corresponding MBC values were 6.25, 6.25 and 100 mg/mL, respectively.
Our findings confirmed that extracellular synthesis of AgNPs mediated by E. camaldulensis flowers extract indicated a good bactericidal activity against the tested bacteria and can be used in various fields as an antibacterial agent. Further studies are needed to characterize the toxicity effect of these particles.