Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Crocus mathewii; A Disremembered Turkish Flowering Plant

Abstract

This study reports the first ever chemical study on Crocus mathewii, a Turkish endemic and forgotten flowering plant. Silver nanoparticles were green synthesized from one mmolxl(-1) silver nitrate extract of C. mathewii. The water-suspended silver nanoparticles showed a peak at 423 nm in UV/Vis spectrophotometer that suggested smaller particle size due to its less surface plasmon resonance. Transmission electron microscopy analysis also proved excellent polydispersity of quasi-spherical particle size distribution with average particles of 7.5 nm (2.5-25 nm). The presence of silver in the nanoparticles was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed the presence of various -OH and -NH containing organics. The results proved that the crude extract of C. mathewii can be used for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles in future for medicinal uses.