Synthesis and Characterization of Citrate-reduced Silver Nanoparticles Augmented with Punica granatum Peel Extract
Dethe Prajkata U.
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
Mote Chandrashekhar S. *
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
Jadhav Sachin H.
Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
V. S. Dhaygude
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
V. V. Karande
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
A. K. Barate
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
H. U. Chandan
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
S. S. Bhandekar
Krantisinh Nana Patil College of Veterinary Science, Shirwal, Dist Satara, (Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur), Maharashtra, 412801, India.
Kulkarni Asavari S.
Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles are widely studied for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications because of their distinctive physicochemical properties and potential for surface modification. This study aimed to synthesise citrate-reduced silver nanoparticles and augment them with an ethanolic extract of Punica granatum peel, followed by physicochemical characterisation. Pomegranate peels were washed, dried, powdered, and extracted with ethanol using Soxhlet extraction. The extract was qualitatively screened for major phytochemical groups. Silver nanoparticles were prepared by chemically reducing silver nitrate with trisodium citrate, and the nanoparticle suspension was subsequently mixed with pomegranate peel extract at three amounts: 200 mg, 500 mg, and 1000 mg. The prepared nanoparticles were characterised by visual observation, UV–visible spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential analysis. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and saponins in the ethanolic peel extract. Citrate-reduced silver nanoparticles exhibited a pale-yellow colour and a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at approximately 420 nm. Following augmentation with pomegranate peel extract, concentration-dependent spectral shifts were observed, with peaks at 360 nm, 370 nm, and 385 nm for the 200 mg, 500 mg, and 1000 mg extract-augmented formulations, respectively. Dynamic light scattering showed an increase in hydrodynamic diameter from 59 nm for citrate-reduced silver nanoparticles to 95 nm, 158 nm, and 212 nm after extract augmentation. Zeta potential values also varied with extract amount, indicating changes in surface charge and colloidal stability. These findings suggest an interaction between pomegranate peel phytochemicals and citrate-reduced silver nanoparticles.
Keywords: Silver nanoparticles, citrate reduction, Punica granatum, pomegranate peel extract, surface augmentation, UV–visible spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, phytochemicals, physicochemical characterisation