Sustainable synthesis of silver nanoparticles via hordeum vulgare seed extract: catalysis, antioxidant, anti-cancerous and antimicrobial potential
Priya Gupta, H. Ilyas, D. S. Raghav, Sudha Tomar
Abstract
This study demonstrates the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Hordeum vulgare seed extract, a natural polyphenol-rich reducing and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized AgNPs were thoroughly characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, HRTEM, XPS, Zeta potential, DLS, TGA, FTIR, and FE-SEM. The XRD and HR-TEM characteristic confirm the particle size range of 10–30 nm. The UV-Vis spectra showed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak between 400 and 450 nm, and XPS analysis confirmed the metallic nature of silver with distinct Ag 3d5/2 and Ag 3d3/2 peaks at 368.2 eV and 374.2 eV. A zeta potential of − 5.01 mV suggested moderate colloidal stability. The AgNPs displayed excellent catalytic efficiency in degrading Malachite Green dye, achieving over 95% degradation within 60 min at pH 8, following pseudo-first-order kinetics. The nanoparticles also retained catalytic activity over successive cycles, demonstrating strong recyclability and stability, making them suitable for environmental remediation. Furthermore, the AgNPs exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli , Bacillus subtilis , and Candida albicans . Antioxidant evaluation using the DPPH assay showed strong radical scavenging potential with an IC₅₀ value of 23.46 ± 0.04 µg/mL. Importantly, cytotoxicity assays against HCT-116 human colorectal cancer cells revealed a potent anticancer effect with an IC₅₀ of 4.61 µg/mL.