Cynodon dactylon Leaf Extract Assisted Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Anti-Microbial Activity

A facile green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the leaf extract of Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) is reported. The reduction of silver ions into AgNPs by Cynodon dactylon grass leaf extract was observed by the color change of solution from yellowish brown to dark brown. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by the characteristic surface plasmon resonance absorption band in the visible region using UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The size and morphology of nanoparticles were determined by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement and the average size of spherical nanoparticles was observed to be ∼20 nm. The lattice fringe spacing in AgNPs was found to be ∼0.20 nm attributed to the (200) crystal plane of face-centered cubic silver and the reflections in electron diffraction pattern suggested the polycrystalline nature of nanoparticles. The FTIR measurement evidenced the presence of biomolecules at the surface of AgNPs suggesting that the biomolecules presents in the leaf extract act as reducing agent as well as the capping agent for AgNPs. The as synthesized AgNPs were found to exhibit strong anti-microbial activity against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria and Candida albicans (C. albicans) fungus implying their strong potential as antimicrobial agent.