GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, OPTIMIZATION AND ANTI- LESHMANIAL INVESTIGATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES FROM CITRUS SINENSIS L. FRUIT PEELS

Abstract

Plants have continuously served as a rich supply of beneficial items that have many applications in industries such as food, agriculture, industry, and medicine. The investigation utilized aqueous extracts obtained from the peels of Citrus sinensis to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The study discusses both qualitative and quantitative methods for the biological production of AgNPs, with a focus on the need to optimize the amount, shape, and factors of synthesis. The optimal reaction conditions for synthesizing AgNPs were determined to be temperatures ranging from 70°C to 90°C and a pH of 5-7. The paper offers a comprehensive review of the elements that affect the qualitative characteristics of AgNPs, investigating advancements in the methodologies used for synthesis, optimization, and characterization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation showed the presence of a small number of tubular and regular structures made of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) verified that the majority of the nanoparticles were spherical in shape and varied in size from 20 nm to 50 nm. The XRD diffraction pattern indicated that the nanoparticles were uniformly distributed and stable. Additionally, EDX examination revealed the presence of living components including carbon, potassium, calcium, oxygen, nitrogen, and chloride, in addition to silver. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibited efficient bio-reduction at a wavelength of 420 nm, as evidenced by the results obtained from UV-Vis spectroscopy. Finally, the anti-leishmanial assay demonstrated that the silver nanoparticles had significant action against Leishmania tropica, surpassing the effectiveness of conventional medicines such as amphotericin B and miltefosine.