Vol. 8, Issue 3 (2019)

Author(s):
S Poornima, Suhani Jain and M Shivashankar

Abstract:
Nanotechnology is emerging as an important field in modern scientific research for the purpose of synthesizing new materials at the nanoscale level. It deals with the synthesis and application of materials under the dimensions of nanometers. (<100 nm). Nanotechnology is gaining tremendous attention in the present century due to its expected impact on many important areas such as biomedical services, cosmetics, drug gene delivery, environmental health, food, health care, catalysis, mechanics, non linear optical devices, optics, photo-electrochemical application, single electron transistors and space industries. Conventionally, the chemical synthesis of nanoparticles is the most popular approach. This approach has its drawbacks with respect to medical applications since chemical synthesis leads to production of toxic substances. There have been many reports on the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and plants with good surface and size characteristics which confer a range of biological properties namely antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-biofueling, antimalarial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, etc. Of all the methods employed, the use of plants extracts is the most sought after. Development of green protocols for the synthesis of AgNPs has evolved as a novel field of science and is referred as Green nanotechnology. Green nanotechnology is also known as photobiological approach which utilizes plants or their extracts as reducing and capping agents in the synthesis of AgNPs. Hence, the biosynthesis of NPs is a reliable, cost effective, eco-friendly and important aspect of green chemistry approach that intersects biotechnology and nanotechnology. With the literature available, there have been no reports on the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from Bixa orellana L leaf and the dye Nor-bixin under sunlight. Hence, our study is the first of its kind in this regard to report a simple, efficient and one-step protocol for the rapid synthesis of AgNPs from Bixa orellana L leaf and seed dye extract (Nor-Bixin) under direct sunlight and the characterisation of AgNPs by TEM Studies.