Biofabrication of Silver Nanoparticles using Different Species of Ocimum and Its Characterization

Nanotechnology encompasses biology, chemistry, material science, physics, and engineering working at the nano level along with creating materials on the atomic level and alterations at molecular level. Nanobiotechnology is the use of nanotechnology in life sciences, or the use of biological materials to manufacture technical nano systems. The silver particles that range from 1 to 100 nm are silver nanoparticles and are one of the most commonly utilized nanomaterials as they have unique optical, electrical, thermal and anti-microbial properties and are being incorporated into products that range from photovoltaic to biological and chemical sensors. Metallic nanoparticles are traditionally synthesized by wet chemical techniques, where the chemicals used are quite often toxic and flammable. Present work deals a cost effective and environment friendly technique for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from Silver Nitrate solution by co-precipitation using the leaf extract of different species of Ocimum which acts as reducing as well as capping agent. The important ingredients responsible for the formation of silver nanoparticles present in the leaf extract are triterpenes, flavonoids and eugenol. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy was used to monitor the formation of silver nanoparticles and Charcterizations were done using, X-ray diffraction analysis, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is used to access the capping agents.