Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using polar seaweed Fucus gardeneri and its catalytic efficacy in the reduction of nitrophenol

Biofabrication of metal nanoparticles via seaweeds is quite interesting as it make use of phytochemicals in the aqueous seaweed extract as sole bioreductant and stabilizing agent. Herein, we report for the first time, the utilization of a Polar seaweed Fucus gardeneri for the biosynthesis of well stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). As no harmful chemicals employed in the synthetic procedure, it is absolutely a green chemistry procedure. Distinct brown colour of the reaction mixture and typical absorption band at 410 nm in the UV-Visible spectrum gave evidence for the formation of AgNPs. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed almost spherical morphology in HR-TEM studies and their average size was about 19.39 nm. SAED pattern and XRD spectrum confirmed the crystallinity of the biogenic AgNPs. Characteristic peak for elemental silver was observed in energy dispersive X-ray analysis. FTIR studies revealed the role of phytochemicals in the seaweed extract as potential bioreductant and capping agent. In addition, catalytic activity of AgNPs was assessed spectroscopically by employing them in the hydrogenation reaction of 4-nitrophenol with the reductant NaBH4.