Biosynthesis of Silica Nanoparticles Using the Leaf Extract of Punica granatum and Assessment of Its Antibacterial Activities Against Human Pathogens

Plant-mediated nanoparticle synthesis is a revolutionary technique with numerous applications in fields, such as agriculture, food processing, and medicine. This study reports that Punica granatum leaf extract is capable of the green and eco-friendly synthesis of silica nanoparticles that provides a simple, cost-effective, and efficient methodology. P. granatum leaf extract was employed as a capping and stabilizing agent for the formation of silica nanoparticles, which were synthesized by a biological method using tetra ethyl ortho silicate. Biosynthesized silica nanoparticles are characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All the analyses and characterization determined that the particles were spherical in shape and amorphous in nature with an average size of 12 nm. P. granatum-assisted silica nanoparticles were tested for antibacterial activity by a well-diffusion method against two-gram negative bacterial pathogens (E. coli and Salmonella sp.). The antibacterial studies prove that P. granatum-assisted silica nanoparticles have good antibacterial properties. These studies will help us find a new nano-drug or medicine against multidrug-resistant bacteria.