Alfalfa sprouts: A natural source for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles

The preparation and study of quantum dots and quantum wires play a very important role in nanotechnology. In this particular study, we report on the uptake of silver by living alfalfa plants. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies corroborated silver metal uptake by alfalfa plants from a silver-rich solid medium and the subsequent formation of silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticle alignment, structure, and coalescence were observed using TEM with an atomic resolution analysis. Dark field image TEM showed the connection of silver nanoparticles of different sizes by possibly noncrystalline silver atomic wires. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the formation of silver nanoparticles by a living plant system.