Studies on Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles Using Punica granatum

Aim: The present study aimed at green synthesis of copper nanoparticles using various plant extracts as reducing and stabilizing agents. It would also study the antibacterial effect of the synthesized copper nanoparticles.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Bhavan’s Vivekananda college of Science, Humanities and Commerce, Hyderabad, India. The duration of the study is for six months between May 2017 to October 2017.

Methodology: The aqueous solutions of different plant extracts were mixed with CuSO4 solution and incubated for green synthesis of stable copper nanoparticles. These were tested by UV-Visible spectroscopy and SEM analysis. Antibacterial tests of the biosynthesized nanoparticles were carried out on Gram-positive Bacteria Staphylococcus aureus by Agar well assay.

Results: The aqueous solutions of different plant extracts yielded stable copper nanoparticles as indicated by the O.D values tested using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The best plant extract that yielded higher amount of copper nanoparticles was fruit rind extract of Punica granatum. The synthesized nanoparticles were found to be 56-59 nm, characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The synthesized copper nanoparticles exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Conclusion: The copper nanoparticles can be green synthesized using fruit rind extract of Punica granatum and these can be used as efficient antimicrobial agents against Staphylococcus aureus and the study is significant currently as drug resistant infections of Staphylococcus aureus are gaining much prevalence and prominence.