Abstract

MYRISTICA FRAGRANS EXTRACT MEDIATED GREEN SYNTHESIS OF IRON NANO PARTICLES: CHARACTERISATION, CYTOTOXICITY AND ANTIBACTERIAL ANALYSIS

Beena Jose* and Chithira S. S.

Abstract

The iron nanoparticle synthesized using Myristica fragrans seed extract was characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Results obtained from the above analysis revealed that efficient capping and stabilization properties of these nanoparticles. SEM results showed that the particles synthesized using the plant extract are in nano size varies between 585.49 and 602.99 nm. This also supported by the shifts and difference in the areas of the peaks obtained in the FTIR analysis. TEM results also showed that the iron nanoparticles are in spherical shape. Also they are in the size range of 19-100 nm. From the results, it was observed that iron nanoparticles consist of a zero valent core and surrounding an oxide shell. FTIR spectroscopy confirms that Myristica fragrans plant extract has the ability to act as reducing agents and stabilizers of the iron nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra shows the presence of O-H, C-H, C=O, C-O-C and Fe- O bonds. These bands denotes stretching vibrational bands responsible for compounds like flavonoids and terpenoids and they are responsible for efficient capping and stabilization of obtained iron nanoparticles. As the size of the nanoparticles decreases, the band gap increases and thus the optical absorbance increases as compared to that of the bulk particles and therefore their color changes. The absorption maxima of thus synthesized nano particles is in the range of 220-240nm. Here, plant extract of Myristica fragrans changed the color of ferric chloride solution from transparent to dark yellow brown due to the reduction of Fe3+ ions to Fe2+ within of the commencement of the reaction. From the above measurements, we can also find out the optical energy band gap by direct method by plotting (αh√)2 and (h√). Form the graph we obtained that the band gap is in between 2 to 2.5 eV. This shows that the formed particles are iron nanoparticles. This study also showed that biosynthesized iron nanoparticles using seed extract of Myristica fragrans have potent antimicrobial activities against Bacillus cereus. From the cytotoxicity analysis, it is observed that the formed iron nanoparticle has the ability to destroy the cells which are formed from the abnormal growth of tumour cells. It opened a new way to the nano medicinal field for the drug designing against cancer.

Keywords: Myristica fragrans, green synthesis, iron nanoparticles, antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, drug designing.