Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cannabis sativa Extracts and Their Anti-Bacterial Activity

Abstract

A procedure for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using<span “=””> Cannabis sativa<span “=””> (hemp plant) as a stabilizing media was developed and antibacterial activity was tested. Within 30 minutes of heating<span “=””> <span “=””>the mixture of silver nitrate and hemp extract, the formation of silver nanoparticles took place under the complete absence of a chemical reducing or an additional stabilizing agent. The so-formed AgNPs were characterized using different optical spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques. The initial formation of AgNPs was established from UV-Vis data based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of AgNPs at ~417 nm. The exact size, shape,<span “=””> and elemental composition of AgNPs were established from ESEM images and EDS data.<span “=””> <span “=””>The antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles was studied on Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, and Gram-negative Escherichia coli<span “=””> following Disk diffusion and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) tests. Results showed that the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using hemp extract could be a simple,inexpensive, and biocompatible method.