Sustainable-green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) waste extract and its antibacterial activity

Silver nanoparticles have high potential for application in food industry, as they have the ability to inhibit a wide range of bacteria of pathogenic and spoilage origin. They can be obtained from different methods classified in physical and chemical and which are aggressive with the environment since they produce toxic waste. Nowadays, environmentally friendly methods such as green synthesis can be used, through the use of agri-food waste. The use of these wastes is a more sustainable method, because it reduces the environmental pollution, at the same time that silver nanoparticles are obtained. The aim of the present study is the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) aqueous extract from waste and its antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Gram negative). The analyses by TEM showed that the as-synthesized silver nanoparticles were uniform and spherical particles with an average diameter of 8.67 ± 4.7 nm and confirmed by SEM. The electron diffraction and TEM analyses showed the characteristic crystallinity of silver nanoparticles. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that various functional groups were responsible for reducing and stabilizing during the biosynthesis process. Nanoparticles inhibited the growth of both types of bacteria from the lowest concentration evaluated (0.9 μg/mL). We conclude that silver nanoparticles synthesized in the present study have potential application as antibacterial agents in food and medicine industry.