Photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of Boerhavia diffusa bio-callus synthesized Silver nanoparticles

Plant tissue culture plays a pivotal role in plant biotechnology, and offers innovative and reliable avenues for synthesizing nanoparticles. The approach is safe, replicable, and efficient for therapeutic and environmental sustainability. Despite the proven efficiency of green synthesis approaches, plant callus extracts for nanoparticle synthesis remain moderately investigated. The current study bridges the gap by synthesizing ecofriendly silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) using callus extracts of Boerhavia diffusa (Punarnava), an important medicinal plant with proven potential pharmacological properties. These synthesized Boerhavia diffusa- mediated Ag-NPs (BD-Ag-NPs) were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, FTIR, and XRD. Spectral analysis showed spherical-shaped BD-Ag-NPs with an average size of 9 nm at wavelength 420 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis revealed that silver ions constituted 51.78 % of the total weight of the nanoparticle solutions, while the crystalline structure of the BD-Ag-NPs was confirmed through XRD. Phytoconstituents present in the callus were utilized for capping and the reduction of Ag ions to Ag-NPs was confirmed through FTIR analysis. In addition, BD-Ag-NPs exhibited functional properties like textile dye degradation and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against bacterial and fungal pathogens. The current study highlights the potential of employing callus-derived nanoparticles for sustainable environment and biomedical applications. This study advances the application of green nanoparticle synthesis using tissue culture systems and makes significant contributions to addressing global challenges. • Cost-effective Ag nanoparticles were green synthesized using a callus-mediated approach. • The nanoparticles acted as a good photocatalyst. • They degraded Methylene blue and Reactive blue 220 dyes. • The nanoparticles also showed significant antimicrobial properties.