Enhanced antibacterial and catalytic potential of L-Aspartic acid capped silver nanoparticles

Over the past decade, silver nanoparticles have garnered attention due to their unique properties and extensive applications in various sectors of science and technology. Herein, we report a facile, cost-effective, and eco-friendly synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) employing L-Aspartic acid as a reducing agent. Using hydrothermal treatment, we precisely control their shape, size, and porosity to enhance catalytic performance. The Ag NPs were characterized by various state-of-the-art tools, such as UV–Visible, FL, XRD, FTIR, DLS, Zeta potential, FESEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy. The successful synthesis of pure Ag NPs with face-centered cubic (FCC) phase was confirmed through UV–Vis, XRD, and EDX analyses. The as-synthesized Ag NPs possess spherical morphology with an average particle size of 33 nm. The SAED pattern exhibits concentric ring like structure, confirming the polycrystalline nature of the Ag NPs. The high negative zeta potential value (−33.6 mV) of the Ag NPs indicates excellent stability in aqueous suspension. Furthermore, the as-synthesized Ag NPs demonstrated excellent catalytic reduction abilities against MB, MO, and 4-NP pollutants in the presence of sodium borohydride, achieving rate constants of 2.267 × 10−1, 1.331 × 10−1, and 1.828 × 10−1 min−1, respectively. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of Ag NPs was assessed against five pathogenic bacterial strains such as: S. mutans, S. pyogenes, S. typhi, S. flexneri, and V. cholerae by agar well diffusion method. The results demonstrated that L-Aspartic acid capped Ag NPs possess promising catalytic and antibacterial activities, underscoring their significant potential for use as catalysts or antimicrobial agents.