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An extremely simple green approach that generates bulk quantities of nanocrystals of noble metals such as silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd) using coffee and tea extract at room temperature is described. The single-pot method uses no surfactant, capping agent, and/or template. The obtained nanoparticles are in the size range of 20-60 nm and crystallized in face centered cubic symmetry. The method is general and may be extended to other noble metals such as gold (Au) and platinum (Pt).

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Over the past 25 years, microwave (MW) chemistry has moved from a laboratory curiosity to a well-established synthetic technique used in many academic and industrial laboratories around the world. Although the overwhelming number of MW-assisted applications today are still performed on a laboratory (mL) scale, we expect that this enabling technology may be used on a larger, perhaps even production, scale in conjunction with radio frequency or conventional heating. Microwave chemistry is based on two main principles, the dipolar mechanism and the electrical conductor mechanism. The dipolar mechanism occurs when, under a very high frequency electric field, a polar molecule attempts to follow the field in the same alignment. When this happens, the molecules release enough heat to drive the reaction forward. In the second mechanism, the irradiated sample is an electrical conductor and the charge carriers, ions and electrons, move through the material under the influence of the electric field and lead to polarization within the sample. These induced currents and any electrical resistance will heat the sample. This Account summarizes a microwave (MW)-assisted synthetic approach for producing silver nanostructures. MW heating has received considerable attention as a promising new method for the one-pot synthesis of metallic nanostructures in solutions. Researchers have successfully demonstrated the application of this method in the preparation of silver (Ag), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), and gold-palladium (Au-Pd) nanostructures. MW heating conditions allow not only for the preparation of spherical nanoparticles within a few minutes but also for the formation of single crystalline polygonal plates, sheets, rods, wires, tubes, and dendrites. The morphologies and sizes of the nanostructures can be controlled by changing various experimental parameters, such as the concentration of metallic salt precursors, the surfactant polymers, the chain length of the surfactant polymers, the solvents, and the operation reaction temperature. In general, nanostructures with smaller sizes, narrower size distributions, and a higher degree of crystallization have been obtained more consistently via MW heating than by heating with a conventional oil-bath. The use of microwaves to heat samples is a viable avenue for the greener synthesis of nanomaterials and provides several desirable features such as shorter reaction times, reduced energy consumption, and better product yields.

Since ancient times, people have taken advantage of the antimicrobial effects of colloidal silver particles. Aside from the medical prospects, silver nanoparticles are found in a wide range of commercially available consumer products ranging from cosmetics to household cleansers. Current synthetic methods for creating silver nanoparticles typically call for potentially hazardous chemicals, extreme heat, and produce environmentally dangerous byproducts. Therefore, it is essential that novel "green" synthesis of nanoparticles becomes a reality, and it is imperative to fully analyze the potential toxic effects of these nanoparticles. In this study, we have shown that by reducing silver nitrate in solutions of tea extract or epicatechin of varying concentrations, spherical silver nanoparticles were formed that had controllable size distributions depending on the concentration of tea extract or epicatechin in the samples. Our ultra-resolution microscopy demonstrated that the nanoparticles were in fact interacting with the keratinocytes. Furthermore, evaluation of mitochondrial function (MTS) to assess cell viability and membrane integrity (LDH) in human keratinocytes showed that the silver nanoparticles were nontoxic. These results demonstrated that these nanoparicles are potentially biocompatible and warrant further evaluation in other biological systems.

The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is gaining in popularity due to silver's antibacterial properties. Conventional methods for AgNP synthesis require dangerous chemicals and large quantities of energy (heat) and can result in formation of hazardous byproducts. This article summarizes recent activity in this general area where environmentally friendly synthetic techniques are currently being explored for the synthesis of "greener" AgNPs including the use of plant extracts, biodegradable polymers, and enzymes/bacteria and alternative energy input systems, such as microwave irradiation. Microwave heating enables efficient formation of nanostructures of uniform small sizes in shorter reaction times with reduced energy consumption; preventing agglomeration of ensuing nanoparticles is an additional attribute.

A "green" protocol was used for the rapid generation of nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) particles using tea polyphenols. The NZVI particles were subsequently examined for in vitro biocompatibility using the human keratinocyte cell (HaCaT) line as a representative skin exposure model. The cells were exposed to NZVI for time periods of 24 and 48 h. Biocompatibility was assessed using the methyl tetrazolium, or MTS, (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium)) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays to determine in vitro cytotoxicity. The evaluation of mitochondrial function (MTS) and membrane integrity (LDH) in human keratinocytes showed that these "green" synthesized NZVI particles were nontoxic in the human keratinocytes exposed when compared with control samples synthesized using a borohydride protocol. In fact, in most cases, these "green" nanoparticles induced a prolific response in the cellular function even at the highest concentration (100mg ml -1 ).

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