In this study Cassia angustifolia (senna) is used for the environmentally friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Stable silver nanoparticles having symmetric surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band centred at 420 nm were obtained within 10 min at room temperature by treating aqueous solutions of silver nitrate with C. angustifolia leaf extract. The water soluble components from the leaves, probably the sennosides, served as both reducing and capping agents in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic techniques and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanoparticles were poly-dispersed, spherical in shape with particle size in the range 9-31 nm, the average size was found to be 21.6 nm at pH 11. The zeta potential was -36.4 mV and the particles were stable for 6 months. The crystalline phase of the nanoparticles was confirmed from the selected area diffraction pattern (SAED). The rate of formation and size of silver nanoparticles were pH dependent. Functional groups responsible for capping of silver nanoparticles were identified from the FTIR spectrum. The synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited good antibacterial potential against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Solar light induced photo catalysis by plasmonic nanoparticles such as Au and Ag is an important field in green chemistry. In this study an environmental benign method was investigated for the rapid synthesis of colloidal Ag and AuNPs using the extract of Hydrocotyle asiatica, as a reducing and stabilizing agent under sunlight irradiation. The nanoparticles were formed in few seconds and were characterized by UV-Vis., FT-IR, TEM, EDAX, XRD, DLS and Zetasizer. The nanoparticles were stable in aqueous solution for more than 6 months. TEM analysis established that the Ag and AuNPs were predominantly spherical with average size of 21 and 8 nm, respectively. The flavonoids and glycosides from the extract of H. asiatica were proved to be responsible for the reduction and capping through FT-IR analysis. The antimicrobial studies of AgNPs showed effective inhibitory activity against the clinical strains of gram-negative and positive bacteria. The localized surface plasmon resonance of AgNPs was used for the photo-driven degradation of cationic dyes (malachite green and methylene blue). Thus, this green technique can be used for bulk production of AgNPs, and thus prepared nanoparticles may be used for removal of dyes from effluent. Graphical Abstract