Title: Plant-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and zinc oxide nanoparticles and application of AgNPs for the development of antimicrobial biopolymer films in food packaging
Abstract:
The growing demand for sustainable and environmentally safe materials has led to increased interest in green nanotechnology and biodegradable packaging systems. In the present work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using green tea extract, which acted as a natural reducing as well as stabilizing agent. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were also prepared and later incorporated, along with AgNPs, into a biopolymer matrix to develop antimicrobial nanocomposite films for potential food packaging applications. The formation of nanoparticles was initially confirmed through a visible color change, followed by detailed characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX). These analyses provided information regarding the morphology and elemental composition of the synthesized particles. The results indicated that the nanoparticles were fairly well distributed within the polymer matrix, leading to the formation of stable and uniform films. The prepared nanocomposite films showed noticeable antimicrobial activity against common bacterial strains, suggesting their ability to inhibit microbial growth and thereby enhance the shelf life of food products. This improved performance can be attributed to the combined effect of AgNPs and ZnO nanoparticles. The results of this study suggest that the developed approach is cost-effective, sustainable, and suitable for scalable production of bio-nanocomposite materials. Such materials can be considered promising candidates for application in active food packaging systems.
