Bioreduction of chloroaurate ions using fruit extract Punica granatum (Pomegranate) for synthesis of highly stable gold nanoparticles and assessment of its antibacterial activity

The design, synthesis and characterisation of biologically synthesised nanomaterials have become an area of significant interest. Presented is a report on the extracellular synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Punica granatum (Pomegranate) fruit extract as the reducing agent to synthesise Au nanoparticles. On treating aqueous chloroauric acid solutions with P. granatum fruit extract, rapid reduction of the chloroaurate ions is observed, leading to the formation of highly stable gold nanoparticles in solution. These nanoparticles showed an absorption peak at 536 nm in the UV-vis spectrum corresponding to the plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the gold nanoparticles indicated that they ranged in size from 10 to 50 nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum confirmed the presence of main groups occurred in natural plant extract from P. granatum. The synthesised gold nanoparticles were active against Streptobacillus sp. and Escherichia coli.