Removal of E.coli ATCC 25922 (indicator of fecal contamination) from drinking water by biosynthesized silver nanoparticles impregnated polyurethane foam

In this study, we report the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Azadirachta indica leaf extract and its characterization by UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM and EDS. The UV-Vis spectral analysis showed a peak around 420nm which is the characteristic λ_max of AgNPs. The SEM analysis revealed that AgNPs were largely spherical in shape with average size of 22nm. EDS data indicate that silver was the major component with small amount of gold which was used during processing of sample. The Polyurethane(PU) foam was impregnated with biosynthesized AgNPs and the antibacterial activity against E.coli ATCC 25922 was evaluated by zone of clearance test and tube test. The obtained results indicate the potential of using biosynthesized AgNPs impregnated PU foam as an effective antibacterial water treatment system.