Microwave assisted biosynthesis of Borassus flabellifer fruit mediated silver and gold nanoparticles for dye reduction, antibacterial and anticancer activity

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) employing Borassus flabellifer fruit (BFF) extract as reducing and stabilizing agent under microwave irradiation is demonstrated in the present work for the reduction of organic dyes and biological applications. Formation, structure, size, morphology and binding state of the as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The presence of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band at 410 nm and 534 nm in UV-Visible spectra revealed the formation of AgNPs and AuNPs which was supported by XRD results. The average particle sizes of AgNPs and AuNPs with spherical morphology were in the range of ~ 7–9 nm and ~ 5–7 nm, respectively. The reduction of methylene blue (MB) and congo red (CR) dye was observed at faster rate over AgNPs and AuNPs with high selectivity and sensitivity. The biosynthesized NPs demonstrated potential antibacterial and anticancer properties on tested microorganisms and Human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells. The mechanism of the reduction of MB and CR dyes and biological activity over biosynthesized NPs are discussed. The facile and environmentally benign NPs could be a new alternative catalysts for toxic dye reduction and the proposed biological applications.