A Marvel on Aqueous Peel Extract ( Musa paradisiaca ): Free Radical Scavenging Activity, Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Antibacterial Potential

Musa paradisiaca is high valued taxa having medical applications. The study aimed to synthesize and
characterize the silver nanoparticles using aqueous peel extract of musa paradisiaca and their activity against
virulent bacteria. The free radical scavenging activity of the aqueous peel extract was also carried and showed
IC50 value of 354μg/ml. The silver nanoparticles were synthesized by the biological reduction of phytoconstituents present in the peel extract by the addition of silver nitrate.The silver nanoparticles were formed within an hour of incubation. The silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction. Antibacterial activity were done using well diffusion agar method. The absorption maxima was found in the range between 410 nm and 440 nm in UV-Vis spectroscopy respectively. SEM analysis revealed the size (30-100 nm) and diverse shape
of the synthesized nanoparticles. The potential of synthesized silver nanoparticles against the bacterial species Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were assessed for
inhibitions. Among which Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa has showed maximum inhibition ranging from 1.2± 0.2 to 1.6± 0.2 cm. Hence, the study depicts the enormous capability of aqueous peel extract towards the synthesis of silver nanoparticle and was found with enhanced antibacterial potential against test micro organisms.