ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECTS OF IRVINGIA GABONENSIS PEEL EXTRACT-SYNTHESIZED SILVER NANOPARTICLES

The present study was aimed at the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Irvingia gabonensis peel extracts and investigation of the antimicrobial effects of these nanoparticles against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus microorganisms. The fruits were harvested, washed, peeled and dried for 12 weeks. Aqueous extracts of the fruit peel samples were thereafter obtained and the synthesis of the silver nanoparticles was carried out by mixing 30 ml of aqueous extract with 70 ml of 4mM and 8mM concentrations respectively, of the silver trioxonitrate salt. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The Irvingia gabonensis peel extracts-synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus microorganisms Results from the UV-Visible spectroscopy characterization confirmed the synthesis of silver nanoparticles with spectral peaks obtained (between 200 and 429 nm) within the range expected for silver nanoparticles (between 380-480 nm). The silver nanoparticles synthesized using 4mM silver trioxonitrate salt was found to exhibit potent antibacterial activity with IC50 values of 38.05 μg/ml and 75.42 μg/ml for inhibition of total dehdrogenase activity of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa microorganisms respectively. IC50 values for the Inhibition of total dehydrogenase activity by the silver nanoparticles synthesized using 8mM silver trioxonitrate salt was not determinable. The results of this study thus have shown that silver nanoparticles can be synthesized using Irvingia gabonensis peel extracts and the silver nanoparticles possess significant antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.