Synthesis, Optimization, and Characterization of Ecofriendly Production of Gold Nanoparticles Using Lemon Peel...

Area of Science:

• Green Chemistry and Nanotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) often involves hazardous chemicals and complex procedures.
• There is a growing need for sustainable and environmentally benign methods for nanomaterial production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of using lemon peel extract for the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles.
• To optimize synthesis parameters for efficient and cost-effective GNP production.
• To characterize the synthesized gold nanoparticles for size, stability, and composition.

Main Methods:

• Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using lemon peel extract and HAuCl4 solution.
• Optimization of the ratio between lemon peel extract and HAuCl4 (2:1).
• Characterization using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), EDAX, and FTIR.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of gold nanoparticles within 10 minutes, indicated by a distinct color change.
• UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed maximum absorption peaks between 535-579 nm.
• TEM and SEM analysis revealed an average grain size of 6.67 nm for the synthesized gold nanoparticles.

Conclusions:

• Lemon peel extract is an effective, economical, and sustainable reducing and capping agent for gold nanoparticle synthesis.
• The developed green synthesis method is rapid, simple, and suitable for laboratory-scale production.
• The synthesized gold nanoparticles possess characteristics suitable for potential medical applications.