Dual functional polyherbal silver nanoparticles for efficient dye degradation and Fe³⁺ ion detection

Area of Science:

• Green Synthesis and Nanotechnology
• Materials Science and Engineering

Background:

• Plant-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) offers an eco-friendly alternative to conventional methods.
• The functional versatility of AgNPs makes them suitable for catalysis and sensing applications.
• Polyherbal systems may enhance AgNP properties through synergistic phytochemical interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a novel polyherbal system.
• To characterize the synthesized AgNPs and evaluate their catalytic and sensing capabilities.
• To compare the efficacy of the polyherbal AgNP strategy with existing single and multi-plant systems.

Main Methods:

• AgNPs were synthesized using combined extracts from *Rubia cordifolia* (roots), *Terminalia arjuna* (bark), and *Bombax ceiba* (thorns).
• Characterization involved UV-visible spectroscopy for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) for size and morphology.
• Catalytic activity was assessed via methylene blue degradation, and sensing ability for Fe3+ ions was determined colorimetrically.

Main Results:

• Well-dispersed, predominantly spherical AgNPs (average size ~25 nm) with enhanced colloidal stability were synthesized.
• UV-vis spectroscopy showed a characteristic SPR peak at 422 nm, confirming AgNP formation.
• The polyherbal AgNPs demonstrated high catalytic efficiency (~96% methylene blue degradation in 10 min) and sensitive Fe3+ detection (0.443 ppm limit of detection).

Conclusions:

• The polyherbal system effectively facilitated the synthesis of stable, well-characterized AgNPs.
• The synthesized AgNPs exhibit significant potential for catalytic applications and sensitive metal ion detection.
• This polyherbal strategy offers enhanced functional integration compared to single or dual-plant systems.