A green approach for synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by Leishmania sp.

The application of microorganisms for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles as an eco-friendly and promising approach is ongoing. In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the capability of Leishmania sp. for synthesis of metal nanoparticles from aqueous silver and gold ions. The samples were analyzed by a UV-Vis spectroscopy and the results showed the absorbance peak values at 420 and 540 nm, respectively, for the surface plasmon resonance of silver and gold nanoparticles. The surface morphology of the nanoparticles in solution was visualized by atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope images, which showed the production of metallic nanoparticles by this protozoan. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses confirmed the presence of different bands of protein as capping and stabilizing agent on the nanoparticles surfaces. The synthesized silver and gold nanoparticles were with dimensions ranging between 10 and 100 nm for silver and 50-100 nm for gold. These results of the present study have demonstrated the efficiency of this protozoan for synthesis of nanoparticles, by offering the merits of environmentally friendly, amenability, and time saving for large-scale production.