Photochemical synthesis of highly bactericidal silver nanoparticles

In this work we describe an experimental technique that makes it possible to obtain highly bactericidal silver nanoparticles (NPs). Synthesis was carried out using nontoxic reagents, and the technique consisted of reducing silver by glucose via UV irradiation in the presence of oleic or myristic acids as stabilizers. The size of the NPs fell in the range of 4-18 nm, and the average diameter was about 7 ± 1 nm (oleic acid) and 4 ± 1 nm (myristic acid). Unlike previous reports, where the Tollens reaction was used only with the assistance of thermal activation, we conducted the UV reduction of a silver nitrate solution, glucose, and the stabilizer at room temperature for the first time. The minimum inhibition concentration of nanosized silver against a gram-negative Escherichia coli was 1 μg/ml. Thus, the activity of the NPs appeared to be considerably higher than that of nanosilver samples that are currently known. © 2010 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.