Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Sapota Fruit Waste and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial Activity

Purpose Green synthesis of spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using sapota fruit pomace was carried out in the present study. Methods The extraction procedure for sapota pomace and reaction conditions were simple and convenient to handle and straightforwardly optimized using UV–Visible spectroscopy. The generated AgNPs were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphology and crystalline phase of the AgNPs were determined from X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results The spherical AgNPs synthesized after reduction with sapota pomace extract were biphasic in nature and displayed a particle size of 8–16 nm with moderate stability (Zeta potential of − 13.41). Conclusions AgNPs synthesized with sapota pomace extract showed good antibacterial properties against Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative microorganisms, comparable to reported literature. The results of this study promote a productive utilization of fruit waste for the synthesis of nanoparticles.