Environmentally friendly use of silver nanoparticles prepared with Anchusa azurea flower to detect mercury (II) ions

ABSTRACT

In this study, the extract obtained from the flowers of the Anchusa azurea (AA) plant was mixed with silver nitrate to obtain silver nanoparticles. The ion sensing ability of the obtained bio-sourced silver nanoparticles in aqueous solutions was investigated and the presence of Hg²⁺ ions was determined colorimetrically. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) prepared on Green Chemistry method, which is both an environmentally friendly and cost-effective synthesis technique, were characterised using different analytical tools. The mean particle size of AA-AgNPs from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images was determined to be 22 nm in diameter. XRD measurements showed that the crystallite sizes of the synthesised AgNPs were in the face-centred cubic crystal structure with an average size of 22 nm, which is consistent with TEM results. AA-AgNPs showed absorption at 435 nm, indicating that AgNPs exhibit a strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and play a role in stabilisation. AgNPs synthesised with Anchusa azurea flowers were observed using UV-vis spectroscopy to selectively and sensitively detect mercury ions (Hg²⁺). When Hg²⁺ in aqueous solution was added to the AgNPs, the overall absorbance dramatically decreased and the colour changed from yellow to colourless. This study shows that AA-AgNPs can be used as a cost-effective material in optical sensors for colorimetric determinations.

KEYWORDS:

• Green chemistry
• silver nanoparticles
• optical sensors
• surface plasmon resonance
• sensor

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors contribution

Ömer Ödemiş: Investigation, Formal analysis, Methodology.Mehmet Salih Ağırtaş: Data Curation, Software, Supervision, Writing- Reviev and Editing.

Availability of data and materials

The data used in the current manuscript are included within article.

Additional information

Funding

Thanks for the contribution and support of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Scientific Research Projects Unit and Science Application and Research Center [FDK-2022-10325].