Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are engineered materials ranging between 1 and 100 nanometers, and are increasingly being used for commercial purposes due to their extensive antimicrobial properties. Although antimicrobial properties are useful, little is known about the long-term ecological effects of nanoparticles. Since SNPs are abundantly used in consumer products, they are already contributing to pollution, and have raised concerns for environmental safety. Research has suggested that SNPs can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. Although some research has indicated that SNPs are nontoxic, there are others that reported toxic effects in higher organisms such as rats and clams. Since SNPs are present in greywater from their use in textiles, it must be assumed that some amount of SNPs will be present in the soil. It is important to understand the effect of SNPs on crop plants because of potential inhibition of crop growth and transfer between trophic levels. Many SNP syntheses have also been reported using plant extracts as catalysts for nanoparticle formation. As a result, it is also integral to study the effect that plants may have on silver nanoparticles present in the environment. We synthesized silver nanoparticles using a variety of plant extracts, and investigated the uptake of these nanoparticles by kale (Brassica Oleracea). We observed the effect of varying capping agents on kale, then extracted the nanoparticles from the plants to assess the effect of the plant on the nanoparticles.

Effect of silver nanoparticles with varying capping agents on the growth of kale (brassica oleracea)

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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