Synthesis of cysteine capped silver nanoparticles by electrochemically active biofilm and their antibacterial activities

Cysteine capped silver nanoparticles (Cys-AgNPs) have been synthesized by employing electrochemically active biofilm (EAB), AgNO ₃ as precursor and sodium acetate as electron donor in aqueous solution at 30 °C. Cys-AgNPs of 5-10 nm were synthesized and characterized by UV-Vis, FT-IR, XRD and TEM. Capping of the silver nanoparticles with cysteine provides stability to nanoparticles by a thiolate bond between the amino acid and the nanoparticle surface and hydrogen bonding among the Cys-AgNPs. In addition, the antibacterial effects of as-synthesized Cys-AgNPs have been tested against two pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli (O157:H7) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1). The results demonstrate that the as-synthesized Cys-AgNPs can proficiently inhibit the growth and multiplication of E. coli and P. aeruginosa.