Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy Analysis of Hexane/ Methanol extract of Jatropha curcas L. (Eupharbiaceae) Latex Silver Nanoparticles

The utilization of plants in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles involves the content of secondary metabolites as reducing agents, and are being considered as the best candidates for synthesis of AgNps. Medicinal plants like Jatropha curcas have played a major role in treating various diseases, including bacterial and fungal infections. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is a high-resolution analytical technique to characterize compounds using their functional group's contents in the compounds and the structure of the molecules. This study is aimed at the characterization of the reduction of silver nitrate to nanoparticles by Jatropha curcas latex utilizing Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The latex of Jatropha curcas used in the biosynthesis of AgNPs gave a brown colour after incubation and this could be linked to the surface plasmon resonance of silver. The peaks ranged from 3242 per cm - 1043 per cm. The peak at 3242 per cm was assigned as – OH stretching in alcohol and phenolic compounds with strong hydrogen bonds. The peak of 2143 per cm is assigned with C≡C stretching in alkynes. The Peak at 1617.7 per cm that is relevant to the C=O bond of the carbonyl group and the stretching vibrations of amides also emerged in this range. The peak at 1442.5 per cm was assigned as P-C with organo-phosphorus (aromatic bond) compounds. The peaks ranged from 1222.8 per cm to 1013.8 per cm stretching and were assigned as C-O with ethers/ aromatics compounds. SEM analysis shows high-density AgNPs synthesized by jatropha curcas latex. It was shown that organic nanofibers, crystalline, are interconnected to each other forming three-dimensional network structures of AgNPs. This study showed that plants' latex and other parts might be used to biosynthesize AgNPs, which may be utilized by the pharmaceutical industries and other biomedical applications.