Figure 8.

A model example of green synthesis of AgNPs. As mentioned in Figure 7, the green synthesis of AgNPs is based on using extracts from plants or fungi, which contain a giant spectrum of different oxidative and reductive agents. These molecules reduce silver ions (Ag⁺) to elementary silver (Ag⁰). Compounds which influence the reduction and capping of originating AgNPs are, for example, proteins, alkaloids or polysaccharides. Different types of nanoparticles can be prepared depending on reaction conditions (metal concentration, extract concentration, length of synthesis, stabilization agents, etc.).