This study reports a green, simple, and fast method for the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using natural antioxidant compounds. The aqueous extract from dried rosehips (pseudofruit of Rosa canina L.) was used as a reducing and capping agent of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 during the noble metal colloid synthesis at room temperature and no other chemical reagent was used. The high antioxidant activity of the plant extract was proven by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay by a spectrophotometric method. The formation of stable gold and silver nanoparticles was observed by UV-visible spectroscopy and the evolution of their characteristic surface plasmon resonance band was followed over several days. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of quasi-spherical nanoparticles with mean diameters 26 and 34 nm, for gold and silver nanoparticles, respectively; XRD revealed an FCC crystalline structure for both gold and silver NPs. The effects of concentrations of noble metal precursor and plant extract solution on the formation, stabilization and size of nanoparticles are discussed, as well as some applications of these colloids.
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