# Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using _Tabernaemontana ventricosa_ Extracts
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Analysis  
The EDX analysis confirmed the presence of elemental Ag in all synthesized AgNPs using leaf and stem extracts (methanolic, fresh, and powder) of _T. Ventricosa_ (Table 2). All synthesized samples displayed characteristic elemental Ag peaks at 3 KeV (Figure 4), thus indicating the successful production of metallic AgNPs [49]. The AgNPs using leaf extracts displayed significantly higher percentages of elemental Ag using leaf methanol (8.78%), fresh leaf (14.10%), and powdered leaf (37.00%) compared to the stem methanol, fresh stem, and powder stem, which displayed slightly lower Ag compositions of 7.33%, 7.10%, and 15.14%, respectively (Table 2). The highest Ag signals were observed for synthesized AgNPs using powdered leaf extracts (Figure 4E), whereas the lowest Ag signal was detected for synthesized AgNPs using fresh stem extracts (Figure 4D). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline
**Extracts** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Leaves** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Stems** \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Leaves** \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Stems** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \cline{2-5}  & **Dried Extract Yield (g)** & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Yield (\%)**} \\ \hline Methanol extract & 0.065 & 0.073 & 0.659 & 0.737 \\ \hline Fresh extract & 0.007 & 0.009 & 0.023 & 0.027 \\ \hline Powdered extract & 0.163 & 0.119 & 1.638 & 1.190 \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Percentage yield of the synthesized AgNPs using various extracts from the leaves and stems of _T. Ventricosa_. Figure 3: Scanning Electron micrographs of AgNPs synthesized using methanolic, fresh, and powdered leaf and stem extracts from _T. ventricosa._ (**A**) Leaf methanol (LM); (**B**) Stem methanol (SM); (**C**) Fresh leaf (FL); (**D**) Fresh stem (FS); (**E**) Powdered leaf (PL); and (**F**) Powdered stem (PS). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c} \hline \hline
**Extracts** & **Elemental Silver (\%)** \\ \hline Leaf methanol & 8.78 \(\pm\) 1.32 \\ \hline Stem methanol & 7.33 \(\pm\) 3.23 \\ \hline Fresh leaf & 14.10 \(\pm\) 12.08 \\ \hline Fresh stem & 7.10 \(\pm\) 5.66 \\ \hline Powdered leaf & 37.00 \(\pm\) 2.04 \\ \hline Powdered stem & 15.14 \(\pm\) 3.34 \\ \hline Values represent mean \(\pm\) SD (\(n=3\)). & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Average percentage of elemental Ag synthesized from extracts of _T. ventricosa._It was suggested that the differences in the Ag composition detected within the various samples may be related to the variation in biochemical components found within the different plant organs [37,48]. The differences in the type and combinations of bioactive compounds may affect the synthesis, yield, shape, size, and composition of AgNPs [37]. Previous phytochemical observations of _T. ventricosa_ extracts [50] have observed differences between the chemical constituents found within the leaf and stem extracts, suggesting variations in elemental Ag observed in the AgNPs solutions. Studies suggest that phytochemical compounds such as saponins and tannins may increase the formation of metallic NPs during the reduction process of metal ions, thus resulting in an excessive accumulation of AgNPs [37]. Moreover, these EDX results regarding the Ag composition are similar to other species within _Tabernaemontana_. [PERSON] et al. [29] investigated AgNPs from _T. divariate_ leaf extract, which displayed an elemental composition of 46.96%, fairly similar to the composition detected by the synthesized AgNPs using powdered extracts in the current study. Furthermore, the EDX analysis detected strong peaks for carbon (C), oxygen (O2), potassium (K), and various other elements (Figure 4). It is highly likely that these elements are responsible  
Figure 4: EDX spectra of AgNPs synthesized using methanolic, fresh, and powdered leaf and stem extracts from _T. ventricosa_. (**A**) Leaf methanol (LM); (**B**) Stem methanol (SM); (**C**) Fresh leaf (FL); (**D**) Fresh stem (FS); (**E**) Powdered leaf (PL); and (**F**) Powdered stem (PS).