A Ferritin Photochemical Synthesis of Monodispersed Silver Nanoparticles That Possess Antimicrobial Properties

Scheme 1

Ferritin containing an iron mineral absorbs light and transfers the excited electrons to Ag(I) ions bound to the nucleation sites on the exterior of the ferritin protein shell. This process oxidizes citrate to replenish the holes and continue the electron flow for further reactions. Continued light exposure allows the AgNPs to grow to larger sizes.