Apis mellifera L. for Eco-Friendly Silver Nanoparticles: Green Synthesis, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities.

Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are social insects that have importance in both pollination and human health with their hive products. Due to their natural life cycle, worker bees die after a few weeks and are thrown out of the hive. However, dead bees with their bioactive compounds, such as carbohydrates and proteins, could be a precursor for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Green nanoparticles obtained through green synthesis are used in a wide range of fields, from the environment to medicine, with their unique properties. In this study, the potential for the use of dead bees in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles was determined. For this purpose, naturally dead bees that were thrown out of the hive within one day were collected, dried, grounded, extracted, and used in green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The obtained nanoparticles (MS-AgNPs) were characterized, and it was observed that the MS-AgNPs gave maximum absorbance at 465 nm and their sizes varied between 79 and 91 nm. It was clear that they had good antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. It could be concluded that dead bees could be an excellent biological reducing and capping agent for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles.