OICC Press Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry 2193-8865 3 1 (December 2013) 2013 11 18 Microwave-assisted approach for rapid and green phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using aqueous onion (Allium cepa) extract and their antibacterial activity 10.1186/2193-8865-3-84 EN Younes Abboud Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Appliqués, Faculté des Sciences Ben M’sik, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, Mohammedia, 20700, MA Adil Eddahbi Laboratoire des Matériaux, Faculté des Sciences Ben M’sik, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, Mohammedia, 20700, MA Abdeslam El Bouari Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Appliqués, Faculté des Sciences Ben M’sik, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, Mohammedia, 20700, MA Hafid Aitenneite Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Appliqués, Faculté des Sciences Ben M’sik, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, Mohammedia, 20700, MA Khalid Brouzi Laboratoire Energetique, Materiaux et Environnement Ecole Supérieure de Technologie, Université Mohammed V Agdal Rabat-sale, Mohammedia, 1200, MA Jamal Mouslim Laboratoire d’Ecologie et d’Environnement, Faculté des Sciences Ben M’sik, Université Hassan II Mohammedia-Casablanca, Mohammedia, 20700, MA Journal Article 2013 11 18 Abstract In this paper, we report for the first time the use of onion ( Allium cepa ) in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) under microwave irradiation. Influence of various reaction parameters such as microwave irradiation power and microwave irradiation time was analyzed. The synthesized nanomaterial was characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirm the formation and the crystalline nature of the synthesized nanomaterial. Further, these nanoparticles were found to exhibit high antibacterial activity against two different strains of bacteria Escherichia coli (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive).