Abstract
This study reports a green synthesis route for a bilayered Ag-MgO nanocomposite using aqueous peel extract of Citrus paradisi (grapefruit red) under an accelerated uniform heating technique and its antibacterial potency against Escherichia coli. Surface modifications and composition of the nanocomposite were examined using a UV-visible spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyzer. The efficiencies of the as-synthesized Ag-MgO nanocomposite against Escherichia coli were examined. The synthesized Ag-MgO nanocomposite showed characteristic synergetic bands at 290 nm for MgO nanoparticle and at around 440 nm for Ag nanoparticle which blue-shifted to 380 nm in the composite. A spherically dispersed nanocomposite with cubical crystal lattice network with a diameter of about 20–100 nm comprising Ag nanoparticle embedded within MgO nanoparticles was obtained. The nanocomposite produced stronger antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli as compared to MgO nanoparticle, indicating a higher interaction between Ag and MgO ions. The nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via an efficient modified method by bioreductive agents with an improved synergistic antibacterial property towards water purification.
Highlights
Waterborne epidemics associated with high faecal contamination by pathogenic microbes are a worldwide problem. e treatment of infectious water-related diseases is becoming a threat to human existence because of the increase in some high resistance to the causative microbial agent. e consequence is a potential public health threat due to an epidemic outbreak of diseases often associated with microbiological contamination, resulting in an increasing number of deaths across the globe, mostly among children [1]
Water disinfection through the use of conventional methods such as chlorination and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is rapidly becoming a major challenge due to the formation of harmful carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) [2, 3]. e development of inorganic nanoparticles with improved physicochemical and biological properties from the biosynthesized route is on the rise due to the growing need to develop environmentally benign technologies in material synthesis against infectious organisms
Based on the antibacterial properties of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles having less potent bactericidal effect in comparison to silver-based antibacterial agents, efforts are being channeled into the development of composite materials to exert strong synergistic antibacterial activity against infectious pathogens through chemical methods [9, 18, 19]
Summary
Waterborne epidemics associated with high faecal contamination by pathogenic microbes are a worldwide problem. e treatment of infectious water-related diseases is becoming a threat to human existence because of the increase in some high resistance to the causative microbial agent. e consequence is a potential public health threat due to an epidemic outbreak of diseases often associated with microbiological contamination, resulting in an increasing number of deaths across the globe, mostly among children [1]. In addition to the eco-friendly application of these components in synthesizing nanoparticles, efforts are focusing on identifying different novel energy transfer-assisted methods, such as microwave [35] and ultrasound [36], capable of providing efficient, uniform heating distribution in the formation of a stable and sustainable biomedical nanocomposite materials with improved physicochemical properties. In this present study, Citrus paradisi (grapefruit red) peel extracts were used via an efficient heating medium towards its bioreducing, stabilizing, and capping ability in the formation of Ag-MgO nanocomposites. A detailed formation, characterization, and E. coli inactivation of the Ag-MgO nanocomposites were evaluated and reported. e novelty of this work is based on the fact that, to the best our knowledge, the use of aqueous C. paradisi peel extracts in biosynthesizing Ag-MgO and testing of its antibacterial activity have not been reported
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