Comparative studies on chemically synthesized and biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles using Desmodium sp. and their potential as UV filters

Abstract

Plant-based synthesis of nanoparticles has been a great interest topic due to reducing the use of toxic materials and the presence of bioactive compounds. This study investigated the chemically synthesized and biosynthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using Desmodium triquetrum leaf extract and their potential as UV filters. These ZnO were evaluated using FE-SEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR. The in-vitro Sun Protector Factor (SPF) was determined using a spectrophotometer. SEM image revealed the flower shape morphology of biosynthesized ZnO and chemically synthesized ZnO with different particle sizes. The biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles exhibited smaller particle sizes than chemically synthesized ZnO. XRD analysis demonstrated that the average crystallite sizes of biosynthesized and chemically synthesized ZnO were 10.34 nm and 15.08 nm, respectively. The biosynthesized ZnO showed an SPF value of 25.12, indicating stronger UV protection ability than chemically synthesized ZnO (SPF=9.72) at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. These results indicate that the biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles could be a great candidate as a UV filter for further sunscreen formulations.