Exploring the potential of Nauclea latifolia for sustainable synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles: characterization and antibacterial assessment

Abstract

The work presents a report on Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) synthesized through a green approach using Nauclea latifolia fruit extracts, with a view to investigating the prepared nanoparticles for their antimicrobial activities. The ZnO NPs synthesized were characterized using various analytical instruments, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The instruments provided valuable information on the characteristics of the Zn ONPs. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized ZnO NPs were evaluated with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The maximum absorption was observed at 379 nm. The average hydrodynamic size and the polydispersity index (PDI) were measured as 81.77 nm and 0.401, respectively. The nanomaterial has a hexagonal wurtzite structure, and the Zn–O bond was detected at 537 cm–1. The nanoparticles were in the nano range with sizes ranging from 10.02 nm to 28.50 nm. The N. latifolia fruit extract-mediated ZnO NPs showed excellent performance against the two bacteria at all concentrations of ZnO NPs. The highest inhibition zones for E. coli and S. aureus at 8 mg/L of ZnO NPs are 21 and 16 mm, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into an efficient, simple, and environmentally friendly route for synthesizing ZnO NPs with a potential application in the biomedical field.