Facile biosynthesis of ZnO/attapulgite nanocomposite for enhanced antimicrobial performance

Abstract

• ZnO/APT nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile green one-pot protocol. • APT assisted forming of small sized ZnO NPs by offering rich nucleation sites. • ZnO NPs were formed by a bioreduction process without further thermal treatment. • Nanocomposite exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity. An attapulgite (APT) supported ZnO nanocomposite (ZnO/APT) was developed through a facile green protocol mediated by Ginkgo biloba leaf extract. ZnO nanoparticles in the 5–10 nm size range, which were much smaller than pure ZnO particles, were uniformly decorated on APT surface, leading to an enhanced antibacterial performance of ZnO/APT nanocomposite compared with pure ZnO and the mixture of ZnO and APT. Moreover, the nanocomposite showed low cytotoxicity on L-O2 due to the green process and low Zn content. The obtained nanocomposite will be applicable in the medical field due to its safety and good performance.