Hydrothermal assisted eco-benign synthesis of novel β-galactosidase mediated Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (β-gal-TiO2 NPs): Ultra efficient nanocatalyst for methylene blue degradation, inactivation of bacteria, and stabilization of DPPH radicals

Abstract

Water purification is a universal challenge and a global issue and most conventional approaches have several limitations. Therefore, new approaches must be introduced to address the challenges regarding water purification. In this contribution, a hydrothermal-assisted eco-benign protocol was followed for synthesizing titanium dioxide nanoparticles (β-gal-TiO2 NPs) using a novel β-galactosidase isolated from the seed extract of Melilots indica as stabilizing and reducing agent. technique Various physicochemical characterizations techniques examined the synthesis, crystalline structure, and surface morphology of the nanoparticles. The synthesized β-gal-TiO2 NPs were inspected for the photodecomposition of methylene blue (MB) and photoinhibition of bacteria. The results showed that β-gal-TiO2 NPs degraded 98% of MB under irradiation for only 60 min, exhibiting remarkable photocatalytic activity. Similarly, β-gal-TiO2 NPs displayed considerable antibacterial activity towards E. coli and S. aureus both in the presence and absence of light. The inhibition zones of irradiated β-gal-TiO2 NPs against E. coli and S. aureus were 23 mm and 19 mm, respectively significantly higher than in the dark. Moreover, β-gal-TiO2 NPs showed considerable antioxidant activity to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) effectively. Therefore, results demonstrated that eco-friendly synthesized β-gal-TiO2 NPs have great potential for bacterial pathogen remediation and MB degradation.