Ulva lactuca L. extract bio-templated fabrication of CuO/ZnFe2O4 nanocomposites for photodegradation organic dye pollutants and in vitro biological activities

Abstract

In this present work, a novel CuO/ZnFe2O4 nanocomposites has been fabricated via hydrothermal-assisted synthesis using Ulva lactuca L. extract as both a reducing and capping agent A comprehensive investigation such as structural, morphological, optical, and electronic properties of the CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs were investigated in details. The photocatalytic efficacy of the prepared CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs was assessed for Congo red (CR) dye degradation and the experimental results demonstrate the CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs exhibits superior photocatalytic activity (91.13% k=0.03289 min−1) compared to pure CuO and ZnFe2O4 catalysts under 120 min of visible light irradiation. Additionally, the CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs exhibited excellent long-term recycling stability over four consecutive cycles. This enhanced photocatalytic performance of CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs was attributed to the synergism between CuO and ZnFe2O4, which facilitate the exceptional properties such as large specific area, a wide visible-light absorption range, and efficient electron-hole separation. Furthermore, the prepared CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial and anticancer properties. The results of the disc diffusion assay with CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs as an antibacterial agent demonstrated a highest zone of inhibition of 18.23 ± 0.30 mm for Bacillus subtilis and 19.83 ± 0.76 mm Escherichia coli. Moreover, in vitro cytotoxicity assessments using the MTT assay indicated a 64.94% cytotoxic activity against HT-29 colon cancer cells. The multifunctional advantages of Ulva lactuca L. extract-mediated green CuO/ZnFe2O4 NCs hold significant promise for environmental remediation and in vitro-based therapeutic applications.