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. 2021 Apr 4;26(7):2072.
doi: 10.3390/molecules26072072.

Antibacterial and Photocatalytic Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Obtained from Chemical versus Saponaria officinalis Extract-Mediated Synthesis

Maria Antonia Tănase  1 , Maria Marinescu  2 , Petruta Oancea  1 , Adina Răducan  1 , Catalin Ionut Mihaescu  3 , Elvira Alexandrescu  3 , Cristina Lavinia Nistor  3 , Luiza-Izabela Jinga  4 , Lia Mara Diţu  5 , Cristian Petcu  3 , Ludmila Otilia Cinteza  1
Affiliations

Antibacterial and Photocatalytic Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Obtained from Chemical versus Saponaria officinalis Extract-Mediated Synthesis

Maria Antonia Tănase et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

In the present work, the properties of ZnO nanoparticles obtained using an eco-friendly synthesis (biomediated methods in microwave irradiation) were studied. Saponaria officinalis extracts were used as both reducing and capping agents in the green nanochemistry synthesis of ZnO. Inorganic zinc oxide nanopowders were successfully prepared by a modified hydrothermal method and plant extract-mediated method. The influence of microwave irradiation was studied in both cases. The size, composition, crystallinity and morphology of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) were investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM-EDX microscopy. Tunings of the nanochemistry reaction conditions (Zn precursor, structuring agent), ZnO NPs with various shapes were obtained, from quasi-spherical to flower-like. The optical properties and photocatalytic activity (degradation of methylene blue as model compound) were also investigated. ZnO nanopowders' antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains to evidence the influence of the vegetal extract-mediated synthesis on the biological activity.

Keywords: ZnO nanoparticles; biocompatible photocatalysts; green synthesis; microwave synthesis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic view of the microwave-assisted synthesis of ZnO NPs with natural and synthetic capping agents.
Figure 2
Figure 2
UV-vis spectra of ZnO nanopowders obtained in the microwave-assisted synthesis with various capping agents. ZnO_1 = sample synthesized in an alkaline medium without capping agent, ZnO_2 = synthesized in an alkaline medium in the presence of CTABr, ZnO_3 = synthesized in an alkaline medium in the presence of plant extract and ZnO_4 = synthesized only in the plant extract.
Figure 3
Figure 3
XRD diffractograms for the ZnO samples fabricated in microwave irradiation in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) and S. officinalis extract.
Figure 4
Figure 4
SEM micrographs, high-resolution images and EDX diagram of various flower-like 3D architectures of ZnO nanoparticles prepared in various conditions: (a1–a3) ZnO_1 sample prepared in an alkaline medium; (b1–b3) ZnO_2 sample prepared in an alkaline medium with CTABr; (c1–c3) ZnO_3 sample prepared in alkaline medium with S. officinalis extract; (d1–d3) ZnO_4 sample prepared only with S. officinalis extract.
Figure 4
Figure 4
SEM micrographs, high-resolution images and EDX diagram of various flower-like 3D architectures of ZnO nanoparticles prepared in various conditions: (a1–a3) ZnO_1 sample prepared in an alkaline medium; (b1–b3) ZnO_2 sample prepared in an alkaline medium with CTABr; (c1–c3) ZnO_3 sample prepared in alkaline medium with S. officinalis extract; (d1–d3) ZnO_4 sample prepared only with S. officinalis extract.
Figure 5
Figure 5
XPS high-resolution spectra in O1s region for ZnO samples obtained in various conditions (details in Table 1): (a) ZnO_1; (b) ZnO_2; (c) ZnO_3; (d) ZnO_4. XPS high-resolution spectra in Zn2p region for ZnO samples obtained in various conditions: (e) ZnO_1; (f) ZnO_2; (g) ZnO_3; (h) ZnO_4. XPS high-resolution spectra in ZnLM2 region for ZnO samples obtained in various conditions: (i) ZnO_1; (j) ZnO_2; (k) ZnO_3.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms of the calcinated ZnO_1, ZnO_2 and ZnO_3 samples.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO nanopowders. ZnO_1 = sample synthesized in an alkaline medium without capping agent, ZnO_2 = synthesized in an alkaline medium in the presence of CTABr, ZnO_3 = synthesized in an alkaline medium in the presence of plant extract and ZnO_4 = synthesized only in the plant extract.
Figure 8
Figure 8
UV-vis spectra of methylene blue (MB) photodegradation under visible light (1.5 mg catalyst, 5 ppm MB) (a) ZnO_1, (b) ZnO_2, (c) ZnO_3, (d) ZnO_4, (e) ZnO (commercial 100 nm), (f) photolysis (without ZnO).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Degradation efficiencies of ZnO samples for MB photodegradation after 40 min (1.5 mg ZnO and 5 ppm MB).
Figure 10
Figure 10
First-order kinetics plot of ln(A0/A) versus irradiation time for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible over different ZnO synthesized samples.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Pseudo-first-order rate constants (a) and half-life times (b) for MB photodegradation in the presence of synthesized ZnO samples (1.5 mg ZnO and 5 ppm MB).
Figure 12
Figure 12
Minimal inhibitory concentration values (µg/mL) for the ZnO nanoparticles prepared with various capping agents against tested strains. ZnO_1 = sample synthesized in an alkaline medium without capping agent, ZnO_2 = synthesized in an alkaline medium in the presence of CTABr, ZnO_3 = synthesized in an alkaline medium in the presence of plant extract and ZnO_4 = synthesized only in the plant extract.
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