Ailanthus altissima leaf extract mediated green production of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles for antibacterial and antioxidant activity

BACKGROUND: Fabricating zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) from plant extracts is a cost-effective, safe, and environmentally friendly alternative to established chemical procedures. This study was aimed at the environmentally friendly fabrication of ZnO-NPs from plant extract. An additional objective was to investigate the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of these biosynthesized ZnO-NPs. METHODS: ZnO-NPs were fabricated using the leaf extract of Ailanthus altissima, as an eco-friendly approach. The physicochemical properties of ZnO-NPs were explored using UV–visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The bio-fabricated ZnO-NPs were examined for bactericidal activity against pathogenic bacteria (gram-negative and gram-positive) using the agar well diffusion technique. The antioxidant efficiency of ZnO-NPs was assessed using a DPPH assay. RESULTS: A surface Plasmon peak was recorded at 327 nm, showing the existence of ZnO-NPs in the reaction solution of plant extract and zinc sulfate hexahydrate salt. These nanoparticles were predominantly spherical and capped by different functional groups of biomolecules. Furthermore, ZnO-NPs showed a dose-dependent antibacterial and antioxidant activity. At 20 mg/mL ZnO-NPs, the maximum bactericidal potential of ZnO-NPs was reported against Staphylococcus aureus (201.2 mm). ZnO-NPs have an IC(50) value of 78.23 µg/mL, indicating that they are an effective antioxidant. CONCLUSION: This research presents an environmentally acceptable method for producing spherical ZnO-NPs with high antibacterial and antioxidant activities. These bio-fabricated ZnO-NPs could be a good option for applications in medicine and the healthcare industry.