Investigation of Antimicrobial Activity of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (FeONPs) and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnONPs) Produced with Aerial Part Extract of Cucumber

• Published in: BioNanoScience 2024, Vol.14 (5), p.5297-5309
• Main Authors: Alterkaoui, Aya, Eskikaya, Ozan, Özdemir, Sadin, Yalçın, M. Serkan, Dizge, Nadir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibacterial activity; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; Antioxidants; Biofilms; Biological activity; Biological and Medical Physics; Biological properties; Biomaterials; Biophysics; Cell viability; Circuits and Systems; Cucumbers; E coli; Engineering; Heavy metals; Iron oxides; Material properties; Microorganisms; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nuclease; Plant extracts; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 2191-1630; 2191-1649
• DOI: 10.1007/s12668-024-01407-y

One of the most threatening factors to human and living health today, as in the past, is pathogens, which cause significant damage to health. Many materials are used to destroy such bacteria. The investigation of antibacterial properties of materials containing heavy metals produced with plant extracts continues. In this study, iron and zinc oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs and ZnONPs) were produced with cucumber aerial part extract. The nanoparticles have diameters ranging from 60 to 120 nm for FeONPs and 70 to 130 nm for ZnONPs. The antibacterial properties of the produced materials were investigated. The biological evaluation of the ZnONPs and FeONPs was also reported in this study. The antioxidant activity of ZnONPs and FeONPs was found 48.00%, and 40.65%, respectively, at 100 mg/L concentration. ZnONPs exhibited significantly antimicrobial activity than FeONPs. Both NPs showed excellent DNA nuclease activity and also E. coli cell viability was strongly inhibited at all tested doses. At 250 mg/L, ZnONPs inhibited P. aeruginosa and S. aureus biofilms by 90.1% and 94.0%, respectively. FeONPs also reduced biofilm formation against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus by 87.8% and 93.4% at 250 mg/L, respectively. However, when all the results were compared, it was observed that ZnONP had a slightly higher antioxidant effect than FeONPs. The antibacterial effect of cucumber, particularly extracted from its waste aerial parts, demonstrated promising potential in combating microbial infections. This effect is evidenced by the utilization of cucumber extract in the synthesis of nanoparticles, namely FeONPs and ZnONPs, which exhibited significant antibacterial properties. The study underscores the importance of exploring natural sources like cucumber in developing novel antimicrobial agents. Further research in this area could unveil additional mechanisms underlying cucumber’s antibacterial activity and facilitate the development of effective antibacterial treatments derived from natural sources.