Bio‐fabricated ZnO Nanoparticles for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue and in vitro Antibacterial Activity

Abstract

AbstractNovel bio‐fabricated ZnO nanoparticles were made from the solution of zinc nitrate in the presence of bio‐components of Jasminum grandiflorum L. The bio‐fabricated ZnO nanoparticles, represented as Jg‐ZnO NPs, were suitably characterized by several state‐of‐the‐art tools. The UV‐Vis absorption band at λmax=370 nm and the characteristic XRD peaks at appropriate positions suggest the formation of ZnO NPs. The XRD pattern revealed the formation of highly crystalline, hexagonal phase and impurity free Jg‐ZnO NPs. The presence of biomolecules on the surface of ZnO NPs was confirmed by FTIR spectral analysis. These NPs have hexagonal structures and flake‐like morphology as revealed by their TEM and SEM analysis, respectively. Further, the Jg‐ZnO NPs exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity against the MB dye under sunlight with a dye degradation efficiency of 99.8 %. Besides, the Jg‐ZnO NPs were also remarkably effective in inhibiting the growth of gram‐positive (S. aureus) as well as gram‐negative (P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae) pathogenic bacteria.