Facile Green Synthesis of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles by Upcycling Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) Pericarp Extract

Abstract

AbstractIn the present report, green synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) was performed by upcycling mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) pericarp extract (methanol and ethyl acetate extracts). Field emission scanning electron microscopy images revealed an aggregated structure with a highly porous network of TiO2 NPs. TiO2 NPs synthesized with ethyl acetate extract (EtOAc-TiO2 NPs) exhibited more monodispersity and possessed smoother surfaces than the control TiO2 NPs (Con-TiO2 NPs) and TiO2 NPs synthesized with methanol extract (MeOH-TiO2 NPs). High-resolution X-ray diffraction patterns clearly confirmed that TiO2 NPs had a crystalline nature. A mixture of anatase and rutile was observed in Con-TiO2 NPs and MeOH-TiO2 NPs, while EtOAc-TiO2 NPs had only anatase with the smallest size (12.50 ± 1.81 nm). Ethyl acetate extract contained the highest amount of α-mangostin; thus, the surface of TiO2 NPs was functionalized with ethyl acetate extract. The functionalized TiO2 NPs synthesized with ethyl acetate extract (EtOAc-TiO2-αm) showed the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. In vitro cell viability on mouse fibroblast cells (NIH3T3) indicated that the newly synthesized TiO2 NPs did not show any significant cytotoxicity. Therefore, the TiO2 NPs in the present report have the potential to be used in cosmetic applications such as sunscreens.