A Novel Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles Using Citrus limon and Its Application for Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity

Abstract

Synthesis of metal nanoparticles using efficient, eco-friendly green chemistry methods is widely applied nowadays. Use of plant extract is one of the most considered methods as it is more stable and the rate of synthesis is faster. In this study, for the first time, we synthesized biocompatible, eco-friendly and cost-effective copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using a well-characterized plant Citrus limon, a natural product, which acts as a reducing agent. The synthesized CuNPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering and were applied to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal activities along with their fluorescent properties. The microwave-assisted green CuNPs-treated cotton fabric exhibited high efficiency against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The particles showed highest activity against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. In future, the in vivo toxicity studies of these nanomaterials will allow the formulation of new types of antimicrobial materials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, such as antimicrobial next-to-skin fabrics.