Comparison of Characteristics and Antimicrobial Activity of Synthesized Zinc Oxide And Magnetite Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Using Four Different Plant Extracts

The aim of this study was to synthesize Zinc oxide (ZnO) and magnetite ıron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles utilizing a precipitation method, employing plant extracts from Ocimum basilica(1), Cinnamomum zeylanicum(2), Lactarius salmonicolor(3) and Paeonia kesrouanensis(4) as reduction and stabilizing agents. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of these nanoparticles against both gram-positive (S. aureus, ATCC 25923) and gram-negative (E. coli, ATCC 25922; P. aeroginosa, PAO1), bacteria as well as fungus (C. albicans 90028) was evaluated. The nanoparticles (NPs) were characterised by various analyses, including TEM, SEM, XRD, FTIR, DSL, and zeta potential. Based on the TEM image, the ZnONPs exhibited a cluster of flower-like structures, whereas the Fe3O4NPs displayed a spherical shape with a varying size distribution. The zeta potential values for ZnO NPs ranged from -5.35 to -16.9, while for Fe3O4NPs ranged from -7.43 to -20.7. All ZnO nanoparticles exhibited antimicrobial activity exclusively against the S. aureus strain, whereas Fe3O4NPs did not demonstrate any antibacterial effect.