Plant extract-mediated synthesis Cobalt doping in zinc oxide nanoparticles and their in vitro cytotoxicity and antibacterial performance

Antifungal and antioxidant potential of Ocimum species against Ascochyta rabiei (Pass) Lab

Cicer arietinum L. is a vital source of nutrients that suffers substantial annual losses due to Ascochyta blight, caused by the plant pathogen Ascochyta rabiei. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal potential of Ocimum tenuiflorum L. and O. basilicum L. shoots (leaves and stems) against A. rabiei (Pass) Lab. In vitro bioassays were conducted using methanolic extracts from leaves and stems at six different concentrations: 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, and 3.5%. A total of eight compounds were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The highest inhibition of A. rabiei growth was achieved with a 3.5% methanolic leaf extract of O. basilicum. Methanolic extracts from O. tenuiflorum shoots also reduced fungal growth by 6.18-73%. Additionally, the n-hexane fraction derived from O. basilicum inhibited fungal growth by 71-76% and was subsequently analyzed using GC-MS. This analysis identified eight compounds: (1) cyclopentane, methyl-, (2) cyclohexane, (3) 2,2-dimethylbutane, (4) 2,3-dimethylbutane, pentane, (5) 2,3-dimethyl-, (6) 2-bromoacetonitrile, (7) alpha-cadinol, and (8) phenylpropanolamine. The antioxidant activity of O. tenuiflorum and O. basilicum shoots was also assessed using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The highest antioxidant activity, 98.58%, was recorded at a 3.5% methanolic stem extract concentration of O. tenuiflorum. The antioxidant activity potential was highest for O. tenuiflorum at 0.729mg/mL, followed by O. basilicum at 0.411mg/mL.

An Assay on the Antibactericidal Functionality of Synthesized Mg-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles on the Dental Microbes

We succeeded in producing pure and magnesium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Mg-Zn NPs) by making use of a Prosopis farcta leaf extract and subsequently distinguished the quality of our NPs with the use of field energy scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and UV-vis. In correlation to our observations, the particulates were spherically produced at a size of 20 nm with the ability to cause antimicrobial impacts on Streptococcus mutans bacteria and Candida albicans fungi. Inhibition zones of 18 ± 0.3 and 24 ± 0.3 mm were obtained for 5% Mg-Zn NPs against bacteria and fungi, respectively. Based on these results, our work suggests a practicable proposition for our synthesized product to be considered as a worthy alternative for dental and oral utilizations.

Zinc oxide nanomaterials: Safeguarding food quality and sustainability

In this era, where food safety and sustainability are paramount concerns, the utilization of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) is a promising solution to enhance the safety, quality, and sustainability of food products. ZnO NPs in the food industry have evolved significantly over time, reflecting advancements in synthesizing methods, antimicrobial activities, and risk assessment considerations for human health and the environment. This comprehensive review delves into the historical trajectory, current applications, and prospects of ZnO NPs in food-related contexts. Synthesizing methods, ranging from solvothermal and solgel techniques to laser ablation and microfluidic reactors, have facilitated the production of ZnO NPs with tailored properties suited for diverse food applications. The remarkable antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs against a wide spectrum of pathogens has garnered attention for their potential to enhance food safety and extend shelf-life. Furthermore, comprehensive risk assessment methodologies have been employed to evaluate the potential impacts of ZnO NPs on human health and the environment, regarding toxicity, migration, and ecological implications. By navigating the intricate interplay between synthesis methods, antimicrobial efficacy, inhibitory mechanisms, and risk assessment protocols, by elucidating the multifaceted role of ZnO NPs in shaping the past, present, and future of the food industry, this review offers valuable insights and promising avenues for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to enhance food safety, quality, and sustainability.

Breaking Barriers in Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Plant-Mediated Metal/Metal Oxide/Bimetallic Nanoparticles: Antibacterial, Anticancer, Mechanism Elucidation, and Versatile Utilizations

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field in pharmaceutical research, involving producing unique nanoscale materials with sizes up to 100 nm via physiochemical and biological approaches. Nowadays more emphasis has been given to eco-friendly techniques for developing nanomaterials to enhance their biological applications and minimize health and environmental risks. With the help of green nanotechnology, a wide range of green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles with distinct chemical compositions, sizes, and morphologies have been manufactured which are safe, economical, and environment friendly. Due to their biocompatibility and vast potential in biomedical (antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, analgesic, anticoagulant, biofilm inhibitory activity) and in other fields such as (nanofertilizers, fermentative, food, and bioethanol production, construction field), green metal nanoparticles have garnered significant interest worldwide. The metal precursors combined with natural extracts such as plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria to get potent novel metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles such as Ag, Au, Co, Cu, Fe, Zr, Zn, Ni, Pt, Mg, Ti, Pd, Cd, Bi2O3, CeO2, Co3O4, CoFe2O4, CuO, Fe2O3, MgO, NiO, TiO2, ZnO, ZrO2, Ag-Au, Ag-Cr, Ag-Cu, Ag-Zn, Ag-CeO2, Ag-CuO, Ag-SeO2, Ag-TiO2, Ag-ZnO, Cu-Ag, Cu-Mg, Cu-Ni, Pd-Pt, Pt-Ag, ZnO-CuO, ZnO-SeO, ZnO-Se, Se-Zr, and Co-Bi2O3. These plant-mediated green nanoparticles possess excellent antibacterial and anticancer activity when tested against several microorganisms and cancer cell lines. Plants contain essential phytoconstituents (polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, etc.) compared to other natural sources (bacteria, fungi, and algae) in higher concentration that play a vital role in the development of green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles because these plant-phytoconstituents act as a reducing, stabilizing, and capping agent and helps in the development of green nanoparticles. After concluding all these findings, this review has been designed for the first time in such a way that it imparts satisfactory knowledge about the antibacterial and anticancer activity of plant-mediated green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles together, along with antibacterial and anticancer mechanisms. Additionally, it provides information about characterization techniques (UV–vis, FT-IR, DLS, XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, AFM) employed for plant-mediated nanoparticles, biomedical applications, and their role in other industries. Hence, this review provides information about the antibacterial and anticancer activity of various types of plant-mediated green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles and their versatile application in diverse fields which is not covered in other pieces of literature.

Biosynthesis cobalt-doped nickel nanoparticles and their toxicity against disease

The nanostructures have the great potential for novel medical and drug delivery applications. In present paper a green approach for the preparation of pure nickel oxide (NiO) and 5% cobalt-doped NiO (Co╫NiO) nanoparticles (NPs) by using Prosopis fracta extract have been study. The product of Co╫NiO NPs was proved through the PXRD, Raman, UV-Vis, FESEM, and EDX analyses. The results of XRD, EDX, and UV-Visible spectra displayed well doped cobalt in NiO NP. The particle sizes of Co╫NiO NPs were observed to be about 80 nm. The MTT test results for the cytotoxicity of Co╫NiO NPs on breast cancer cells (MCF-7) affirmed the stronger impact of doped NiO-NPs on cancer cells compared to NiO NPs. Thus, it is indicated that the doping process on NiO NPs caused an increase in its inhibitory effect against MCF-7 cells. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Cobalt-doped NiO nanoparticles were prepared using ecofriendly synthesis method and their cytotoxicity studied against MCF-7 cells.

Harnessing fungal bio-electricity: a promising path to a cleaner environment

Integrating fungi into fuel cell systems presents a promising opportunity to address environmental pollution while simultaneously generating energy. This review explores the innovative concept of constructing wetlands as fuel cells for pollutant degradation, offering a practical and eco-friendly solution to pollution challenges. Fungi possess unique capabilities in producing power, fuel, and electricity through metabolic processes, drawing significant interest for applications in remediation and degradation. Limited data exist on fungi's ability to generate electricity during catalytic reactions involving various enzymes, especially while remediating pollutants. Certain species, such as Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Galactomyces reessii, Aspergillus spp., Kluyveromyce smarxianus, and Hansenula anomala, have been reported to generate electricity at 1200 mW/m3, 207 mW/m2, 1,163 mW/m3, 438 mW/m3, 850,000 mW/m3, and 2,900 mW/m3, respectively. Despite the eco-friendly potential compared to conventional methods, fungi's role remains largely unexplored. This review delves into fungi's exceptional potential as fuel cell catalysts, serving as anodic or cathodic agents to mitigate land, air, and water pollutants while simultaneously producing fuel and power. Applications cover a wide range of tasks, and the innovative concept of wetlands designed as fuel cells for pollutant degradation is discussed. Cost-effectiveness may vary depending on specific contexts and applications. Fungal fuel cells (FFCs) offer a versatile and innovative solution to global challenges, addressing the increasing demand for alternative bioenergy production amid population growth and expanding industrial activities. The mechanistic approach of fungal enzymes via microbial combinations and electrochemical fungal systems facilitates the oxidation of organic substrates, oxygen reduction, and ion exchange membrane orchestration of essential reactions. Fungal laccase plays a crucial role in pollutant removal and monitoring environmental contaminants. Fungal consortiums show remarkable potential in fine-tuning FFC performance, impacting both power generation and pollutant degradation. Beyond energy generation, fungal cells effectively remove pollutants. Overall, FFCs present a promising avenue to address energy needs and mitigate pollutants simultaneously.

Structural, optical, morphological, sun-light driven photocatalytic and antimicrobial investigations of Ag2S and Cu/Ag2S nanoparticles

This study focusses on the preparation of silver sulphide (Ag2S) and Cu-doped Ag2S (Cu/Ag2S) nanoparticles (NPs) by sol-gel method and demonstrated their photocatalytic and antibacterial applications. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis demonstrated that the prepared NPs are effectively crystallized in the polycrystalline single-phase monoclinic geometry of Ag2S. The optical bandgap is significantly reduced, and for both the sample the average grain size is observed to have narrowed from 42 nm to 23 nm. Both NPs were confirmed to be spherical nature as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy analysis validated the presence of all necessary components at the expected concentrations in the obtained samples. Under the irradiation of sunshine, the photocatalytic properties of each sample were investigated for their ability to facilitate the photodegradation of a hazardous methylene blue (MB) dye in an aqueous solution. Cu/Ag2S sample possesses a profound photocatalytic reaction for the destruction of MB dye. Furthermore, the Cu-doped Ag2S NPs suppress the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In comparison to pure Ag2S NPs, Cu/Ag2S showed enhanced antibacterial activity against both the bacteria. Current study suggests that the Cu doped Ag2S NPs could be a promising material for wastewater treatment and antimicrobial agents.