Antibacterial and antifungal activities of Platycladus orientalis leaf extract-mediated Fe2O3 and Ce-doped Fe2O3 nanoparticles

Abstract Green synthesis of nanomaterials harnesses naturally occurring materials, including plant extracts, to offer environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional biomedicine, agriculture, and other field applications. This study explores the green route to Fe 2 O 3 and cerium-doped Fe 2 O 3 (Ce-doped Fe 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles synthesized for the first time using the leaf extract of Platycladus orientalis . The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized for their structural, morphological, chemical, and optical properties. The hematite phase of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles with spherical morphology was obtained. The introduction of Ce as a dopant into Fe 2 O 3 increased the lattice strain of Ce-doped Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles (0.51%) compared to pristine Fe 2 O 3 (0.46%) even though the size of both nanomaterials was similar. Compared to pristine Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, Ce-doped Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles also demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial and antifungal activities against Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes , Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger , and Mucor mucedo . The green-synthesized Ce-doped Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles possess potential for application in biomedical and environmental fields based on their relevance to human health and food safety, diversity in microbial characteristics, and potential for resistance to conventional treatments.