Role of zinc-doped tungsten oxide nanosheets in photo-catalytic, anti-cancer, and antibacterial applications

Doped tungsten oxide nanosheets prepared by green synthesis routes with great biological and photocatalytic applications has attracted much attention recently. Thus, tungsten oxide nano-sheets doped with zinc (3–7 % w/w) were prepared using gelatin, and their properties were identified by different analyses. Sheet-like tungsten oxide nanoparticles have been prepared with an average size of 37–42 nm according to the XRD pattern and FESEM images. The cytotoxicity test showed a positive result on the cancer 4T1 cell line for pure (IC 50 =330.2 µg/mL) and doped WO 3 (7 % Zn) (IC 50 =256.8 µg/mL). The photocatalytic activity was also evaluated in the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh. B) dye as an organic pollutant under UV light irradiation (250 nm) at different times, and the results showed that doped WO 3 (7 % Zn) had the best performance (98 % degradation). In addition, the antibacterial investigation on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ) and Gram-negative ( K. pneumonia) bacteria resulted that Zn-doped WO 3 nano-sheets had better antibacterial activity. • An eco-friendly procedure for the green synthesis of pure and Zn-doped WO3-NSs in gelatine substrate. • Effective photo-catalytic activity of 7 % Zn/WO3-NSs was examined on RhB. • Optimum conditions was evaluated such as pH, concentration, and etc. • Reaction pathway or mechanism was examined by different scavengers. • Anti-cancer activity of 7 % Zn/WO3-NSs on 4T1 breast cancer cell line was studied.