Heavy Metal Detection and Antibacterial Activity of Phytosynthesized Copper oxide (CuO) Nanoparticles using Leaf Extract of Colocasia esculenta

Phytosynthesis of metal nanoparticles offers a facile and stable approach for their production and applications. In this study, CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) were effectively synthesized using Colocasia esculenta plant leaf extract as a capping and bio-reducing agent. The spectroscopic analysis, XRD, confirmed the crystalline hexagonal primitive structure of the CuO-NPs with a crystal size of 42.14 nm, whereas the UV- VIS spectroscopy reflected the absorption peak at 260 nm. The CuO-NPs displayed significant potential for detecting and removing Pb2+ heavy metal from water with a detection limit of 29 µM. CuO-NPs exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity for Pb2+ in the presence of several interfering metals. The adsorption isotherm displayed the Langmuir working model for Pb2+ adsorption. Prominent antibacterial activity was also indicated by the phytosynthesized CuO-NPs against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, suggesting their prospective role for antimicrobial applications. Thus, the study highlights an easy, cost-effective, non-toxic way of synthesis of CuO-NPs utilizing the leaf waste of Colocasia esculenta, offering an insight into their probable applications for heavy metal detection and antimicrobial activity.