BRIDGING THE POWER OF THE OCEAN AND NANOTECHNOLOGY: HARNESSING Porphyra Indica AND Gracilaria Salicornia SEAWEEDS TO SYNTHESIZE ECOFRIENDLY COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES

The immense, untapped potential of the ocean offers an innovative pathway for sustainable nanotechnology, where natural resources like the seaweeds Porphyra indica and Gracilaria salicornia play a crucial role in the eco-friendly synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles. "UV spectrum reveals that the peaks at 448 nm and 564 nm correspond to the CuO NPs’ absorption. FTIR spectrum showed the presence of alcohols, amine, and phenolic groups that are mainly accountable for producing CuO-NPs. SEM analysis revealed that the average size of the synthesised CuO nanoparticles was between 14.8 and 15 nanometres. EDAX spectrum showed pure CuO-NPs as only copper and oxygen related peaks are present without any impurity peaks, confirming the formation of CuO-NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed the monocyclic crystalline phase of CuO-NPs. The good reduction behaviour from Cyclic Voltametric studies confirms the formation of copper oxide. CuONPs demonstrate significant antibacterial efficacy, exhibiting inhibition zones larger than 11 mm against five different bacterial strains. This highlights the dual advantage of using Porphyra indica and Gracilaria salicornia not only in sustainable nanoparticle synthesis but also in advancing antimicrobial applications.