Antifungal and Photocatalytic Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles using Phyllanthus Emblica Leaf Extract

To generate zinc oxide nanoparticles, we report a straight forward combination reaction between zinc nitrate and Phyllanthus emblica leaf extract. The synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to morphological, optical, and structural studies. We utilized X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to the structural analysis, the produced ZnO nanoparticles had a hexagonal wurtzite structure and were crystalline. The development of quasi-spherical zinc oxide nanoparticles with sizes in the range of 20–30 nm was demonstrated using TEM microscopy. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles was evaluated based on the degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) under UV light. Excellent outcomes were observed for the antifungal activity of the produced products against selected fungi of the Mucor and Aspergillus species by generating zinc oxide nanoparticles with diameters of 6 and 10 mm zone of inhibition.