Eco-friendly synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles from Cocos nucifera for improved photocatalytic and antimicrobial applications

TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized using Cocos nucifera pollen extract through an eco-friendly green approach and evaluated for their multifunctional properties. XRD confirmed a crystallite size of 17.4 nm, while HRTEM showed particle sizes ranging from 5 to 100 nm. The biogenic TiO₂ NPs exhibited strong photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, achieving 97.8% efficiency under sunlight and 98.5% under UV within 180 min. They also demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (23.0 mm) and Escherichia coli (29.5 mm), along with biofilm inhibition rates of 86.57% and 70.34%, respectively. The study highlights the novelty of using Cocos nucifera pollen as a biogenic reducing agent and demonstrates the potential of the synthesized nanoparticles for wastewater treatment and antimicrobial applications.