Multifunctional role of ZnO nanoparticles: antibacterial, antifungal, synergistic, antioxidant, and dye degradation properties

The aim of this study was to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using chemical methods. The UV-Vis wavelength scanning revealed λmax at 324 nm, which validates the formation of ZnO-NPs. The spherical shaped ZnO-NPs contains -OH groups and are in nano size range confirmed through TEM analysis to Zeta potential value of ZnO-NP was found to be −36.7 mV, confirming their stability. The synthesized ZnO-NPs showed good antibacterial effects against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with a 16.7 mm zone of inhibition. The ZnO-NPs have good synergistic effects and exhibited 92.77% scavenging activity, demonstrating a good antioxidant activity. The ZnO-NP's catalytic properties was observed by degrading methylene blue in presence of sodium borohydride. The methylene blue dye degradation was found to be 48.15% in aqueous solution. Henceforth, these ZnO-NPs may be useful in the biological and pharmaceutical domains, especially in the treatment of various microbial infections and dye-contaminated wastewater.