Facile biosynthesis of nano-zirconia using Crescentia cujete leaf extract for antibacterial and photocatalytic applications

The synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) using plant extracts has become an intriguing aspect of nanoscience and nanobiotechnology, because of its many advantages over conventional and physicochemical approaches. The aim of this study was to synthesize zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) using dried leaf powder from Crescentia cujete in an environmentally friendly manner. The synthesis of ZrO2 NPs in the reaction mixture was initially confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopic measurement, which exhibited unique absorbance peaks at 270, 280, and 283 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to observe the functional groups on the surface of ZrO2 NPs. With the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the average size (60 nm) of the synthesized ZrO2 NPs was determined and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), revealing a size range of approximately 67–90 nm. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to assess the crystalline nature and composition of the synthesized ZrO2 NPs, and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis was used to identify the elemental composition of the synthesized ZrO2 NPs. The antibacterial activity of both C. cujete dried leaf powder and synthesized ZrO2 NPs was tested against harmful microbial pathogens. The produced ZrO2 NPs were found to be the most effective remedy against gram-positive bacteria with Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, the synthesized ZrO2 NPs showed strong photocatalytic activity against inorganic hazardous dyes, with methyl orange exhibiting the fastest rate of dye destruction. The current findings strongly indicate that the synthesized ZrO2 NPs could serve as promising and innovative amalgam for both biomedical and photocatalytic applications.