Green Synthesis and Characterization of Solanum xanthocarpum-Derived ZrO2 Nanoparticles for Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Anticancer Activities
J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Volume 15, No 1 (March 2026) pp. 175-184
Abstract
This research presents an environmentally sustainable approach for producing zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) utilising Solanum xanthocarpum leaf extract as both a bioreducing and stabilising agent. The formation of a tetragonal crystalline phase was confirmed by XRD analysis and the functional groups in the plant extract involved in nanoparticle stabilisation were identified by FTIR. UV-Vis spectroscopy indicated strong absorption in the UV region, while photoluminescence analysis showed distinct emission behaviour. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy displayed aggregated nanoparticle morphology, and EDAX confirmed a homogeneous distribution of zirconium and oxygen. The synthesized ZrO2 NPs demonstrated noteworthy antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans, and A. niger. Antioxidant assays using DPPH showed effective free radical scavenging, and cytotoxicity tests against A498 kidney cancer cells indicated promising anticancer activity
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