Biocompatibility and Antibacterial Evaluation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized Via Arbutus Unedo Extracts

Abstract

This study presents the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Arbutus unedo leaf (AUL) and fruit (AUF) extracts, emphasizing their biocompatibility and antibacterial potential. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Xray diffraction analysis (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results confirmed the successful synthesis of AULZnONPs and AUFZnONPs, with average particle sizes of 12.30 ± 2.47 nm and 17.90 ± 3.70 nm, respectively. AULZnONPs and AUFZnONPs exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli), with inhibition zone diameters of 13.18 ± 0.51 mm and 11.86 ± 0.33 mm, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluations demonstrated that both AULZnONPs and AUFZnONPs maintained high cell viability, significantly outperforming pristine ZnONPs.