Thermal Processing as a Key Factor in the Surface Chemistry and Preliminary Antimicrobial Activity of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Tradescantia spathacea Sw., Extract
8 affiliations
- 1División Académica de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Carretera Cunduacán-Jalpa Km. 0.5, Cunduacán 86690, Mexico
- 2División de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Popular de la Chontalpa, Carretera Cárdenas-Huimanguillo Km. 2 S/N, Ranchería, Invitab Paso y Playa, Heroica, Cárdenas 86556, Mexico
- 3División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Carretera Estatal Libre Villahermosa Comalcalco Km. 27 S/N, Ranchería Rivera Alta, Jalpa de Méndez 86205, Mexico
- 4División Académica de Ingeniería y Arquitectura, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Carretera Cunduacán-Jalpa Km. 0.5, Cunduacán 86690, Mexico
- 5Chemical and Biological Department, Science School, Universidad de las Américas Puebla. Ex hacienda Sta. Catarina Mártir S/N. San Andrés Cholula, Puebla 72810, Mexico
- 6Laboratorio de Innovación y Materiales Aplicados, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico
- 7Department of Chemistry and Physics, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
- 8Investigadoras e Investigadores por México—Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas s/n. Col. La Haciendita, Chilpancingo 39070, Mexico
Abstract
ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized through a bio-assisted route using a hydroalcoholic extract of Tradescantia spathacea Sw., a plant previously reported to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Zinc acetate dihydrate [Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O] was used as the precursor, and the resulting materials were subjected to different thermal treatments (room temperature, 50, 100, 200, and 500 °C) to evaluate changes in their physicochemical and biological properties. The samples were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption–desorption, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and zeta-potential measurements. Their interaction with 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) under dark conditions was also evaluated as a molecular probe of the solid-solution interfacial environment. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against bacterial and fungal microorganisms, while anti-virulence activity was evaluated through the inhibition of swarming motility in Proteus mirabilis 884. FT-IR analysis showed that organic species derived from the extract remained in the materials treated between room temperature and 200 °C, whereas these contributions disappeared after treatment at 500 °C. XRD confirmed the formation of the hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure in all samples, while SEM revealed changes in morphology from agglomerated flake-like structures toward more defined particles. Zeta-potential measurements showed distinct negative electrokinetic behavior among the materials, indicating differences in their interfacial surface environments. In addition, contact with 4-NP modified its protonation equilibrium and produced spectral changes compatible with surface-mediated oxidative transformations under dark conditions. The ZnO materials exhibited antimicrobial activity, with a MIC of 320 μg/mL against P. mirabilis 884, and markedly inhibited its swarming motility, reaching more than 96% inhibition for one sample at 24 and 48 h. Overall, the results indicate that the bio-assisted synthesis modifies the surface properties of ZnO and support a surface-mediated mechanism in which changes in the interfacial microenvironment and oxidative processes may contribute to microbial inhibition.
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BibTeX
@article{lopezgarcia2026thermal,
title = {{Thermal Processing as a Key Factor in the Surface Chemistry and Preliminary Antimicrobial Activity of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Tradescantia spathacea Sw., Extract}},
author = {Jesús López-García and Eric Medrano-Sánchez and Ricardo López-Rodríguez and Ever Blé-González and Ammy Gallegos-García and Nelly Aguilar-Sánchez and María Escalante-Pérez and Felipe Córdova-Lozano and Gerardo Córdova-Pérez and Alejandro Bugarin and Patricia Álvarez-Fitz and Adrián Cervantes-Uribe and Abraham Gómez-Rivera},
journal = {Nanomaterials},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/nano16211366},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/16/21/1366},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Thermal Processing as a Key Factor in the Surface Chemistry and Preliminary Antimicrobial Activity of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Tradescantia spathacea Sw., Extract
AU - Jesús López-García
AU - Eric Medrano-Sánchez
AU - Ricardo López-Rodríguez
AU - Ever Blé-González
AU - Ammy Gallegos-García
AU - Nelly Aguilar-Sánchez
AU - María Escalante-Pérez
AU - Felipe Córdova-Lozano
AU - Gerardo Córdova-Pérez
AU - Alejandro Bugarin
AU - Patricia Álvarez-Fitz
AU - Adrián Cervantes-Uribe
AU - Abraham Gómez-Rivera
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Nanomaterials
DO - 10.3390/nano16211366
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/16/21/1366
AB - ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized through a bio-assisted route using a hydroalcoholic extract of Tradescantia spathacea Sw., a plant previously reported to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Zinc acetate dihydrate [Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O] was used as the precursor, and the resulting materials were subjected to different thermal treatments (room temperature, 50, 100, 200, and 500 °C) to evaluate changes in their physicochemical and biological properties. The samples were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption–desorption, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and zeta-potential measurements. Their interaction with 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) under dark conditions was also evaluated as a molecular probe of the solid-solution interfacial environment. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against bacterial and fungal microorganisms, while anti-virulence activity was evaluated through the inhibition of swarming motility in Proteus mirabilis 884. FT-IR analysis showed that organic species derived from the extract remained in the materials treated between room temperature and 200 °C, whereas these contributions disappeared after treatment at 500 °C. XRD confirmed the formation of the hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure in all samples, while SEM revealed changes in morphology from agglomerated flake-like structures toward more defined particles. Zeta-potential measurements showed distinct negative electrokinetic behavior among the materials, indicating differences in their interfacial surface environments. In addition, contact with 4-NP modified its protonation equilibrium and produced spectral changes compatible with surface-mediated oxidative transformations under dark conditions. The ZnO materials exhibited antimicrobial activity, with a MIC of 320 μg/mL against P. mirabilis 884, and markedly inhibited its swarming motility, reaching more than 96% inhibition for one sample at 24 and 48 h. Overall, the results indicate that the bio-assisted synthesis modifies the surface properties of ZnO and support a surface-mediated mechanism in which changes in the interfacial microenvironment and oxidative processes may contribute to microbial inhibition.
SN - 2079-4991
ER -