Phytochemical Fraction-Mediated Synthesis of Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles: Exploring Reactivity Limits and Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Properties
- 1Farabi University , , ,
- 2Kazakh-German University (DKU) , , ,
- 3Al-Farabi Kazakh National University , , ,
Abstract
The common generalization of plant extracts as universal, nonspecific reducing agents in metal nanoparticle (NP) synthesis is re-examined. We provide evidence that green synthesis relies on selective reactions between specific phytochemicals and metal precursors. Silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the n-butanol fraction of Plantago major leaf extract, while identical protocols failed to yield copper phases. Characterized via Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, UV–vis, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential, the annealed Ag and ZnO NPs exhibited average grain sizes of 20–37 nm (λmax = 428 nm) and 6–22 nm (λmax = 338 nm) and band gaps at 2.90 and 3.23 eV, respectively. Both Ag and ZnO NPs displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, alongside strong antifungal efficacy against Candida albicans and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Notably, Ag NPs showed potent antifungal activity against A. brasiliensis (MIC: 15.625 μg/mL), while ZnO inhibited P. aeruginosa (MIC: 62.50 μg/mL). Conversely, the unreduced copper complex showed negligible bioactivity possibly due to residual dissolved ions. While the n-butanol fraction outperforms both crude extracts and aqueous/ethyl acetate fractions, this study challenges universal green synthesis dogmas, demonstrating metal-specific phytochemical divergence under identical parameters.
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BibTeX
@article{dyusebaeva2026phytochemical,
title = {{Phytochemical Fraction-Mediated Synthesis of Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles: Exploring Reactivity Limits and Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Properties}},
author = {Moldyr Dyusebaeva and Adewale Olufunsho Adeloye and Gulzat Berganayeva and Anastassiya Tsay and Nazerke Bolatkyzy and Nailya Ibragimova and Jumagaziyeva Ardak},
journal = {ACS Omega},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1021/acsomega.6c09063},
url = {https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/11/41/64175/5445653/Phytochemical-Fraction-Mediated-Synthesis-of-Ag},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Phytochemical Fraction-Mediated Synthesis of Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles: Exploring Reactivity Limits and Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Properties
AU - Moldyr Dyusebaeva
AU - Adewale Olufunsho Adeloye
AU - Gulzat Berganayeva
AU - Anastassiya Tsay
AU - Nazerke Bolatkyzy
AU - Nailya Ibragimova
AU - Jumagaziyeva Ardak
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - ACS Omega
DO - 10.1021/acsomega.6c09063
UR - https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/11/41/64175/5445653/Phytochemical-Fraction-Mediated-Synthesis-of-Ag
AB - The common generalization of plant extracts as universal, nonspecific reducing agents in metal nanoparticle (NP) synthesis is re-examined. We provide evidence that green synthesis relies on selective reactions between specific phytochemicals and metal precursors. Silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the n-butanol fraction of Plantago major leaf extract, while identical protocols failed to yield copper phases. Characterized via Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, UV–vis, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential, the annealed Ag and ZnO NPs exhibited average grain sizes of 20–37 nm (λmax = 428 nm) and 6–22 nm (λmax = 338 nm) and band gaps at 2.90 and 3.23 eV, respectively. Both Ag and ZnO NPs displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, alongside strong antifungal efficacy against Candida albicans and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Notably, Ag NPs showed potent antifungal activity against A. brasiliensis (MIC: 15.625 μg/mL), while ZnO inhibited P. aeruginosa (MIC: 62.50 μg/mL). Conversely, the unreduced copper complex showed negligible bioactivity possibly due to residual dissolved ions. While the n-butanol fraction outperforms both crude extracts and aqueous/ethyl acetate fractions, this study challenges universal green synthesis dogmas, demonstrating metal-specific phytochemical divergence under identical parameters.
SN - 2470-1343
ER -