Effect of alkaline precipitation chemistry on morphology, colloidal stability, and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using plant extracts
- 1Nanotechnology Laboratory-CICTAT, Academic Division of Engineering and Architecture, Juarez Autonomous University of Tabasco, Cunduacan, Tabasco, Mexico
- 2Biotechnology Laboratory, Polytechnic University of the Center, Centro, Mexico
- 3Applied Microbiology Laboratory, Academic Division of Biological Sciences, Juarez Autonomous University of Tabasco, Villahermosa, Mexico
Abstract
The antibacterial performance of plant-mediated ZnO nanoparticles frequently varies despite their similar crystal structure, suggesting that additional synthesis parameters influence their nano–bio interactions. In particular, the influence of alkaline precipitation chemistry on colloidal organization and biological activity remains poorly resolved. In this study, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using aqueous leaf extracts of Piper auritum and Mimosa pudica with NaOH or NH4OH as alkaline precipitating agents to evaluate their role in controlling physicochemical and antibacterial properties. Four materials were obtained, designated ZnO-PA, ZnO-MA, ZnO-PS, and ZnO-MS. FTIR analysis confirmed Zn–O formation and the presence of residual phytochemical functional groups on the nanoparticle surface. XRD confirmed the formation of the hexagonal wurtzite phase with crystallite sizes ranging from 15.4 to 25.5 nm. The precipitating agent strongly influenced nanoparticle morphology and colloidal behavior. NH4OH produced rod-like particles, whereas NaOH generated quasi-spherical structures. Consistently, ZnO-PS and ZnO-MS exhibited markedly smaller hydrodynamic diameters (214.8–271.5 nm) than ZnO-PA and ZnO-MA (1448–1763 nm), together with more negative zeta potentials and lower polydispersity indices. Antibacterial activity, evaluated by broth microdilution against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium, showed strain-dependent activity, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranging from 156 to 5,000 µg·mL−1 and from 625 to more than 20,000 µg·mL−1, respectively. ZnO-PA exhibited bactericidal activity (MBC/MIC ≤ 4) against all tested strains. Overall, these results indicate that alkaline precipitation chemistry governs the colloidal organization and morphology of plant-mediated ZnO nanoparticles, thereby contributing substantially to the antibacterial performance of the resulting nanoparticles.
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BibTeX
@article{gonzalez2026effect,
title = {{Effect of alkaline precipitation chemistry on morphology, colloidal stability, and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using plant extracts}},
author = {Fanny Jauregui González and Dora María Frías Márquez and Susana de la Rosa García and Cinthia García Mendoza and Rosendo López González and Mayra A Álvarez Lemus and Sergio Gómez Cornelio},
journal = {Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3762/bjnano.17.99},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.17.99},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effect of alkaline precipitation chemistry on morphology, colloidal stability, and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using plant extracts
AU - Fanny Jauregui González
AU - Dora María Frías Márquez
AU - Susana de la Rosa García
AU - Cinthia García Mendoza
AU - Rosendo López González
AU - Mayra A Álvarez Lemus
AU - Sergio Gómez Cornelio
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
DO - 10.3762/bjnano.17.99
UR - https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.17.99
AB - The antibacterial performance of plant-mediated ZnO nanoparticles frequently varies despite their similar crystal structure, suggesting that additional synthesis parameters influence their nano–bio interactions. In particular, the influence of alkaline precipitation chemistry on colloidal organization and biological activity remains poorly resolved. In this study, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using aqueous leaf extracts of Piper auritum and Mimosa pudica with NaOH or NH4OH as alkaline precipitating agents to evaluate their role in controlling physicochemical and antibacterial properties. Four materials were obtained, designated ZnO-PA, ZnO-MA, ZnO-PS, and ZnO-MS. FTIR analysis confirmed Zn–O formation and the presence of residual phytochemical functional groups on the nanoparticle surface. XRD confirmed the formation of the hexagonal wurtzite phase with crystallite sizes ranging from 15.4 to 25.5 nm. The precipitating agent strongly influenced nanoparticle morphology and colloidal behavior. NH4OH produced rod-like particles, whereas NaOH generated quasi-spherical structures. Consistently, ZnO-PS and ZnO-MS exhibited markedly smaller hydrodynamic diameters (214.8–271.5 nm) than ZnO-PA and ZnO-MA (1448–1763 nm), together with more negative zeta potentials and lower polydispersity indices. Antibacterial activity, evaluated by broth microdilution against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium, showed strain-dependent activity, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranging from 156 to 5,000 µg·mL−1 and from 625 to more than 20,000 µg·mL−1, respectively. ZnO-PA exhibited bactericidal activity (MBC/MIC ≤ 4) against all tested strains. Overall, these results indicate that alkaline precipitation chemistry governs the colloidal organization and morphology of plant-mediated ZnO nanoparticles, thereby contributing substantially to the antibacterial performance of the resulting nanoparticles.
SN - 2190-4286
ER -