Green Synthesis of ZnO/Fe2O3 Nanocomposites Using Urtica dioica Extract: Evaluation of Photocatalytic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities
Abstract
The escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the environmental impact of industrial pollutants, particularly synthetic dyes, emphasize the pressing requirement for novel solutions. This study investigates the green synthesis of ZnO/Fe2O3 nanocomposites using Urtica dioica extract with the aim of achieving dual functionality as both antimicrobial agents and photocatalysts for pollutant degradation. The nanocomposites were synthesized with varying loads of Fe2O3 (5–50%) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). XRD analysis confirmed the presence of both the hexagonal wurtzite ZnO phase and the α-Fe2O3 hematite phase in all the composites, while DRS analysis revealed that the bandgap energy decreased progressively (from 1.89 to 1.72 eV) as the Fe2O3 content increased. The photocatalytic efficiency of the composites was evaluated by degrading methylene blue (MB), Congo Red (CR) and safranin O (SO) dyes under visible light. This demonstrated that the degradation performance depends on the composition, with the best activity being observed at 5% Fe2O3. Antioxidant activity was assessed using a DPPH• free radical scavenging assay. This showed that Urtica dioica extract exhibits superior radical scavenging capacity (maximum inhibition of 38%) compared to ZnO/Fe2O3 nanoparticles (maximum inhibition of 18%). The antibacterial efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated using direct confrontation and disk diffusion methods. This revealed that the activity was dose- and light-dependent, with enhanced performance under light exposure (10 mm inhibition zone) compared to dark conditions (1 mm). This study demonstrates the successful green synthesis of biphasic ZnO/Fe2O3 nanocomposites with promising photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties. While the results suggest possible synergistic interactions between the oxides, the underlying mechanisms, including potential charge transfer effects, require further investigation using advanced characterization techniques. Using Urtica dioica extract as a biogenic source provides a promising eco-friendly approach to synthesizing nanomaterials, with potential applications in wastewater treatment and the biomedical field.
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BibTeX
@article{mouni2026green,
title = {{Green Synthesis of ZnO/Fe2O3 Nanocomposites Using Urtica dioica Extract: Evaluation of Photocatalytic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities}},
author = {Lotfi Mouni and Abdelwahab Rai and Nesrine Tabchouche and Asma Silem and Ikram Guellati and Ghania Mousli and Muhammad Imran Kanjal and Aymen Amine Assadi and Farid Fadhillah and Fekri Abdulraqeb Ahmed Ali and Jean-Claude Bollinger},
journal = {Catalysts},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/catal16030276},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05834872v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Green Synthesis of ZnO/Fe2O3 Nanocomposites Using Urtica dioica Extract: Evaluation of Photocatalytic, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Activities
AU - Lotfi Mouni
AU - Abdelwahab Rai
AU - Nesrine Tabchouche
AU - Asma Silem
AU - Ikram Guellati
AU - Ghania Mousli
AU - Muhammad Imran Kanjal
AU - Aymen Amine Assadi
AU - Farid Fadhillah
AU - Fekri Abdulraqeb Ahmed Ali
AU - Jean-Claude Bollinger
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Catalysts
DO - 10.3390/catal16030276
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05834872v1
AB - The escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the environmental impact of industrial pollutants, particularly synthetic dyes, emphasize the pressing requirement for novel solutions. This study investigates the green synthesis of ZnO/Fe2O3 nanocomposites using Urtica dioica extract with the aim of achieving dual functionality as both antimicrobial agents and photocatalysts for pollutant degradation. The nanocomposites were synthesized with varying loads of Fe2O3 (5–50%) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). XRD analysis confirmed the presence of both the hexagonal wurtzite ZnO phase and the α-Fe2O3 hematite phase in all the composites, while DRS analysis revealed that the bandgap energy decreased progressively (from 1.89 to 1.72 eV) as the Fe2O3 content increased. The photocatalytic efficiency of the composites was evaluated by degrading methylene blue (MB), Congo Red (CR) and safranin O (SO) dyes under visible light. This demonstrated that the degradation performance depends on the composition, with the best activity being observed at 5% Fe2O3. Antioxidant activity was assessed using a DPPH• free radical scavenging assay. This showed that Urtica dioica extract exhibits superior radical scavenging capacity (maximum inhibition of 38%) compared to ZnO/Fe2O3 nanoparticles (maximum inhibition of 18%). The antibacterial efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated using direct confrontation and disk diffusion methods. This revealed that the activity was dose- and light-dependent, with enhanced performance under light exposure (10 mm inhibition zone) compared to dark conditions (1 mm). This study demonstrates the successful green synthesis of biphasic ZnO/Fe2O3 nanocomposites with promising photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties. While the results suggest possible synergistic interactions between the oxides, the underlying mechanisms, including potential charge transfer effects, require further investigation using advanced characterization techniques. Using Urtica dioica extract as a biogenic source provides a promising eco-friendly approach to synthesizing nanomaterials, with potential applications in wastewater treatment and the biomedical field.
SN - 2073-4344
ER -