Vol. 6 No. 1 (2023): The Reality of Women in Science

• Iorungwa, P. D.
  Department of Chemistry, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, 970001-Nigeria
  




• Iorungwa, M. S.
  Department of Chemistry, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, 970001-Nigeria
  




• Wutoka, S. D.
  Department of Chemistry, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, 970001-Nigeria
  




• Omeregbe, F. B.
  Department of Microbiology, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, 970001-Nigeria
  




• Atagher, J. A.
  Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja
  

Microbial resistance to conventional antibiotics is a growing globalrnchallenge. Multifaceted approaches are being developed to mitigaternthis concern, including the use of nanotechnology. Amongrnnanomaterials of interest in this research area are metal nano-oxides.rnHere, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were successfullyrnsynthesized from aqueous root extract of Nauclea latifolia by a greenrnsynthetic method, to provide a simple, eco-friendly, and cost-effectivernmethod of nanoparticle production and assayed for antibacterialrnpotency. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized usingrnUV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, DTA/TGA, BET, and assayed forrntheir antibacterial activity. The UV–Vis spectrum showed anrnabsorption peak at 267 nm, confirming nanoparticle formation, whilernthe FTIR spectrum revealed a Zn–O band at 879 cm⁻¹. XRD analysisrnindicated a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with an averagerncrystallite size of 21.7 nm. The DTA/TGA results demonstrated arnmultistep decomposition pattern characteristic of biosynthesized ZnOrnnanoparticles, while BET analysis confirmed a mesoporous structurernwith a high surface area. The antibacterial activity of the ZnO NPs wasrntested against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, andrnStaphylococcus aureus. The nanoparticles exhibited concentrationdependent inhibitory effects, ranging from slight to strong activityrnagainst the tested microorganisms. In comparison with amoxicillin,rnused as the standard antibacterial agent, the synthesized ZnOrnnanoparticles showed promising antibacterial potency. The findingsrndemonstrates that Nauclea latifolia root extract is an effectivernbiological resource for the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. Withrnfurther optimization and surface modification, these nanoparticlesrnmay have significant potential for antibacterial and other biomedicalrnapplications.

Keywords: Antibacterial assay, Plant-mediated, Zinc oxide nanoparticles, Nauclea latifolia