Punica granatum peel extract mediated green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles: structure and evaluation of their biological applications

Abstract The green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) mediated fruit peel extract is gaining importance due to its cost-effectiveness and ecofriendly nature. Herein, ZnO-NPs were synthesized using pomegranate peel extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized ZnO-NPs were characterized using SEM, TEM-SAID, FT-IR, XRD, and particle size analysis. According to the findings, the ZnO-NPs were agglomerated into spherical and hexagonal shapes with an average diameter of 20 to 40 nm and crystallinity formed. The antimicrobial activity of ZnO-NPs against pathogenic microbes was significant in multiple applications, with 62.5 and 31.25 μg/ml of MIC for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively, and 125 and 250 μg/ml of MIC for Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus , respectively. In addition, ZnO-NPs showed antioxidant activity with IC 50 = 240 and 250 μg/ml by DPPH and ABTS, respectively. All concentrations of ZnO-NPs significantly improved the germination of barley seed and shoot height, with the optimum concentration reaching 2 and 12 ppm of ZnO-NPs for both seed germination (90%) and shoot height (6.5), respectively, while the greatest root extension (6 cm) was observed at 2 ppm of ZnO-NPs. The mitotic index increased at lower nanoparticle concentrations and exposure times but declined considerably as the nanoparticle dose and exposure duration increased, until most concentrations reached 100% suppression after 12 h with various chromosomal abnormalities. The researchers were able to create efficient, eco-friendly, and simple multifunctional ZnO-NPs using a green synthetic strategy and, in the process, obtain a better understanding of the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of ZnO-NPs in plant cells.