Biofabrication of ZnO nanoparticles from Sarcocornia ambigua as novel natural source: A comparative analysis regarding traditional chemical preparation and insights on their photocatalytic activity

Abstract

The use of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) has increased because of their unique properties and flexibility to be inserted in different application fields. In this work, the green preparation of ZnONPs is proposed by employing a novel alternative natural source, Sarcocornia ambigua, a succulent plant abundant in the Bahía Blanca estuary (Argentina). A comparative study has been carried out, including the chemical synthesis of ZnO NPs and the eco-friendly one mediated by Aloe barbadensis, a natural substrate widely employed in the green mediated nanomaterials synthetic procedures. The results show that ZnO nanoparticles with excellent crystallinity and purity can be obtained from this plant without adding any other reactive. Nanoparticles achieved by the three methods have been characterized by different techniques to assess their physicochemical properties. The Band Gap energy was calculated, finding differences depending on the used substrate. The performance of selected ZnONPs was evaluated in terms of their photocatalytic capability using methylene blue as a model organic pollutant. Collected data demonstrated higher efficiency of Sarcocornia ambigua to obtain NPs as promising tools to solve water contamination problems.