Plant-Mediated Synthesis of Zinc Oxide-Functionalized Carbon Nanocomposites withImproved Antibacterial Performance
Zinc oxide-functionalized carbon (ZnO-C) nanocomposites have gained interest due to their superior antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and potential for biomedical applications. In the current work, ZnO-C nanocomposites were produced utilizing a simple green solvothermal process with Daucus carota extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent and citric acid as a carbon precursor. The nanocomposites were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDAX) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The characterisation results proved the effective synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO-C nanocomposites with distinct structural and functional properties. The antibacterial activity was tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Klebsiella pneumoniae using the agar well diffusion technique. The ZnO-C nanocomposites indicated selective antibacterial action, with enhanced inhibition observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (24 mm) and moderate activity against MRSA (11-14 mm). Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed low susceptibility. Comparative testing with carbon nanoparticles demonstrated that ZnO functionalization improved antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, revealing the synergistic impact of ZnO nanoparticles with the carbon matrix.