Plant-assisted green fabrication of CuO-based nanocomposites from Aronia melanocarpa for advanced functional applications

Abstract

Metal oxide nanoparticles have gained increasing attention due to their high biocompatibility, low toxicity, and broad application potential. Green synthesis methods offer significant advantages in terms of sustainability, eco-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. The rapid growth of industrial and commercial activities has resulted in wastewater containing toxic dyes, antibiotics, and other hazardous pollutants, posing serious threats to the environment and water resources. Therefore, the development of efficient wastewater treatment technologies is essential. Photocatalytic processes have emerged as an effective strategy for the degradation of organic pollutants due to their high efficiency and environmental compatibility. Semiconductor photocatalysts are widely employed in these processes because of their strong oxidation capability, while plant-mediated synthesis provides an environmentally benign alternative. In this study, CuO–Ag–TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized using Aronia melanocarpa (chokeberry) extract via a green synthesis approach. The structural and morphological properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, BET, and SEM. The photocatalytic, antibacterial, and anticancer performances of the synthesized nanocomposites were systematically evaluated. The CuO–Ag–TiO2 nanocomposite exhibited superior photocatalytic activity, achieving degradation efficiencies of 89.34% for tetracycline and 90.85% for methylene blue, with complete tetracycline degradation within 90 minutes. The incorporation of TiO2 significantly enhanced the degradation performance compared to CuO and CuO–Ag. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli produced inhibition zones comparable to standard antibiotics. Furthermore, cytotoxicity studies on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells demonstrated that CuO–Ag–TiO2 exhibited the highest anticancer activity, confirming the positive effect of dopant incorporation.