Eco-friendly green synthesis and characterization of zirconium oxide nanoparticles using Ulva lactuca and their medical and environmental potential

The main goal of the study, Ulva lactuca mediated zirconium oxide nanoparticles (UL-ZrO2NPs) synthesis in an eco- friendly manner and their medical and environmental potential. The synthesized UL-ZrO2NPs were characterized using UV-visible spectrophotometer, FT-IR, XRD, and FESEM-EDS. The synthesized UL-ZrO2NPs were used as antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer and photocatalytic activity. The UV-visible spectra showed that the UL-ZrO2NPs formed at an absorption peak maximum of 275 nm. FT-IR analysis shows the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, primary amines, carboxylic acids, and alkyl halides biomolecules in both algae and UL-ZrO2NPs. FESEM analysis revealed that the synthesized UL-ZrO2NPs were cylinder tetragonal nanostructures with size range from 27 to 41 nm and EDS spectra were corroborated the signal characteristic of zirconium and oxygen at 2 KeV and 0.5 KeV. XRD of UL-ZrO2NPs shows the strongest peak corresponding to planes confirmed crystalline nature. The produced UL-ZrO2NPs showed a scavenging inhibition of 91.2 % in their antioxidant activity. The zone of inhibition was identified in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, indicating antibacterial action. The photocatalytic degradation of dyes (malachite green and eosin) were founded as 93.6 % and 86.2 % respectively. These findings showed that U. lactuca extract mediated UL-ZrO2NPs possess promising biomedical and environmental pollutants removal.