Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Against Human Pathogens

The development of reliable processes for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles is an important aspect of nanotechnology today. Zinc oxide nanoparticles comprise well-known inhibitory and bactericidal effects. Emergence of antimicrobial resistance by pathogenic bacteria is a major health problem in recent years. The present study is concerned about the synthesis, characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles, and their use as antibacterial agent. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical (precipitation) method using zinc nitrate and NaOH. The synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles were characterized with scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction analysis. The antimicrobial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles was tested against human pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using well diffusion method. Similarly, the antibacterial activity of standard antibiotics was tested against human pathogens using the disc diffusion method. The efficiency of zinc oxide nanoparticles was compared with that of standard antibiotics. The results showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles have strong antimicrobial activity against all tested pathogens. The antibacterial activity increased with increasing concentration of zinc oxide nanoparticles. The results of the study confirmed that the zinc oxide nanoparticles may serve as promising antibacterial agents.