Utilizing <i>Juglans regia</i> leaf extract for the production of uniform copper oxide nanoparticles: investigating antimicrobial characteristics
JOURNAL OF DISPERSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol.47, no.6, pp.1018-1034, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 47 Issue: 6
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1080/01932691.2024.2428354
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF DISPERSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Page Numbers: pp.1018-1034
- Istanbul University Affiliated: No
Abstract
Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are promising biologically active materials due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. In this study, CuO NPs were synthesized using a green synthesis method employing Juglans regia L. (walnut) leaf extract under ambient conditions. A Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied within the framework of response surface methodology to optimize the synthesis process, focusing on three critical parameters: copper salt concentration, extract volume, and calcination temperature. The structural and morphological characteristics of the synthesized CuO NPs were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The antimicrobial efficacy of the CuO NPs was also assessed by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) against a range of bacterial strains, yeasts, and filamentous fungi. The findings demonstrated the successful formation of highly dispersed crystalline CuO NPs, with average crystallite sizes ranging from 13.39 to 25.26 nm. SEM analysis confirmed the presence of spherical, homogeneous NPs with an average diameter of 14 mu m. The optimized synthesis conditions (0.125 M copper salt, 5% Juglans regia L. extract, and a calcination temperature of 300 degrees C) yielded CuO NPs with a mean crystallite size of 24.51 nm and an MFC of 113.051 mu g/mL. Notably, the synthesized CuO NPs exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with some samples demonstrating superior antifungal efficacy compared to the control antifungal antibiotic at a concentration of 125 mu g/mL.