Synthesis of ecofriendly copper oxide nanoparticles for fabrication over textile fabrics: Characterization of antibacterial activity and dye degradation potential

Growing concerns over the toxicity of metallic nanoparticles synthesized using physical and chemical techniques seems to be a major hurdle for researchers. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is one of the promising, ecofriendly and safer methods. Utilizing plant sources as reducing agents will replace the use of toxic chemicals for nanoparticle synthesis. Among the various nanoparticles, copper has been theoretically and practically proved for its antimicrobial properties. However, to reduce the risk of copper toxicity, Ruellia tuberosa (R. tuberosa) aqueous extract is used for the synthesis of CuONPs in the present study. Nonetheless, till date no work has been reported on the use of R. tuberosa aqueous extract for the synthesis of CuONPs. In the present study, aqueous extract of R. tuberosa has been used for the synthesis of CuONPs. The synthesis of CuONPs was confirmed by the absorption peak at 327 nm representing the nanorods with an average size of 83.23 nm. Further, the CuONPs revealed antimicrobial effects against clinical pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Embedding CuONPs on cotton fabrics showed bactericidal activity against the bacterial pathogens. In addition, the photocatalytic property of the CuONPs was divulged by their crystal violet (CV) dye degradation potential. Thus, the green synthesized CuONPs using R. tuberosa could provide a remedy against bacterial pathogens in hospital and industrial environments. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.