Biosynthesis of cupric oxide nanoparticles derived from pomegranate peel extract: A sustainable approach with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and photocatalytic capabilities

This study reports the biosynthesis of cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) using pomegranate (Punica granatum) extracts for biological and environmental applications. Characterization techniques including UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of monoclinic CuO-NPs with spherical morphology and average size <100 nm. The CuO-NPs exhibited antioxidant activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.86 mg/ ml by DPPH assay. Complete photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye was achieved, indicating their potential for environmental remediation. Antimicrobial tests showed inhibition zones ranging from 6-14 mm against pathogenic microbes at 150 <mu>g/ml and 10 mm at 25 mu g/ml, demonstrating the biocidal efficacy of the biosynthesized CuO-NPs.