Magnetic iron oxide: preparation and characterization for antibacterial activity applications

Using the extract of Cuminum seeds (S-1) and dried lemon peels (S-2), iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared using green synthesis. After converting the extract to powder using the sol-gel method, the nanoparticles of iron oxide were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emotion-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD results confirmed the formation of the face-centered cubic phase of iron oxide (alpha-Fe2O3) with high purity and strong diffraction peaks for both S-1 and S-2. The FE-SEM image reveals aggregated particles resembling nanoparticle clusters of polyhedral, oval, and irregular semispherical shapes for S-1 samples, whereas S-2 samples exhibited spherical and oval shapes. Both samples' magnetic characteristics revealed mild ferromagnetism and intermediate magnetization saturation, confirming the existence of non-magnetic surface layers derived from the phytomolecules found in the leaf extract. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria were used to examine the inhibition of each plant using the diffusion-drilling agar method, as it is known that these plants possess therapeutic efficacy for numerous diseases. Both dried cumin seed extract and dried lemon peel extract were more efficient against Staphylococcus aureus than they were against E. coli.