Proceedings of International Conference on Applied Innovation in IT  ·  2026/06/12  ·  Vol. 14  ·  Issue 4  ·  pp. 643–652
Sustainable Synthesis of Multifunctional Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles Using Date Seed Extract for Antibacterial and Antioxidant Applications
Duaa J. Kadhim and Mahdi A. Mohammed
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Abstract
This research presents the synthesis of zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles using a green synthesis method with an aqueous extract of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) seeds as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. The structural, morphological, magnetic, and biological properties of the synthesized particles were systematically analyzed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of a predominantly cubic spinel phase consistent with JCPDS card number 82-1049, with a characteristic peak at the (311) plane. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed vibrational bands for the Zn-O and Fe-O bonds at 563.71 and 438.97 cm⁻¹, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image showed irregularly shaped nanoparticles with an average diameter of 38.5 nm, as confirmed by size distribution analysis. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed a Zn:Fe atomic ratio close to the expected stoichiometric value. Zeta potential measurements showed a value of (+11 mV), indicating limited colloidal stability with a moderately positive surface charge. A vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) demonstrated superparamagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization of 0.58 emu/g. Antibacterial activity assays using the agar diffusion method showed inhibition zones of 25 ± 0.6 mm against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and 19 ± 0.6 mm against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Cell leakage assays confirmed that the primary mechanism of inhibition involves cell membrane disruption. Antioxidant activity showed an 82% inhibition at 0.6 µg/ml in the DPPH assay. These results indicate the promising potential of ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles derived from date seeds as a multifunctional nanomaterial for medical and environmental applications.
Keywords
Green Synthesis ZnFe₂O₄ Nanoparticles Date Seeds Antibacterial Activity Antioxidant Activity
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