Investigation of green synthesis, structural characterization and biological activities of ZnO nanoparticles using chestnut honey

With the development of new technologies, the synthesis of environmentally friendly nanomaterials increases the production of nanoparticles in nanoscience. Recently, the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles using plant extracts and bee products has emerged as an interesting topic in the field of nanoscience and nanobiotechnology, with numerous advantages over traditional physicochemical approaches. In this study, a new, "greener", bio-directed, low-cost and environmentally friendly method was developed for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Np) using chestnut (Castanea sativa) honey. Chestnut honey was used as the precursor compound for the synthesis of ZnO Np, and zinc nitrate hexahydrate was used as the metal salt. The structures of ZnO Np were investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis. The antimicrobial activities of the obtained ZnO Np against bacteria and fungi were measured by the well diffusion method and the results were recorded.