The successful synthesis of ZnO NPs was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as shown in Figure 1A. The obtained ZnO NPs were observed to be round in shape, with an average particle size of 35.35 nm and a standard deviation of 6.81 nm. The precipitation of these nanoparticles was observed through a double-displacement reaction by adding NaOH solution to zinc acetate, where Zn2+ ions underwent hydrolysis.
Using dynamic light scattering (DLS), the average size and zeta potential of the synthesized nanoparticles were determined to be 130.4 nm and 28.92 mV, respectively, as shown in Figure 1B. The discrepancy in the size of ZnO NPs measured using DLS compared with that obtained from the TEM image was attributed to the aggregation of bare nanoparticles. The positive zeta potential indirectly confirmed the acquisition of ZnO NPs, which can interact electrostatically with bacterial cell surfaces, potentially causing physical damage. The magnitude of zeta potential indicates the potential stability of a colloidal system. When all particles in a suspension have large positive or negative zeta potentials, there is a tendency for them to repel each other, preventing aggregation. Particles with zeta potentials greater than +30 mV or less than -30 mV are generally considered stable. The synthesized ZnO NPs exhibited a zeta potential of +28.92 mV, indicating relative stability in water20.
The absorption spectra of ZnO NPs were examined using a microplate reader, revealing a specific absorption peak for ZnO at 360 nm (Figure 1C). The precursor zinc acetate does not have a unique peak, whereas ZnO NPs are known to have a unique peak at 360-370 nm. The synthesis was confirmed by the presence of the 360 nm unique peak in the synthesized ZnO NPs21. These specific UV absorption characteristics confirmed the direct synthesis of ZnO NPs. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis (Figure 1D) revealed distinct crystalline peaks that are characteristic of ZnO. When compared to the representative wurtzite structure of ZnO NPs (JCPDS No. 36-1415), it was observed that all the planes (1, 0, 0), (0, 0, 2), (1, 0, 1), (1, 0, 2), (1, 1, 0), (1, 0, 3), (2, 0, 0), (1, 1, 2), and (2, 0, 1) were in alignment22.
The antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized ZnO NPs was evaluated using a microbroth dilution test against clinical samples of P. aeruginosa and MRSA obtained from the Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Images of bacterial cultures were captured for analysis. To visually assess the antimicrobial efficacy of the nanoparticles using the same dilution factor, spread plates with undiluted bacterial solution were used (Figure 2A,B). Spread plates with the original solution were employed to determine the potential minimum bactericidal concentration. Since bacterial colonies were observed even at the highest concentration for both strains, a complete bactericidal effect was not achieved. The bacterial concentrations in each group were calculated using countable dilution factors. When comparing the survival rates of each treatment group to the negative control group, the antimicrobial effects of ZnO NPs were evident in both P. aeruginosa and MRSA strains. Considering the researched cytotoxicity range of ZnO NPs, different ZnO concentrations were tested, starting from the highest concentration known to induce toxicity, which is 1000 µg/mL, down to the non-toxic range of 62.5 µg/mL, through serial dilution23,24. In the case of P. aeruginosa, the antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs was increased in a concentration-dependent manner (Figure 2A). However, a visible decrease in the number of P. aeruginosa bacterial colonies from the starting undiluted (100) bacterial culture was not evident.
Conversely, ZnO NPs exhibited high antimicrobial activity against the gram-positive bacterium MRSA, with a noticeable decrease in bacterial colony-forming units (CFU), as confirmed by comparing images of diluted bacterial cultures to that of the starting undiluted (100) bacterial culture. This result confirmed that the synthesized ZnO NPs displayed antimicrobial activity against both bacterial strains, particularly showing increased efficacy against the MRSAstrain.

Figure 1: Characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles. (A) Transmission electron microscopy images of ZnO NPs under different magnifications. (B) Size (left) and zeta potential distribution (right) by DLS analysis. (C) Absorbance spectrum of ZnO NPs using a microplate reader. (D) XRD analysis of ZnO NPs and their crystalline peaks. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 2: Antibacterial properties of ZnO NPs tested on 5 x 105 CFU/mL bacterial strains. (A) Antibacterial test against the P. aeruginosa strain. (B) Antibacterial test against the MRSA strain. N = negative control (DPBS), P = positive control (A/A). Asterisks denote the statistically significant difference compared with the controls, ****p ≤ 0.0001. Data presented as mean ± SD of three independent experiments performed in triplicates. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.