Recent advances in green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles: Synthesis strategies, physicochemical characterization, antibacterial activity, toxicological aspects and biomedical applications: Review article
1 Basic science Department, College of Dentistry, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf, Iraq.
2 Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf, Iraq.
Review
Open Access Research Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 2026, 11(02), 063-078.
Article DOI: 10.53022/oarjms.2026.11.2.0034
Publication history:
Received on 22 April 2026; revised on 01 June 2026; accepted on 03 June 2026
Abstract:
Green Synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) using plant products results in green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles ZnO NPs that are functional as much as the nanoscale form would be, and also referred to green synthing due to its advantages on environmental aspect. ZnO Nano-particles (NPs) own significant physicochemical properties such as large surface-area-to-volume ratio, ultraviolet absorption ability copy tholec with catalytic activity under UV light vacuum chloride plapasticty and considerable anti-microbial functionality. These characteristics into them show great potential to be acted as promising materials for the applications like antibacterial coating, wound healing, drug delivery system, biosensing probes and sensors systems, cosmetics agriculture; a food packaging material various environmental related purpose.
Green synthesis provides a relatively safer and greener alternative compared to many traditional chemical and physical methods. Various types of biological materials like plant extracts, bacteria, fungi and algae as well as natural polymers are employed for supporting the formation of nanoparticles by acting with various functions: reducing agents; stabilizing agents (preventing agglomeration); capping agent (lead to shape control). Of these routes, plant-mediated synthesis is particularly attractive because it is simple, low-cost and scalable with the added benefits that plants are rich in phytochemicals (e.g. phenolics/flavonoids/proteins/organic acids/polysaccharides). Finally, at the nanomaterial level these compounds can affect a plethora of factors such as nucleation, particle growth and morphology changes to uncover varying surface chemistry that gives rise to differences in colloidal stability (final ground state) or biological activity.
This review presents an overview of the recent advances achieved in green-synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles over last two decades, encompassing comparative synthesis strategies and their physicochemical characterization results when blended with other biocommunicating nanomaterials elucidating its antibacterial mechanisms while discussing said toxicological limitations that serve as associative evidentiary basis for imparting multi-faceted biomedical applications towards a potential bio-nanomedicine. The properties of ZnO NPs are significantly influenced by different synthesis parameters (e.g., precursor concentration, ratio of extract to the metal salt or no. Consequently, establishment of standardization and comprehensive reporting can be beneficial to enhance reproducibility between studies for future comparison.
Integrated characterization approach (using XRD, UV–Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM and TEM for microscopic examinations and DLS along with zeta potential analysis) is also discussed in the review. The antibacterial activity is primarily related to reactive oxygen species generation, Zn2+ ion release, membrane damage and oxidative stress disruption of the bacterial cellular functions. Nevertheless, to explain specific antibacterial mechanisms inhibition-zone assays alone are insufficient and need a stronger quantitative test.
Despite their outstanding biomedical potential, the safety of green-synthesized ZnO NPs must be thoroughly evaluated. What should be considered is the fact that a green synthesis in itself does not imply biocompatibility, because under some conditions ZnO NPs can exhibit dose-dependent cytotoxicity; there may also occur oxidative stress or inflammation and genotoxicity. In conclusion, green ZnO nanoparticles are highly efficient and sustainable nanomaterials; however their practical use requires standardization of the synthesis process combined with a complete characterization not only physicochemical properties but also content related to antibacterial performance as well as comprehensive toxicological evaluation towards human health through standardized in vitro/in vivo methodologies.
Keywords:
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles; Green Synthesis; Plant Extracts; Antimicrobial Mechanisms; Reactive Oxygen Species; Zn2+ Release; Cytotoxicity; Biomedical Applications
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