Synthesis and potent antimicrobial activity of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles under visible light

Abstract The nanoparticles of Cobalt ferrite are synthesized using polyethylene glycol as a solvent by the solvothermal method in a surfactant-free condition. Nanoparticles that were synthesized were determined by using various techniques such as Diffuse Reflection Spectroscopy (DRS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The Scanning electron microscope confirmed the range of spherical nanoparticles in the size of 20–33 nm. An excellent match was observed between the calculated particles size in the X-ray diffraction and electron microscopes results. Furthermore, their antimicrobial efficacy was determined by MIC, MBC, IC50 and disc diffusion method on Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus) bacteria. The results indicated an acceptable bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of this nanoparticles. Additionally, it was seen that by the increase in the concentration of nanoparticles, their antimicrobial property would increase. Background and objective In recent years, antibacterial materials have found a special place to avoid the overuse of antibiotics. In this study, the antibacterial effects of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus, were investigated due to their importance as human pathogens in nosocomial infection. Methodology In this study, the antibacterial effects of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles such as MIC, MBC, IC50, and disc diffusion method were examined. Findings According to the results, CoFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibited potent antibacterial activity against the bacteria that were examined, especially Bacillus cereus. The MBC (Minimum Bactericidal Concentration) of CoFe2O4 nanoparticle on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus was between 0.12-0.48 mg/ml and MIC (Minimum Inhibition Concentration) on these bacteria detected between 0.06-0.24 mg/ml. The least IC50 determined for Bacillus cereus with a concentration of 0.061 mg/ml. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus identified as the most resistant and sensitive bacteria in the disc diffusion method, respectively.