Evaluation of antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of green-synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles using Cyperus rotundus extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent.

The development of Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) from the green sources has significant attraction due to their eco-compatibility, safety, and nontoxic nature. This work demonstrated the synthesis of IONPs using the aqueous root extract of Cyperus rotundus, a traditional antibacterial plant source (Cr-IONPs). The synthesized Cr-IONPs were characterized by various analytical instruments DLS, Zeta, XRD, SEM, VSM, etc. to evaluate its physicochemical and magnetic nature. The results confirmed the uniform shape of Cr-IONPs within a size range of 30-70 nm. Additionally, they exhibited excellent colloidal stability with a Zeta potential value of -30.50 ± 1.79 mV. The VSM analysis revealed a superparamagnetic nature with zero remanence value. The antibacterial study showed that Cr-IONPs exhibited strong antibacterial potential in a concentration-dependent manner. Both Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphyllococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains demonstrated that Cr-IONPs exhibit potent antibacterial activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the diameter of the zone of inhibition increased with higher concentrations of the Cr-IONPs. These results demonstrate that the Cr-IONPs synthesized via a greener approach using C. rotundus extract exhibit strong antibacterial activity and biocompatibility, making them a promising candidate as a future antibacterial agent against multi-drug-resistant bacteria. Additionally, their superparamagnetic nature also broadens their potential for biomedical applications, including targeted drug delivery and diagnostics.