PHYTOCHEMICAL-MEDIATED GREEN SYNTHESIS OF TiO₂ NANOPARTICLES USING SOLANUM SURATTENSE: CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

An eco-friendly and cost-effective approach was developed for the green synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) using solasodine- and flavonoid-rich Solanum surattense extract as a natural phytochemical medium. Optimal synthesis was achieved using 10 mL of extract at 60 °C for 2 h and pH 7. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed a characteristic absorption peak at approximately 244 nm, while X-ray diffraction confirmed highly crystalline anatase-phase TiO₂ with an average crystallite size of 19.69 nm. Scanning electron microscopy showed predominantly spherical, aggregated particles ranging from 10 to 80 nm. The synthesized TiO₂ NPs exhibited notable antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus fumigatus, producing inhibition zones of 18 ± 0.5 and 17 ± 0.4 mm, respectively, substantially exceeding those of the crude extract. These findings demonstrate a sustainable route for producing phytochemical-mediated TiO₂ NPs with promising antimicrobial and broader multifunctional applications.