Instantaneous Green Synthesis of Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles by Thuja orientalis Extract and Investigation of Their Antibacterial Properties

The applications of zerovalent iron nanoparticles in environmental remediation have led to the development of green methods in their synthesis. This study for the first time reports on the green synthesis of zerovalent iron nanoparticles using Thuja orientalis extract as the reducing and capping agent at room temperature. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized with different techniques such as XRD, ICP/AES, UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, and EDX. The reaction was completed within the first seconds. It was found that phenols and reducing sugars present in the extract have an important role in the production of nanoparticles. Complete degradation of methylen blue as a model pollutant was performed using these nanoparticles. Zerovalent iron nanoparticles showed a strong antibacterial effect on B. subtilis and E. amylovora bacteria. As a consequence, this green and rapid method can compete with chemical synthesis methods, and the synthesized nanoparticles can be applied to the degradation of pollutants and bacteria.