Performance of Ag-doped CuO nanoparticles for photocatalytic activity applications: Synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial activity

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> The combustion method was used to synthesize undoped Ag and Ag-doped CuO nanostructures. The Ag-doped CuO NPs were analyzed using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDX instrumental analyses. The energy band gap, as determined by DRS properties, decreases from 3.82 to 3.50 eV for pure CuO and 10 % of Ag/CuO NPs, respectively, with an increase in Ag concentration, with an increase in Ag concentration. The photodegradation efficiency of RhB &amp; Carmine by 10 % of Ag/CuO NPs was found to be nearly 98.9 % and 97.8 %, respectively. Antimicrobial trials revealed that the antimicrobial efficacy of Ag/CuO NPs at several dosages (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 µg/ml) against human pathogens was initially assessed using the agar well-diffusion method, and then the broth dilution method. Noticeably, MIC of Ag/CuO NPs for all pathogens ranged from 100 to 120 µg/ml, was determined. Generally, the observed MBCs have a wide range of Ag/CuO NPs doses, ranging from 150 to 300 µg/ml, which helps to kill (99.99 %) of all tested pathogenic cells. The largest relative inhibitory activities (%) were recorded against <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> (81.45 ± 1.39) at 120µg/ml of Ag/CuO NPs and 100 µg/ml (80.43 ± 0.59), followed by 80µg/ml (72.33 ± 0.82). Additionally, the lowest relative inhibitory activities (%) were monitored versus fungal cells and <italic>Gram-positive </italic>bacteria at 120µg/ml of Ag/CuO NPs as 52.17 ± 1.49 and 53.42 ± 1.71, respectively. Ag/CuO NPs are an ideal material for both the degradation of organic pollutants and the removal of bacterial strains in wastewater.