THE ROLE OF NANOPARTICLE IN ENHANCING QUALITY CELLULOSE MICROFIBER AS AN ANTIMICROBIAL MATERIAL
This study investigates silver nanoparticles synthesised via bioreduction of water hyacinth leaf extract usingultrasound, and their incorporation into cellulose microfiber for antimicrobial purposes. Water hyacinth leavesserved as the cellulose source and bioreductor for nanoparticle synthesis. Ultrasonication facilitated the process, with characterisation involving FTIR, UV-Vis, SEM, and XRD for cellulose microfibers, and UV-Vis and PSAfor nanoparticles. Antimicrobial tests targeted Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Candidaalbicans. The UV–VIS analysis revealed an absorption peak at 241 nm, while particle size analysis (PSA) indicatedan average size of 70.6 nm, confirming the formation of silver nanoparticles synthesised using water hyacinthleaf extract as a reducing agent. The cellulose microfibers prepared from water hyacinth stems and modified with silver nanoparticles exhibited a lighter, paler, and whiter appearance. UV–Vis characterisation of the cellulose microfibersshowed an absorption peak at 281 nm. XRD analysis identified crystalline regions at 2θ = 22.08° with a crystallinityindex of 37.385%. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of –OH functional groups at approximately 3410 cm-1 and–C–H groups at around 2908 cm-1 . SEM observations revealed fibrillar structures forming fibres with diameters of approximately 1 µm. The 1:1 cellulose-nanoparticle sample showed the highest activity against Pseudomonasaeruginosa and Candida albicans, while the 1:2 sample was most effective against Staphylococcus epidermidis.
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