FABRICATION OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES USING ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS: GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND CYTOTOXICITY STUDIES AGAINST MCF-7 CELL LINES
The solution combustion process was effectively employed to develop zinc oxide nanoparticles by using aqueousextract of Abelmoschus esculentus (okra) as a natural stabilising and reducing agent, providing an economical andenvironmentally responsible substitute for traditional chemical synthesis. Formation of nanoparticles was indicatedby yellowish colouration of the reaction mixture and verified with UV spectroscopy, showing a distinctiveabsorption peak at ~360 nm. XRD analysis verified the hexagonal wurtzite crystalline structure of ZnO, while FTIRspectroscopy identified –OH, N–H & C=O functional groups, evidencing the role of okra phytochemicals innanoparticle capping and stabilisation. SEM revealed aggregated, porous particles (93–234 nm), whereas TEMconfirmed non-spherical, polycrystalline particles of 20–40 nm. DLS analysis showed a hydrodynamic size of approximately 150 nm with a zeta potential of 0.5 mV, indicating moderate colloidal stability. The MTTassaydemonstrated a concentration-dependent reduction in the viability of Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) breast cancer cells, indicating promising anticancer potential. The porous morphology significantly enhances surfacereactivity, rendering the synthesised ZnO-NPs highly suitable for biomedical, antimicrobial, and photocatalyticapplications. The study contributes to the field of green nanotechnology by introducing a sustainable methodfor producing bioactive ZnO nanoparticles and presents a basis for future studies on the development of nanomedicinesfor cancer. The results align with Sustainable Development Goal-3:Good Health and Well-being through sustainabletechnologies to support health care.
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