A KMITL team synthesised ZnO using Mitragyna speciosa leaf extracts prepared in water or methanol. The methanol route produced more spherical, less aggregated particles and stronger light-plus-ultrasound degradation of rhodamine B, with antibacterial activity comparable to commercial ZnO. Superoxide dominated the proposed mechanism, but evidence remains laboratory-based.
Key findings
- Phase-pure hexagonal wurtzite ZnO formed without secondary phases. Methanol-derived particles were more spherical and less aggregated, antibacterial activity was comparable to commercial ZnO, and rhodamine-B piezo-photocatalysis was stronger; scavenger tests implicated superoxide as the main reactive species.
Why this matters globally
Solvent- and plant-mediated defect control may inform catalysts for dye treatment or antimicrobial surfaces using combined light and vibration, subject to recovery and nanoparticle-safety evidence.
Thai researcher contribution
KMITL's nanoscience team conducted extract preparation, ZnO synthesis, structural analysis and catalytic and antibacterial testing.
Limitations to consider
Rate constants, bacterial log reductions, replication and toxicity are absent from the abstract. Methanol complicates the 'green' claim unless assessed by mass balance and LCA. Rhodamine B is not complex wastewater, and nanoparticle ROS may harm non-target organisms.
Verify the original sources
GelsRead the original article↗DOI: 10.3390/gels12070596