Biogenic synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles using Soymida febrifuga bark extract: characterization, antibacterial, and antioxidant evaluation

This study aimed to develop an eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles using an aqueous bark extract of Soymida febrifuga as a reducing and stabilizing agent and to evaluate their physicochemical and biological properties. The Phytosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and EDAX analyses. XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of the iron oxide nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of approximately 90 nm, while FT-IR analysis indicated the involvement of phenolic and hydroxyl functional groups in nanoparticle stabilization. SEM analysis revealed polyhedral morphology with uniform distribution, and EDAX confirmed the elemental composition of iron and oxygen. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Clavibacter michiganensis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , with the highest inhibition observed against P. aeruginosa at higher concentrations. In addition, the nanoparticles demonstrated concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in DPPH, Phosphomolybdenum, and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assays, outperforming the crude plant extract. These findings highlight the dual antibacterial and antioxidant potential of S. febrifuga -mediated iron oxide nanoparticles and support their relevance for future biomedical and environmental applications, warranting further mechanistic and biocompatibility investigations.