ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Quince seed-derived glucuronoxylan-capped nickel oxide nanoparticles for antibacterial, antibiofilm, photocatalytic, and pollutant sensing applications

Zain Fatima, Seerat Fatima, Zarfishan Zulfiqar, Sehar Javed, Aamna Majeed, Gulzar Muhammad, and Mohammad A. Jafar Mazumder

Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Government College University Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

E-mail: mgulzar@gcu.edu.pk

Received: 16 January 2026  Accepted: 27 March 2026

Abstract:

Nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) were synthesized via a green, sustainable process using Cydonia oblonga seed mucilage, glucuronoxylan (GX) as natural reducing and stabilizing agents. The resultant NiO NPs exhibited intense UV-Visible absorbance at 320 nm and a band gap of 3.8 eV, confirming the semiconductor nature of NiO NPs. Structural characterizations indicated a face-centered cubic crystalline structure with an average crystallite size of 12.48 nm. The NiO NPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity with the highest zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Bacillus licheniformis (19.6 mm) along with significant antibiofilm properties. The low MIC (10–20 µg/mL) and MBC (15–30 µg/mL) values indicated bactericidal activity of NiO NPs against all bacterial strains. The NiO NPs showed excellent photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB), achieving 78% dye removal under sunlight within 120 min. In addition, NPs detected heavy metals such as Pb²⁺ and Fe²⁺ by exhibiting distinct shifts in UV-visible spectra and increased absorbance. The current research demonstrates the versatility of NiO NPs in antimicrobial therapy, pollutant degradation, and wastewater monitoring.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: Cydonia oblonga; Quince; Photocatalytic activity; Pollutant sensing; Methylene blue; Glucuronoxylan; Nanoparticles

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04851-0

Chemical Papers 80 (7) 7743–7762 (2026)