Green synthesis and physical-biological evaluation of boron-doped CuO nanocomposites via Aronia extracts

Abstract

In this study, boron-doped copper oxide (CuO:B) nanocomposites were synthesized via a green method using Aroniamelanocarpa fruit extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. The structural and morphological characteristics of thenanocomposites were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transforminfrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The biosynthesized CuO:B nanocomposites were further evaluated for their antimicrobial,antioxidant, and anticancer activities. XRD analysis confirmed a monoclinic crystal structure, indicating that boron dopingdid not alter the CuO phase. SEM images revealed a uniform distribution of nearly spherical nanoparticles with sizes rangingfrom 15 to 67 nm. FTIR spectra exhibited a characteristic Cu-O vibration band at 478 cm⁻¹. The nanocomposites demonstratedstrong antimicrobial activity against pathogenic strains (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis,Enterobacter aerogenes, and Escherichia coli), along with notable antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 210 μg/mL). Anticancer assaysrevealed that CuO:B nanocomposites induced early apoptosis in A549 cancer cells (92.45%) with an IC₅₀ value of 30.57 μg/mL. These findings suggest that CuO:B nanocomposites synthesized from A. melanocarpa exhibit significant antimicrobial,antioxidant, and anticancer activities, indicating their potential as therapeutic candidates for biomedical applications supportedby further studies such as in vitro and in vivo studies.