Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 30 Number 3 (2026): 1760

 

Research Article

 

Green combustion synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles using Calotropis gigantea leaves extract and its antibacterial activity towards selected gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria

Nur Aliya Balqis Mahyudin1, Hanis Mohd Yusoff 1,2*, Siti Nor Khadijah Addis1, Nurhanna Badar1,2, Nurul Huda Abdul Wahab1,2, Asnuzilawati Asari1,2, Hidayatul Aini Zakaria3, Hassan I. Sheikh4, and Irmaizatussyehdany Buniyamin5

 

1Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, 21300, Malaysia

2Advanced Nano Materials (AnoMa) Research Group, Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, 21300, Malaysia

3Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, 21300, Malaysia

4Faculty of Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, 21300, Malaysia

5NANO-SciTech Laboratory, Centre for Functional Materials and Nanotechnology (FMN), Institute of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: hanismy@umt.edu.my

 

Received: 26 October 2025; Revised: 12 May 2026; Accepted: 18 May 2026; Published: 30 June 2026

 

Abstract

The increasing demand for eco-friendly, sustainable nanomaterials has prompted the use of green synthesis methods that minimize environmental impact by leveraging plant biomolecules as reducing and stabilizing agents. This study focuses on the green combustion synthesis and characterization of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) using Calotropis gigantea leaf extract and their antibacterial properties. Phytochemical tests confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolics in the plant extract, which contribute significantly to nanoparticle synthesis. MgO-NPs were synthesized and characterized using various analytical techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to study thermal stability, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify functional groups, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to confirm crystallinity, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to analyze morphology, and Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) to assess optical properties. The results indicated high purity, stability, and well-defined structural characteristics of the synthesized MgO-NPs, particularly at a calcination temperature of 800 °C. Antibacterial studies were conducted using well and disk diffusion methods to evaluate the effectiveness of MgO-NPs against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus sp.) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp.) bacteria. The well diffusion method showed greater antibacterial activity, with MgO-NPs exhibiting higher effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria, specifically S. aureus, producing a 9 mm zone of inhibition at 100 mg/ml, likely due to the simpler cell wall structure of Gram-positive bacteria compared to Gram-negative bacteria. Notably, MgO-NPs synthesized at 800 °C demonstrated superior antibacterial performance due to enhanced crystallinity and reduced particle size. This research highlights the potential of green-synthesized MgO-NPs as an eco-friendly, effective antibacterial agent with promising applications in biomedicine and environmental remediation.

 

Keywords: Green synthesis, MgO-NPs, Calotropis gigantea, antibacterial properties, phytochemical analysis

 

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