Structural and biomedical evaluation of Capsicum annuum-assisted green synthesis of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles

Sara H. Shahatha; Rihab Jabbar; Mohammed Hayder Ismail Alluaibi

doi:10.2478/msp-2026-0010

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Structural and biomedical evaluation of Capsicum annuum-assisted green synthesis of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles

Materials Science-Poland

Volume 44 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)

By: Sara H. Shahatha, Rihab Jabbar and Mohammed Hayder Ismail Alluaibi

Open Access

|Jul 2026

Abstract

An eco-friendly biosynthetic route was developed for the synthesis of spinel-structured copper ferrite nanoparticles (CuFe₂O₄ NPs) using Capsicum annuum (sweet green pepper) extract as a multifunctional reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent. This study systematically correlates the synthesis conditions with the structural, optical, magnetic, and biological properties of the synthesized material. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of a cubic spinel structure with a nanocrystalline size of ≈26 nm, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the presence of metal–oxygen bonds and chemical reactions resulting from plant compounds. Optical analysis showed a low energy gap (≈1.5 eV), attributed to cation redistribution and the presence of defects in the crystal structure. Magnetic measurements also showed strong ferromagnetic behavior with a high coercivity value, attributed to the effects of single magnetic field. From a biological standpoint, the synthesized NPs showed improved antibacterial activity, along with low cytotoxicity against normal cells and excellent hematologic biocompatibility, with a hemolysis rate of <5%. These results demonstrate a clear correlation between the structural, physicochemical, and biological properties, highlighting the potential of green-synthesized CuFe₂O₄ NPs in advanced biomedical applications.

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