Antimicrobial Activity of Nypa Fruticans (Nipa) Palm Starch and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnONps) in Textile: Solving the Scarcity Using Local Resources

Nanotechnology is an emerging interdisciplinary technology that has been booming in many areas during the recent decade. The application of nanoscale materials and structures, usually ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm), is an emerging area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this work, Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles were prepared by wet chemical method using zinc nitrate and sodium hydroxide as precursors and Nypa fruticans (Nipa) starch as stabilizing agent. The antimicrobial property was found effective against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. It has a clear zone of inhibition against S. aureus and E. coli. The scanning electron micrograph exhibited that after several washings the cloth facemask coated with nipa starch and zinc oxide still adheres to the cloth.