Evaluation of bactericidal potential and catalytic dye degradation of multiple morphology based chitosan/polyvinylpyrrolidone-doped bismuth oxide nanostructures

In this study, 0.02 and 0.04 wt% of chitosan (CS) were successfully incorporated in a fixed amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-doped Bi₂O₃ nanostructures (NSs) via a co-precipitation approach. The purpose of this research was to degrade hazardous methylene blue dye and assess antimicrobial potential of the prepared CS/PVP-doped Bi₂O₃ nanostructures. In addition, optical characteristics, charge recombination rate, elemental composition, phase formation, surface morphology, functional groups, d-spacing, and crystallinity of the obtained nanostructures were investigated. CS/PVP-doped Bi₂O₃ nanostructures exhibited efficient catalytic activity (measured as 99%) in a neutral medium for dopant-free nanostructures while the inhibition zone was measured using a Vernier caliper against pathogens Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) at low and high doses to check antimicrobial activity. Strong bactericidal action was recorded against S. aureus bacteria such that a significant inhibition zone was measured at 3.09 mm.