It100 sem

The sample surface topography of pure ZnONPs was studied by SEM (SEM-IT100, JEOL, Tokyo, Japan). The powder was finely dried into powder form by using a spray dryer. The powdered sample was carefully mounted onto stubs and placed into the sputter cortex chamber and covered with gold/palladium for SEM investigation to determine the structure of developed nanoparticles.

The SEM imaging was employed to detect morphological alterations in S. aureus and E. coli cells, after exposure to UFD-ZnONPs, for potential elucidation of NPs action mode. The SEM (SEM-IT100, JEOL, Tokyo, Japan) bacterial imaging was conducted using the Marrie and Costerton protocol [19 (link)]. Grown bacterial cells in NB for 24 h were treated with UFD-ZnONPs (45 µg/mL) for 0 (control), 1 h, 4 h, and 7 h at 37 °C, then bacterial cells were collected with centrifugation (4500× g for 30 min), then washed with saline buffer, re-centrifuged, and subjected to SEM preparation (including fixation with 2% paraformaldehyde fixative solution in 0.1 M of Na-Cacodylate buffer then treatment with 2.5% of glutaraldehyde for 30 min at pH 7.3, washing with MQW and dehydration with series of ethanol concentrations). Dehydrated specimens were fixed onto SEM stubs and covered using gold/palladium, then micrographs were captured.

FTIR was measured using a JASCO spectrometer (FT/IR-6800) to investigate the functional groups of AgNPs and determine possible binding sites with AgNPs in the root and shoot of pea seedlings. Data were analyzed using the software Origin Professional Program version 8.0. On the other hand, the Energy dispersive spectroscopy was determined using scanning electron microscope (JEOL, SEM - IT100) instrument equipped with EDS at 30 kV to examine the translocation of AgNPs in the root and shoot of seedlings.