Hydrothermal synthesis of FeO-AgO nanocomposites supported on pristine, N/S doped graphene oxide for photocatalytic and biological applications.

Addressing the dual challenges of industrial contamination in wastewater and antimicrobial resistance is crucial for environmental preservation and global health, aligning with sustainable development goals. This study investigated the biological and photocatalytic potential of pure bimetal oxides, nanocomposites (NCs) and their counterparts incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and nitrogen- and sulfur-doped GO. A set of samples, namely FeO-AgO, FeO-AgO@GO, FeO-AgO@N-GO, and FeO-AgO@S-GO NCs, was synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The synthesized NCs underwent comprehensive structural and compositional analyses using XRD, FTIR, EDX, SEM, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Their photocatalytic performance was evaluated for methylene blue (MB) dye degradation under direct sunlight at varying pH levels, dye concentrations, and reaction times. The photocatalytic tests revealed a significant enhancement in methylene blue (MB) degradation efficiency, which generally increased with rising pH, albeit with some deviations. Among all samples, FeO-AgO@S-GO NC exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving maximum degradation at 240 min. The biological properties of NCs were assessed through protein kinase inhibition studies and antimicrobial assays, while hemocompatibility was determined hemolytic activity. All samples exhibited both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects, as indicated by the presence of a bald zone alongside a clear zone. The FeO-AgO NC demonstrated the most notable antibacterial activity, achieving the MIC of 12.5 against . The antibacterial assay further demonstrated enhanced inhibitory effects against both resistant and non-resistant bacterial strains, confirming that iron- and silver-doped composites exhibited superior antibacterial properties. Among all the NCs, FeO-AgO@GO NC displayed significant antifungal activity against five different strains, with the highest effectiveness against and , achieving a zone of inhibition of 9 ± 0.01 mm. The hemolytic assay indicated that all NCs exhibited hemolysis levels below 1%, confirming their safety for biological applications. This study highlighted the potential of these NCs for enhancing the photocatalytic degradation of MB dye in water while also demonstrating their biological significance.