Microscopic Observation of the Effect of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized from Different Precursors on Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

In this study, the zinc oxide prepared from three different precursors zinc sulfate heptahydrate, zinc nitrate hexahydrate and zinc acetate dihydrate, has been tested in vitro on different cell types belonging to eukaryotic and prokaryotic erythrocytes, leukocytes, Candida albicans and Bacillus BS3 who is thermophilic bacteria, sporulating and multiresistant to antibiotics. The effect of ZnO nanoparticles on the above cells was observed directly via optical microscopy. The results show a separate action of each oxide at the various cells studied. Tests conducted on cells of human blood show that ZnO synthesized from the zinc acetate dihydrate is the most hemolytic oxide. It causes a complete hemolysis of erythrocytes and a total alteration of leukocytes. A total inhibition of the growth of Candida albicans was observed in the case of ZnO synthesized from zinc sulfate heptahydrate. Bacterial cells BS3 even if they are spore forming, are multiresistant to antibiotics and high temperatures. They were eradicated by the three aforementioned synthetic oxides losing their shape, changing their size, their mode of association, Gram stain and ability to reproduce.