Evaluation of Insecticidal Activity of Zoochemical-Assisted Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Using Marine Invertebrate Hyattella intestinalis (Lamarck, 1814)

The term “zoochemicals” refers to animal chemical compounds, including secondary metabolites. Secondary metabolites are not only synthesised by plants and microorganisms, but animals are also naturally provided with valuable secondary metabolites, which are to be coined “Zoochemicals.” In the present study, we aim to introduce the zoological term “zoochemical-assisted zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis” using zoochemicals from the marine sponge Hyattella intestinalis and record marine invertebrates’ zoochemicals as an important source of nanoparticle synthesis. In this terminology zoologically refers to zoochemicals from zoo-extracts that contain a varied range of animal secondary metabolites that involve the reduction of metal ions (M+ to M0) to form zoochemical-assisted metallic nanoparticles, which is similar to zoochemical-mediated nanoparticle synthesis. Finding the zoochemicals of animal origin to reduce zinc ions (Zn2+) to the formation (Zn0) of a brownish-yellow precipitate resulted in zoochemical-assisted ZnO nanoparticle synthesis. The UV-visible absorption peak at 378.90 nm initially confirmed Z-ZnONPs formation, and the FTIR spectrum revealed the presence of functional groups that are involved in reducing and capping agents of zoochemicals in NPs synthesis. The synthesized Z-ZnONPs had promising insecticidal activity through in vitro AChE inhibitory activity (IC50 = 129.07 µg/ml) with a correlation coefficient statistic agreed (R2 = 0.9809), and computational investigation was supported by ZnO interaction with the target insecticide AChE (energy values = -59.42 Kcal/mol, using Hex). The present study is a scientifically first-hand report of “zoochemical-assisted ZnONPs nanoparticle synthesis” using zoochemicals from the marine invertebrate Hyattella intestinalis as reducing and capping agents in nanoparticle synthesis and eco-friendly nanodrugs.