International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development

The present study investigated the microbial contamination of salted sun-dried sea fish and evaluated the antimicrobial properties of green-synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) produced using Pongamia pinnata root extract. Freshly collected samples of Stolephorus indicus were examined for bacterial load, followed by isolation and identification of contaminants using standard morphological and biochemical methods. Aqueous root extract of P. pinnata was used for the green synthesis of CuO NPs, which were subsequently characterized using UV–Visible spectroscopy and FTIR analysis. Four bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified from the fish samples. FTIR spectra revealed functional groups involved in nanoparticle reduction and stabilization, while UV–Visible analysis confirmed nanoparticle synthesis through characteristic SPR peaks. Antibacterial assays demonstrated strong inhibitory activity of the CuO NPs, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibiting the highest susceptibility. Overall, the findings indicate that plant-mediated CuO NPs possess significant antimicrobial potential and may serve as effective natural agents for reducing bacterial contamination in dried fish products

M.Veerapagu, K.R.Jeya, S.Miller Samson, S.Maheshkumar, N.Janarthanan, "Microbial Quality of Salted Sun-Dried Fish and Antibacterial Efficacy of Green-Synthesized Copper Nanoparticles" International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development, V8(6): Page(2509-2517) Nov-Dec 2025. ISSN: 2581-7175. www.ijsred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.