Preparation and Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activity of Prunus armeniaca Seed Extract Enhanced with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Chitosan Coating Against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

The present study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of Prunus armeniaca (apricot) seed extract, both alone and in combination with iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) and chitosan coating, against two pathogenic bacterial strains: Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The extract was prepared using a Soxhlet extraction method with hot water, and nanoparticles were synthesized via co-precipitation and coated with chitosan to improve stability and bioactivity. Characterization was performed using XRD, SEM, TEM, zeta potential, and zeta sizer techniques. Results revealed the formation of nanoscale composites with improved physicochemical properties. The disc diffusion method showed that the antibacterial activity increased progressively from the extract alone, to Fe₃O₄ NPs, and finally to the chitosan-coated formulation. The enhanced inhibition is attributed to the synergistic effect of bioactive compounds (e.g., amygdalin, phenolics) and the physicochemical interaction between the nanoparticles and bacterial membranes. These findings suggest that the nanoformulation has promising potential as an effective antimicrobial agent.