Preparation and Characterization of Sodium, Copper and Zinc Based Soaps from Cottonseed Oil and Evaluation of their Antimicrobial Activity against a Few Plant Pathogens

Abstract

Crude Cottonseed oil obtained from kernels of cotton seeds is not suitable for human consumption because it contains toxic phenolic compounds. In the present investigation, soaps of sodium, copper, and zinc were prepared using non-refined crude cottonseed oil by saponification and metathesis methods. The final products were characterized by Infrared spectral analysis, and the metal content in the soap samples was determined using a Flame photometer and an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. X-ray diffraction analysis of copper soap revealed that these surfactants have moderate crystallinity with a crystallite particle size of around 15 nm as calculated by the Scherrer Equation. Antimicrobial activity of each synthesized material was studied on the fungi Phytophthora, Fusarium, and bacterial species such as Erwinia and Clavibacter at different dilutions ranging from 0.5% to 5% w/v soap solution. Sodium and zinc Soap had prominent antimicrobial activity ranging from 8 mm to 13 mm of zone of inhibition against fungal strains, at the concentration of 1%-5% w/v. Sodium salts are water-soluble and eco-friendly in nature; hence, the synthesis of these kinds of derivatives from non-edible crude cottonseed oil could help in developing fungicides that are less toxic and more cost-effective in nature.