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This study reports the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using the aqueous solution of broccoli extract. The nanoparticles, represented as broc-ZnO (with broccoli extract) and nb-ZnO (without broccoli extract), were obtained after calcination. The nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform infra-red (FTIR), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV) and Photoluminescence (PL). Hexagonal phases were identified for both nanoparticles, while average crystallite sizes of 14 and 17 nm for broc-ZnO and nb-ZnO, respectively, were obtained. UV studies indicated the bandgap of the broc-ZnO and nb-ZnO as 4.09 and 3.87 eV, respectively. A plausible mechanism for the synthesis of the nanoparticles was suggested. The photocatalytic efficiency of broc-ZnO, obtained via the broccoli extract, was evaluated by studying its photo-enhanced catalytic activity against methylene blue (MB) and phenol red (PR), under UV light irradiation and 74% and 71% degradation efficiency of the successive dyes were achieved.