article · Green Energy and Resources
Zinc oxide nanoparticles can be produced through a straightforward and low-cost green method using fruit extract from Nauclea latifolia as both a bioreductant and a stabiliser. Structural and microscopic analyses demonstrate that the resulting particles possess a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure, an average crystallite size of 14.40 nanometres, a particle size range between 12.54 and 17.35 nanometres, and a specific surface area of 277.420 square metres per gramme. In batch adsorption trials targeting the removal of methyl green dye from aqueous solutions, the material achieved a peak removal efficiency of 99.96 percent within 60 minutes at neutral pH using 0.05 grammes of adsorbent. The adsorption behaviour conforms to the Freundlich isotherm and general-order kinetic models, while thermodynamic evaluations reveal the uptake process to be spontaneous, feasible, endothermic, and physical in nature.
Industrial wastewater containing synthetic dyes presents substantial treatment challenges, making effective removal techniques essential. Utilizing plant extracts to synthesise nanoscale adsorbents offers a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical synthesis. This work demonstrates that an accessible plant-derived process can generate zinc oxide particles that rapidly and almost completely eliminate methyl green dye from water under neutral conditions, supporting cleaner effluent treatment approaches.
The findings point towards potential applications in wastewater management and industrial effluent treatment, particularly for facilities needing cost-effective dye removal. However, this work is at an early laboratory stage, having demonstrated effectiveness solely in small-scale batch tests with synthetic aqueous solutions. Moving towards commercial deployment would require scaling up the green synthesis route and verifying performance in complex, real-world industrial wastewaters.
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This research presents a facile and inexpensive method for synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles using Nauclea latifolia fruit extract as a bioreductant and stabilizer. The prepared particles were characterized using some analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystallinity and phase identification, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study surface morphology, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for functional groups analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for grain size analysis, UV-Vis spectroscopy for optical properties, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) for surface area analysis. XRD analysis revealed a hexagonal wurtzite structure with an average crystallite size of 14.40 nm. FTIR showed absorption peaks at 3659, 1341, and 460 cm-1, corresponding to hydroxyl, carboxylic, and Zn – O, respectively. SEM image showed an agglomerated surface morphology with a flower-like shape. TEM estimated the particle size range to be 12.54 - 17.35 nm. UV-Vis scanning showed a broad peak at 373 nm. BET revealed 277.420 m2/g as the specific surface area. A batch adsorption experiment conducted on the performance of the nanoparticles for methyl green (MG) removal from aqueous solution showed highest efficiency of 99.96% at 60 min agitation time and pH of 7, with 0.05 g of the ZnO NPs, confirming the efficiency of the particles. The results of adsorption modelling revealed that the adsorption data were best fit to Freundlich isotherm and general-order kinetic models. Thermodynamic investigation confirmed the adsorption process as spontaneous, feasible, endothermic, and physical. Finally, the simplicity of the synthesis method and the performance evaluation of the ZnO nanoparticles indicate that an efficient and cost-effective adsorbent for MG recovery from aqueous solution has been successfully prepared.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.gerr.2024.100073
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