Green Nanotechnology for Water Remediation: Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Methylene Blue Degradation Kinetics
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using eco-friendly matrices, including starch (S), soy lecithin (L), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The ZnO-NPs were obtained from different matrices: ZnO-S, ZnO-L, and ZnO-PVP were characterized through UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Zeta potential (ξ), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). TEM analysis revealed quasi-spherical ZnO-NPs, and XRD confirmed the crystalline structure and estimated an average nanoparticle size of around 22 nm, consistent with the TEM results. The photocatalytic performance of the ZnO-NPs was evaluated in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under both UV and sunlight. ZnO-L demonstrated the highest efficiency, degrading up to 97.68% of MB. Kinetic studies indicated that the photodegradation has a reaction order of 1.4, and the reaction rates rise as the concentrations of MB increase. This study highlights the potential of green nanotechnology in water remediation, providing a sustainable approach to address environmental dye pollution. The results suggest that ZnO-L synthesized using the matrix of soy lecithin, an industrial byproduct, offers an efficient and eco-friendly alternative for wastewater treatment. The results demonstrate the potential of ZnO nanoparticles as efficient catalysts for the solar photodegradation of MB, offering an environmentally friendly solution to water pollution.
Source: Langmuir
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G3019112956, G4479500851
OpenAlex ID: W4411116268