Proficient dye removal from water using biogenic silver nanoparticles prepared through solid-state synthetic route

Area of Science:

• Green Chemistry and Nanotechnology
• Environmental Science and Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) often involves harsh chemicals and energy-intensive processes.
• Developing environmentally benign and scalable methods for Ag NP production is crucial for sustainable applications.
• Biogenic synthesis using plant extracts offers a promising alternative for eco-friendly nanomaterial fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable, one-pot method for producing biogenic silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using a solid-state synthetic route.
• To evaluate and compare the efficiency of different plant-derived bio-reductants for Ag NP synthesis.
• To investigate the application of synthesized Ag NPs as nanoadsorbents for dye removal in water remediation.

Main Methods:

• Investigated four plant extracts (Datura stramonium, Papaver orientale, Mentha piperita, Cannabis sativa) for biogenic Ag NP synthesis via solid-state route.
• Optimized Ag NP synthesis by adjusting Mentha piperita leaf powder/silver nitrate ratio and temperature.
• Evaluated Ag NPs' performance in removing crystal violet dye, studying factors like dosage, temperature, pH, concentration, and time.

Main Results:

• Mentha piperita was identified as the optimal plant resource, yielding pure, uniform Ag NPs (15 nm average diameter) without aggregation.
• Synthesis parameters (leaf powder ratio, temperature) allowed tailoring of Ag NP purity and size.
• Ag NPs demonstrated high efficiency in crystal violet dye removal, with an adsorption capacity of 704.7 mg/g based on the Langmuir model and fitting the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

Conclusions:

• A cost-effective, feasible, and environmentally benign solid-state method for producing green Ag NPs was established.
• Synthesized Ag NPs are proficient and reusable nanoadsorbents for effective dye removal from contaminated water.
• This approach offers a sustainable strategy for nanomaterial production and water purification.