Harnessing the potency of eco-friendly calcium oxide derived from eggshells for enhanced photocatalytic activity and biocompatibility evaluation in HepG2 cell line

Abstract

Efforts towards sustainable development and pollution prevention are driving the exploration of bio-Calcium oxide (CaO) production from eggshell waste. This work investigates the thermal conversion of eggshell derived CaCO3 into CaO. Powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm CaO composition, displaying a cubic structure with 2.405 Å bond length and a mid-bond electron density of 0.2298 e/ų. Electron density studies corroborate this, revealing a three-dimensional distribution and one-dimensional profile. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms spherical CaO particles and EDAX spectra displays the presence of calcium and oxygen. UV absorption spectra reveal a 3.3 eV energy bandgap, showcasing CaO's photocatalytic potential. It demonstrates exceptional photocatalytic against congo red and methylene blue dyes, degrading them by 96.4 % and 98 %, respectively, via pseudo first-order kinetics. Additionally, CaO demonstrates promising anticancer activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 31.2 μg/mL, positioning it as a cost-effective and potent agent for both wastewater treatment and cancer therapy.

Keywords

• Calcium oxide
• Eggshell waste
• Photocatalysis
• Anticancer activity
• Sustainable development