Green Synthesis of Magnetite Nanoparticles Using Waste Natural Materials and Its Application for Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

In this study, a simple, environment-friendly, and cost-effective method is developed to synthesize metallic nanoparticles (NPs) from natural waste residues, such as onion, potato, tea, and moringa, and the effect of extract residues on efficiency, yield, size, shape, and morphology of the magnetite nanoparticle is discussed. The synthesized nanoparticle was characterized by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). The promising applications of nanotechnology are their efficiency in wastewater treatment, including the removal of chemical and physical parameters. The study proposes that magnetite NPs can be synthesized using onion, potato, tea, and moringa residues’ extract as the reducing agent. The results of the XRD pattern confirmed the synthesized magnetite NPs using onion, potato, tea, and moringa as the crystalline phase of α-Fe2O3. EDX spectroscopy showed the presence of elemental iron and oxygen, indicating that the nanoparticles were essentially present in oxide form. UV absorption in the range of 190–340 nm confirmed the formation of Fe/NP, and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) indicated the formation of iron oxide crystalline NPs in which reducing and capping agents, such as flavones, and the intensity of the absorption peak in the FT-IR spectrum depends on the type of extract. The synthesized Fe/NPs were tested for treatment of wastewater under different conditions such as contact time (0–60) min and dose (0.1–0.5) g; the results indicate that magnetite NPs of moringa and onion are more effective in degradation and adsorption processes at optimum dose (0.4 g, and time 45 min).

Keywords

• green method
• iron oxide nanoparticle
• extract natural materials
• scanning electron microscopic
• energy dispersive spectroscopy