Extract of Water Hyacinth used in the Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Organophosphate and Organochlorine Pesticides

Abstract

Water hyacinth, commonly known as Eichhornia crassipes, is a deadly aquatic weed known for causing environmental hazards, which include blocking river waters and canals and clogging irrigation and hydropower systems chemically. It also reduces the bio-oxygen demand (BOD) of the aquatic in the river, which tends to make the river unfriendly to the animals around it. Thus, many countries are trying their best for the removal of this weed using various methods. Green synthesis is an excellent tool utilised in the synthesis process of AgNPs. Water pollution and environmental pollution caused by organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides have threatened living organisms, animals, and humans; hence, there is a need to synthesise multifunctional materials that can be used to degrade various pollutants. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of biosynthesised Silver and Iron nanoparticles for catalytic degradation of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides. The sample was collected in Hayin Gada Mubi Road Girei Local Government area of Adamawa State with latitude 90 171 1611 N and Longitude 120 261 4811 East. Silver and Iron Nanoparticles were synthesised using Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth extract) and characterised using XRD, SEM, TEM, and SEM.EDX, UV-Spectrophotometer and FTIR. SEM/EDX, TEM, XRD, FTIR confirmed the formation of Silver and Iron Nano particles. UV-Spectrophotometer gave optical information whereby an excitation at 410 nm for silver and Iron 358 nm. Research on the photocatalytic degradation rate of Organochlorine and Organophosphate using varied concentrations of 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25 for AgNPs in the photocatalysis process was the primary goal of the present study. The influence of the main operating parameters such as photocatalyst concentration, Pesticide concentration, pH and effect of time. The result revealed that AgNPs have high and significant photocatalytic efficiency in organophosphate, and organochlorine has less degradation activity. In conclusion, the research aimed to achieve AgNPs have higher activity against organophosphate (Sniper) than Organochlorine (DDT).

Keywords

• synthesis
• agnps silver nanoparticle
• organochlorine
• organophosphate and photocatalytic degradation