Efficient adsorption and antimicrobial application of bio-synthesized porous CeO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

The present research demonstrates the green synthesis of CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) using the Acacia Concinna fruit extract by sol–gel route. The synthesized CeO2 NPs are applied for the adsorptive removal of Reactive Blue (RB) azo dye and antimicrobial activities. The CeO2 NPs are characterized using different techniques e.g. X-ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV–vis Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Raman Spectroscopy, etc. The structural investigations (XRD) reveal the single-phase cubic fluorite-type structure of CeO2 with 22.7 nm of crystallite size. The spectral analysis (FTIR) shows a strong vibration band below 849 cm−1 owing to Ce-O-Ce stretching vibrations. A porous network-like morphology of the CeO2 NPs is observed by SEM, where HR-TEM micrographs reveal that the nanoparticles are roughly spherical in nature. Raman spectroscopy confirms the vibrational mode of the cubic fluorite type structure of CeO2 NPs at 462 cm−1. The maximum loading capacity of CeO2 NPS is 188.67 mg/g. The antibacterial activity of the CeO2 NPs is evaluated against S. pneumoniae and E.coli, which shows 96.17 % and 96.89 % growth inhibition at 20 mg/l.