Green biosynthesized N-doped CuO@Zeolite nanocomposite for the efficient photodegradation of toxic organic pollutants from wastewater

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Nanotechnology is one of the most advanced methods available for the degradation of toxic pollutants from the environment. Specifically, nanoparticles generated with plant extracts are more stable and biocompatible than those produced using traditional chemical and physical processes. The current study focuses on the green synthesis of N-CuO@Zeolite nanocomposite with Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract. The green synthesized nanocomposite was used for the photocatalytic degradation of hazardous organic pollutants, including Auramine-O (AO) and yellow color textile industrial dye (YD). Under direct sunlight irradiation, synthesized nanomaterials exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for AO and YD degradation. The best conditions for photocatalytic degradation were found to be pollutant concentrations of 2 mg L−1 for AO and 6 mg L−1 for YD, photocatalyst dosages of 15 mg for both AO and YD, and neutral pH for both pollutants. Within 150 minutes, the synthesized N-CuO@zeolite nanocomposite attained degradation efficiencies of 95 % for AO and 92 % for YD, compared to its parent materials N-CuO (80 % for AO and 76 % for YD) and CuO (68 % for AO and 65 % for YD). The degradation rates of both pollutants were accurately described by first-order kinetics, consistent with the Langmuir adsorption model. Additionally, the ecologically sustainable novel N-CuO@Zeolite nanocomposite illustrated superior reliability and reusability, keeping photocatalytic efficiency even after ten cycles of constant utilization, and its long-term stability was confirmed by PXRD analysis after processing. The material's excellent reusability and stability emphasize the nanocomposite's potential as a long-term solution for industrial wastewater treatment applications.