Green Synthesis of Metal Oxide Nanomaterials and Photocatalytic Degradation of Toxic Dyes

Abstract

In the recent years, nanomaterials are widely used in various fields, such as environmental remediation processes, energy production, industries, and medicines, but the synthesis of nanomaterials using the conventional chemical methods has various adverse effects such as high energy consumption, environmental pollution, and health problems. To address these challenges, green synthetic methods can be applied in which plant extracts are used rather than the toxic chemical substances. Compared to the traditional chemical methods, green synthesis is more beneficial as it is environment-friendly, cost-effective, and biologically safe. In this review, we have discussed about the adverse effect of chemical synthetic methods on the environment. To protect the environment from the harsh chemicals, green synthetic methods can be applied for the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles. Here, we have mainly emphasized on the green synthesis of some metal oxide nanoparticles such as SnO2, ZnO, and CuO. In this procedure, extracts of various plant parts (such as fruits, leaf, root), microbes, and ionic liquids can be used as precursors. These “green” metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit high biocompatibility and low toxicity, which enables them for their wide applications in various fields such as environmental remediation processes and removal of various organic pollutants. This chapter also discussed the applications of green synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles in the photocatalytic degradation of various toxic dyes from water bodies. In the end, we have also discussed about the future perspective of green synthetic methods and photocatalytic applications of metal oxide nanoparticles.KeywordsGreen synthesisSnO2ZnOCuOPhotocatalysisDyes