Green synthesis of ZnFe2O4@ZnO nanocomposites using Chrysanthemum spp. floral waste for photocatalytic dye degradation

Abstract

The occurrence of textile dyeing wastewater discharged into the environment has been recently increasing, resulting in harmful effects on living organisms and human health. The use of green nanoparticles for water decontamination has received much attention. Floral waste can be extracted with the release of natural compounds, which act as reducing and stabilizing agents during the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. Herein, we report the utilization of Chrysanthemum spp. floral waste extract to synthesize green ZnFe2O4@ZnO (ZFOZx) nanocomposites for the photocatalytic degradation of Congo red under solar light irradiation. The various molar ratio of ZnFe2O4 (0–50%) was incorporated into ZnO nanoparticles. The surface area of green ZFOZx nanocomposites was found to increase (7.41–42.66 m2 g−1) while their band gap energy decreased from 1.98 eV to 1.92 eV. Moreover, the results exhibited the highest Congo red dye degradation efficiency of 94.85% at a concentration of 5.0 mg L−1, and a catalyst dosage of 0.33 g L−1. The •O2− reactive species played a vital role in the photocatalytic degradation of Congo red dye. Green ZFOZ3 nanocomposites had good recyclability with at least three cycles, and an excellent stability. The germination results showed that wastewater treated by ZFOZ3 was safe enough for bean seed germination. We expect that this work contributes significantly to developing novel green bio-based nanomaterials for environmental remediation as well as reducing the harm caused by flower wastes.