Green-Synthesized SnO2 Derived From Kombucha Tea and Assessment of Its Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Procion Red MX-5B

Abstract

This study introduces a green synthesis approach for producing tin dioxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles (NPs) using Kombucha tea and evaluates their photocatalytic effectiveness in degrading the Procion Red MX-5B (PR) dye. Characterization techniques, including UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, and TEM, confirmed the successful synthesis of SnO₂ NPs with appropriate optical and structural properties. For instance; the absorption peak at 526 cm⁻¹ in FT-IR diagram is attributed to Sn–O which indicates the successful synthesis of SnO₂. Photocatalytic tests under optimized conditions showed a notable degradation efficiency of PR dye, with the highest observed degradation efficiency reaching 97.60% at a catalyst loading of 30 mg, pH 6, in 90 min. A kinetic study was performed and the PR degradation followed first-order reaction kinetics. For this process, the reaction kinetic rate constants were found to be 0.0589, 0.078, 0.1367, and 0.1389 min⁻¹ for 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C, respectively. Moreover, the activation energy for the degradation process was calculated to be 25.75 kJ/mol, indicating a chemisorption mechanism. The reusability of SnO₂ NPs was tested and after five subsequent usages, it still showed high degradation efficiency (95.7%). These results demonstrate the potential of Kombucha-derived SnO₂ nanoparticles as an efficient, low-cost, reusable, and environmentally friendly photocatalyst for wastewater treatment applications.