Chenopodium exsuccum plant extract for green zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesis: Photocatalytic titan yellow degradation and antioxidant and antibacterial properties

Abstract

Cow dung was used as fuel in the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles via a one-pot combustion method, emphasizing simplicity and environmental friendliness. The synthesized nanoparticles underwent thorough characterization using XRD, FTIR, XPS, UV, EDX and TEM techniques. To evaluate their photocatalytic effectiveness, Titan yellow (TY) dye was chosen as a model pollutant. The study systematically investigated the photocatalytic efficiency and degradation kinetics of the ZnO nanoparticles. Under sunlight, the nanoparticles exhibited significant removal efficiencies, achieving 69 % degradation of TY. A plausible photocatalytic mechanism for these outcomes was also proposed. Overall, the environmentally friendly synthesis of the target photocatalyst demonstrates promising potential for applications in wastewater treatment and other ecological contexts. ZnO NPs derived from Chenopodium exsuccum shown remarkable antibacterial efficacy against a range of pathogens, including Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus) and Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli). Furthermore, the nanoparticles demonstrated noteworthy antioxidant efficacy through the removal of 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. This demonstrates their potential utility in preventing damage caused by oxidative stress and various diseases related to stress.