A comprehensive study on silica nanoparticles: Green synthesis and photodegradation of organic dyes

Abstract

Synthetic dyes have the potential to negatively affect aquatic ecosystems by lowering oxygen levels, interfering with photosynthesis, and decreasing sunlight penetration, all of which are hazardous for aquatic life. Many kinds of nanoparticles, including metal oxides, metal organic frameworks, silver and gold nanoparticles, are used to break down dye, but they still have certain drawbacks, including accumulation, stability issues, expense, and harmful chemical waste. Therefore, among the several kinds of green sources, green synthesis of silica nanoparticles is a novel and environmentally benign technique that has attracted a lot of interest due to its potential for environmental remediation, especially in the degradation of dyes. High surface area and porosity, two distinctive features of the produced silica nanoparticles, increase their catalytic activity in the degradation of dyes. Green synthesis of SNPs from different sources by following various methods along with their structure, particle size, surface area, and purity has been reported by multiple studies. The excellent photodegradation capabilities of SNPs and their composites under different light sources (such as sunlight, LED lamp, xenon lamp, and mercury lamp), along with the reaction time, reaction kinetics, and pH condition, have been documented by multiple studies. This thorough study aims to support researchers with a better understanding of this cost-effective, simple, and eco-friendly research area and to follow this to synthesize SNPs for future studies.