Eco-friendly synthesis of nano ferrites for effective dye degradation and enhanced antimicrobial protection

This study investigates the synthesis of cobalt and nickel ferrite NPs using Araucaria heterophylla resin as a bio- template and nitrate salts of cobalt, nickel, and iron as precursors.The resulting spinel systems exhibit efficient degradation of organic dyes, including methylene blue and rhodamine-B, and demonstrate excellent reusability. The NPs antibacterial efficacy against pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella paratyphi, was also evaluated. Comprehensive characterization of the nanomaterials was performed using FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, and VSM techniques. Magnetic measurements revealed the ferromagnetic nature of cobalt ferrites and the superparamagnetic nature of nickel ferrites, with reduced saturation magnetization and coercivity compared to bulk materials due to the quantum size effect. The nano-formulated ferrites exhibited superior antibacterial activity, highlighting their potential for water treatment applications. This study underscores the importance of removing dye contaminants from wastewater before discharge into aquatic ecosystems.