Evaluation of chitosan/diosgenin-infused manganese dioxide nanocomposite for highly effective photocatalytic and antibacterial activity.

The efficacy of the nanocomposite of manganese dioxide and diosgenin-incorporated chitosan (MnO₂/Dio@CS) was assessed by studying the photodegradation of two organic dyes, Acid Green (AG) and Malachite Green Oxalate (MGO), under visible light irradiation. The synthesized MnO₂/Dio@CS nanocomposites were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectroscopy. The MnO₂/Dio@CS nanocomposites exhibited exceptional photocatalytic efficacy, prolonged durability, and quick degradation of the dye solution to 87.55 % (AG) and 85.47 % (MGO) within a mere 60 min. The degrading effectiveness of the MnO₂/Dio@CS nanocomposites was much greater when compared to pure MnO₂ nanoparticles. It demonstrates remarkable efficacy in decomposing the AG and MGO dyes. This research evaluated and revealed the antibacterial efficacy of the MnO₂/Dio@CS nanocomposite against Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The nanocomposite exhibited significant antibacterial activity, as evidenced by its ability to effectively inhibit bacterial growth and form distinct zones of inhibition. This suggests that the MnO₂/Dio@CS nanocomposite could serve as a dual-functional material with both photocatalytic and antibacterial properties, making it a promising candidate for environmental and wastewater treatment applications.