Sustainable treatment of glass industry wastewater using biogenic Zinc oxide nanoparticles: Antibacterial and photocatalytic efficacy

The research presents an innovative approach to addressing toxic industrial wastewater pollutants by nano-bioremediation for effective without adverse environmental impacts. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by employing Sesbania grandiflora leaf extract and characterized for their properties. Industrial effluents, particularly from glass industries, often form gelatinous particles that are hard to separate. These nanoparticles remove such gelatinous particles via density-based settlement, enhanced by flocculants. Despite flocculants' susceptibility to removal from treatment tank filters, the nanoparticles effectively convert hazardous compounds, including double-bonded aliphatic compounds, aromatics, azides, imines, nitro, and halogens, into weaker, environmentally benign single-bond aliphatic molecules, with complete degradation of azide, imine, and nitro compounds observed. Tests revealed the nanoparticles' high efficiency under aerobic and anaerobic conditions at pH 7, significantly reducing Total Dissolved Solids up to 70% in wastewater. Leveraging phytochemical richness in plants, biosynthesis offers an affordable, eco-friendly, and time-efficient approach. Hemolytic and MTT assays confirmed the nanoparticle's non-cytotoxicity, emphasizing their potential in wastewater treatment. The nanoparticles exhibited efficient antioxidant, antibacterial, and dye degradation properties, with 92.5% disintegration of crystal violet dye in 4 h and 41.1% in 2 h, showcasing their potent role as bioremediation agents.