Sustainable Bio-Fabrication of Chromium (III) Oxide Nanoparticles for Efficient Removal of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid: A Response Surface Optimization Approach

The pesticide 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) is recognized as a formidable organic contaminant due to its carcinogenic and toxic behavior. Due to its high solubility and resilience in both chemical and biological environments, it is tough to remove from its aqueous solution. The goal of the present investigation is to evaluate the breakdown of the 2, 4-D herbicide in aqueous solution by employing a nano photocatalyst. For this purpose, 2, 4-D underwent degradation utilizing the bio-fabricated chromium oxide nanoparticles (Cr₂O₃ NPs). In the bio-fabrication of Cr₂O₃ NPs Raphunus sativus leaf extract is used as the green source. The study also evaluated the impacts of various operational parameters, that is, catalyst dose (g/L), pollutant concentration (ppm), and pH on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the photocatalyst. The result of this investigation clearly established that the bio-fabricated Cr₂O₃ NPs efficiently remove the pollutants from the aqueous solution. Under optimized conditions (catalyst dose: 2 g/L, pesticide concentration: 15 mg/L, and pH: 4), 73% of 2, 4-D degraded within 90 min.