Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye using newly synthesized zirconia nanoparticles

Ramesh Vinayagam; Bhawesh Singhania; Gokulakrishnan Murugesan; P Senthil Kumar; Ruchi Bhole; Manoj Kumar Narasimhan; Thivaharan Varadavenkatesan; Raja Selvaraj

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113785

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye using newly synthesized zirconia nanoparticles

Environ Res. 2022 Nov;214(Pt 1):113785. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113785. Epub 2022 Jul 3.

Authors

Ramesh Vinayagam¹, Bhawesh Singhania¹, Gokulakrishnan Murugesan², P Senthil Kumar³, Ruchi Bhole¹, Manoj Kumar Narasimhan⁴, Thivaharan Varadavenkatesan⁵, Raja Selvaraj⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India.
² Department of Biotechnology, M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, 560054, Karnataka, India.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; Centre of Excellence in Water Research (CEWAR), Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Chennai, 603110, India; Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, India.
⁴ Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Bioengineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Potheri, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁵ Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India.
⁶ Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: raja.s@manipal.edu.

PMID: 35793722
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113785

Abstract

Zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO₂NPs) were prepared using the leaf extract of Muntingia calabura as a reductant. The absorption peak at 232 nm confirmed the signature peak for ZrO₂NPs with band energy at 5.07 eV. The ZrO₂NPs were tetragonal and highly crystalline, possessing a mean diameter of 14.83 nm as confirmed by XRD studies. The lattice constants (a = 0.362 nm and c = 0.511 nm) were consistent with the literature. Spherical nanoaggregates (29.25 nm) were seen in FESEM image and the specific signals for Zr and O were noticed in EDS image. The tetragonal phase of the ZrO₂NPs were further confirmed from the XPS and Raman studies. PL spectrum had a sharp emission at 493 nm. The FTIR spectrum revealed the presence of various functional groups. ZrO₂NPs were thermally stable with 5.76% total weight loss - as revealed from TGA profile. The photocatalytic breakdown of methylene blue (MB) dye under the influence of solar irradiation was performed using ZrO₂NPs which exhibited 89.11% degradation within 5 h. Hence, the synthesized ZrO₂NPs can be used as an alternate potential photocatalyst for the degradation of various dyes present in waste streams.

Keywords: Green synthesis; Methylene blue dye; Muntingia calabura; Photocatalysis; Zirconium oxide nanoparticles.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Catalysis
Coloring Agents
Methylene Blue*
Nanoparticles*
Zirconium

Substances

Coloring Agents
Zirconium
zirconium oxide
Methylene Blue