Improved Photocatalytic and Antioxidant Activity of Olive Fruit Extract-Mediated ZnO Nanoparticles

• Published in: Antioxidants Vol. 12; no. 6; p. 1201
• Main Authors: Ghaffar, Sadia, Abbas, Azhar, Naeem-Ul-Hassan, Muhammad, Assad, Nasir, Sher, Muhammad, Ullah, Sami, Alhazmi, Hassan A, Najmi, Asim, Zoghebi, Khalid, Al Bratty, Mohammed, Hanbashi, Ali, Makeen, Hafiz A, Amin, Hatem M A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-06-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: antioxidant activity; Antioxidants; Catalysts; Dyes; Free radicals; Fruits; green synthesis; methyl orange; Methylene blue; Nanoparticles; Oxidation; Photodegradation; Photovoltaic cells; Purification; Quantum dots; Scanning electron microscopy; Sewage; Wastewater; Wastewater treatment; Zinc oxide; Japan; methylene blue; photodegradation; green synthesis; methyl orange; photocatalyst; antioxidant activity; zinc oxide
• ISSN: 2076-3921; 2076-3921
• DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061201

Photodegradation is an efficient strategy for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater. Due to their distinct properties and extensive applications, semiconductor nanoparticles have emerged as promising photocatalysts. In this work, olive (
) fruit extract-based zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO@OFE NPs) were successfully biosynthesized using a one-pot sustainable method. The prepared ZnO NPs were systematically characterized using UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, EDX and XRD and their photocatalytic and antioxidant activity was evaluated. SEM demonstrated the formation of spheroidal nanostructures (57 nm) of ZnO@OFE and the EDX analysis confirmed its composition. FTIR suggested the modification/capping of the NPs with functional groups of phytochemicals from the extract. The sharp XRD reflections revealed the crystalline nature of the pure ZnO NPs with the most stable hexagonal wurtzite phase. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized catalysts was evaluated by measuring the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dyes under sunlight irradiation. Improved degradation efficiencies of 75% and 87% were achieved within only 180 min with photodegradation rate constant
of 0.008 and 0.013 min
for MB and MO, respectively. The mechanism of degradation was proposed. Additionally, ZnO@OFE NPs exhibited potent antioxidant activity against DPPH, hydroxyl, peroxide and superoxide radicals. Hence, ZnO@OFE NPs may have potential as a cost-effective and green photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.