Photocatalytic Removal of Dyes from Aqueous Medium by Fe, Mn and Fe-Mn Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Cannabis sativa Leaf Extract

Abstract

Current work describes green synthesis of Fe, Mn (monometallic) and Fe-Mn (bimetallic) nanoparticles using Cannabis sativa leaf extract as stabilizing and capping agent. In order to assess the formation of nanoparticles UV/Vis and FTIR analysis was carried out. In addition, Scanning electron microscopy and XRD studies confirmed synthesis as well as morphology of the nanoparticles. All the nanoparticles were found having particle size 20–80 nm and crystallite 3–20 nm. Photocatalytic activity of synthesized nanoparticles has been evaluated by carrying out degradation of two dyes methyl orange (MO) and Congo red (CR) in the presence of nanocatalysts. Degradation of both the dyes was carried out separately using Fe, Mn and Fe-Mn nanoparticles to compare the efficiency of monometallic with bimetallic nanoparticles. Iron and manganese monometallic particles have completely degraded MO in 18 min and 20 min and CR in 24 min and 18 min respectively. However, due to increased synergistic effect Fe-Mn BNPs completely degraded MO dye in just 12 min and CR in 14 min. In nutshell, this work is actually a step towards the synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles using a plant extract with improved synergistic photocatalytic activities which impart various properties to the designed nanomaterial.