Improved electrochemical and photocatalytic activity of datura leaf extract mediate ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of synthetic organic dyes
6 affiliations
- 1Institute of Chemistry, Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs Sindh Pakistan
- 2Centre for Environmental Sciences, University of Sindh Jamshoro 76080 Sindh Pakistan
- 3College of Humanities and Sciences, Department of Mathematics and Sciences, Ajman University P.O. Box 346 Ajman United Arab Emirates
- 4Biomolecular Science, Earth and Life Science, Amsterdam University 1081 HV Amsterdam Netherlands
- 5Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University Riyadh 11451 Saudi Arabia
- 6Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh Jamshoro 76080 Pakistan
Abstract
In photocatalytic and electrochemical applications, it is highly desirable to develop environmentally friendly and scalable methods for synthesizing semiconductor nanoparticles. In this study, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a green, datura leaf extract by using hydrothermal method. A series of samples were prepared via using varying extract volumes of 2 mL (sample 1), 4 mL (sample 2), 6 mL (sample 3), and 8 mL (sample 4) of datura leaf extract. Structural characterization using SEM, PXRD, FTIR, and EDS confirmed the formation of uniform ZnO nanoparticles with a hexagonal wurtzite phase and dominant Zn–O bonding, with Zn and O as the principal elements. UV-visible spectroscopy revealed a progressive decrease in the optical band gap with increasing datura extract concentration, indicating improved visible-light absorption. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated for the degradation of malachite green (MG) and (MB) under natural sunlight. The sample 4 of ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior activity, achieving 99.8% degradation of 3.8 × 10−5 M MG at pH 12 after using 15 mg catalyst. While the 98.3% degradation of MB in 2.81 × 10−5 M was observed for the sample 4. Systematic investigation of operational parameters, including catalyst dosage, dye concentration, and solution pH, confirmed their significant influence on degradation efficiency. Reactive species trapping experiments indicated that e−, h+, and ˙OH radicals play dominant roles in the photocatalytic process. Furthermore, sample 4 of ZnO demonstrated excellent reusability, maintaining high degradation efficiency over multiple cycles, highlighting its stability and practical applicability for wastewater treatment. The sample 4 of ZnO was seen highly active for the electrochemical detection of MB in 0.1 M NaOH and observed performance was witnessed through the detection range of 0.005 mM to 4 mM and a low limit of detection (LOD) was found to be about 0.0005 mM. The enhanced photocatalytic and electrochemical performance were attributed to the surface modification, band gap tuning, and improved charge carrier dynamics of ZnO. This study establishes a cost-effective and sustainable platform for designing high-performance ZnO-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation applications.
Related
- Marine Macroalga-Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Ulva reticulata for Sunlight-Assisted Photocatalytic Degradation of Synthetic Dyes
- Comparative analysis of ZnO, MgO and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl red: An experimental and COMSOL-based study
- Green synthesis of SnO2 nanoparticles using Brassica oleracea leaf extract for dual-functional photocatalytic degradation of Malachite Green and adsorptive removal of Pb(II) and Cr(VI)
- Photocatalytic performance and surface characterization of plant-mediated ZnO nanoparticles for methylene blue degradation
- Evaluation of the Photocatalytic Efficiency of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Chemistry in the Degradation of Methyl Orange
BibTeX
@article{khan2026improved,
title = {{Improved electrochemical and photocatalytic activity of datura leaf extract mediate ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of synthetic organic dyes}},
author = {Aslam Khan and Aneela Tahira and Khalida Parveen Mahar and Muhammad Ali Bhatti and Elmuez Dawi and Lama Saleem and Riyadh H. Alshamari and Zafar Hussain Ibupoto and Ayman Nafady},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra07680g},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662650},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Improved electrochemical and photocatalytic activity of datura leaf extract mediate ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of synthetic organic dyes
AU - Aslam Khan
AU - Aneela Tahira
AU - Khalida Parveen Mahar
AU - Muhammad Ali Bhatti
AU - Elmuez Dawi
AU - Lama Saleem
AU - Riyadh H. Alshamari
AU - Zafar Hussain Ibupoto
AU - Ayman Nafady
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra07680g
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662650
AB - In photocatalytic and electrochemical applications, it is highly desirable to develop environmentally friendly and scalable methods for synthesizing semiconductor nanoparticles. In this study, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a green, datura leaf extract by using hydrothermal method. A series of samples were prepared via using varying extract volumes of 2 mL (sample 1), 4 mL (sample 2), 6 mL (sample 3), and 8 mL (sample 4) of datura leaf extract. Structural characterization using SEM, PXRD, FTIR, and EDS confirmed the formation of uniform ZnO nanoparticles with a hexagonal wurtzite phase and dominant Zn–O bonding, with Zn and O as the principal elements. UV-visible spectroscopy revealed a progressive decrease in the optical band gap with increasing datura extract concentration, indicating improved visible-light absorption. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated for the degradation of malachite green (MG) and (MB) under natural sunlight. The sample 4 of ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior activity, achieving 99.8% degradation of 3.8 × 10−5 M MG at pH 12 after using 15 mg catalyst. While the 98.3% degradation of MB in 2.81 × 10−5 M was observed for the sample 4. Systematic investigation of operational parameters, including catalyst dosage, dye concentration, and solution pH, confirmed their significant influence on degradation efficiency. Reactive species trapping experiments indicated that e−, h+, and ˙OH radicals play dominant roles in the photocatalytic process. Furthermore, sample 4 of ZnO demonstrated excellent reusability, maintaining high degradation efficiency over multiple cycles, highlighting its stability and practical applicability for wastewater treatment. The sample 4 of ZnO was seen highly active for the electrochemical detection of MB in 0.1 M NaOH and observed performance was witnessed through the detection range of 0.005 mM to 4 mM and a low limit of detection (LOD) was found to be about 0.0005 mM. The enhanced photocatalytic and electrochemical performance were attributed to the surface modification, band gap tuning, and improved charge carrier dynamics of ZnO. This study establishes a cost-effective and sustainable platform for designing high-performance ZnO-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation applications.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -