Abstract
The present study is the first attempt to utilize the root extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra as a novel biological route for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3NPs) under optimized conditions. The process variables namely concentration of ferric chloride, root extract of G. glabra and temperature were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to obtain high yield. Phytochemicals mediated the reduction process and served as capping and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized Fe2O3NPs characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy exhibited a prominent peak at 350 nm. The crystallinity and valence state of Fe2O3NPs was confirmed by XRD and XPS. The surface functionalization of the nanoparticles was confirmed from the presence of functional groups in the FT-IR spectrum. The FESEM analysis revealed the biosynthesized Fe2O3NPs are irregular and the EDX spectrum recorded the presence of iron and oxygen in the synthesized nanoparticles. The biosynthesized Fe2O3NPs exhibited an appreciable photocatalytic activity against methylene blue under sunlight with a maximum decolorisation efficiency of 92% within 180 min of reaction time. The experimental data of adsorption studies well fitted with Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model. The thermodynamic study proved to be spontaneous, feasible and endothermic in nature. The phytotoxicity study revealed 92% germination and increased seedling growth in the green gram seeds exposed to Fe2O3NPs. Hence the study established the efficiency of biosynthesized of Fe2O3NPs in photocatalytic and phytotoxic activities.
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The authors are sincerely thankful to the Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, for providing research facilities.
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Gunaseelan Vivekananth Geethamala—Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Original draft.
Mani Poonkothai—Conceptualization, Supervision and Validation.
Ammapettai Varanavasu Swathilakshmi—Software, Formal analysis and Data curation.
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Geethamala, G.V., Poonkothai, M. & Swathilakshmi, A.V. Assessment on the photocatalytic and phytotoxic activities using ecobenevolently synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles from the root extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 117022–117036 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27551-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27551-8