Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles Using Jujube Leaf Extract for Dye Effluent Remediation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles Using Jujube Leaf Extract for Dye Effluent Remediation The invention discloses a dye effluent treatment plant utilizing environmentally friendly nanoparticles synthesized from jujube leaf extract. Iron nanoparticles are produced via a green synthesis process and characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, EDX, and XRD. These nanoparticles demonstrate high catalytic efficiency in decolorizing methylene blue dye, offering an eco-friendly, cost-effective solution for treating industrial dye wastewater. Figure 1

Specification

Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the field of environmental nanotechnology, specifically the synthesis and application of green nanoparticles for treatment plants designed to remediate dye effluent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The area of nanoscale science has seen a sharp increase in popularity in recent years, partly due to its potential applications in a wide range of sectors, including electronics, energy, medical treatment, and space exploration. The field of nanostructures is seeing rapid growth, with nanostructures at the forefront. Numerous physical and chemical procedures may result in the formation of nanoparticles. The possible uses in many fields, including energy, space travel, health, and electronics have led to the increasing popularity of nanotechnology in recent years. particles are leading the way in the rapidly growing area of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles are created by a complex series of chemical and biological reactions.

The discipline of nanotechnology has the daunting task of creating reliable techniques for manufacturing nanoparticles on a large scale that possess uniformity in terms of size, shape, and chemical composition.

Effective techniques for producing nanoparticles include using Photochemical reduction, ultrasonic fields, lithography, laser ablation, ultraviolet light, and aerosol technologies operations. Despite persistent efforts, the use of harmful substances and significant expenses persist in these methods. There is an increasing need for technologies that can produce nanoparticles in an environmentally sustainable manner while also being economically feasible.

METHODS FOR SYNTHESIS
METHOD FOR PHYSICAL METHOD FOR CHEMICAL METHOD FOR BIOLOGICAL
Mechanical techniques Technique for co-precipitation A synthetic method for plant extracts
Deposition of vapour Sol-gel Synthesis of enzymes
Deposition of sputtering Emulsions in microflow Synthesis of agro-industrial waste
Deposition using an electric arc Thermochemical production -
Method Without Beams Producing sonochemically -
Atomic Force Microscopy Synthesis with Microwaves -

Traditional nanoparticle synthesis methods involve chemical and physical processes that can be costly and potentially harmful to the environment due to the use of toxic chemicals. Green synthesis methods using plant extracts have emerged as a viable, eco-friendly alternative, reducing environmental impact. This approach enables the production of nanoparticles with specific size and structural characteristics, desirable for applications in dye effluent treatment due to their high surface-area-to-volume ratios and catalytic properties.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the invention to provide an eco-friendly method for synthesizing iron nanoparticles using jujube leaf extract, which acts as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent.

It is another object of the invention to enable effective decolorization of dye effluent, specifically methylene blue, through the application of synthesized iron nanoparticles.

It is another object of the invention to create a sustainable and economical solution for industrial wastewater treatment that reduces reliance on toxic chemicals and costly processing steps.

It is yet another object of the invention to optimize the dye effluent treatment process by controlling variables such as dye concentration, nanoparticle loading, and contact time to achieve maximum decolorization efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To meet the objects of the invention, it is disclosed here a method for synthesizing iron nanoparticles, comprising steps of: preparing an extract from jujube leaves; mixing the leaf extract with a ferric chloride solution; and stirring the mixture to facilitate nanoparticle formation, as indicated by a color change from brown to black.

Further disclosed here a dye effluent treatment process comprising steps of synthesizing iron nanoparticles; introducing synthesized nanoparticles to a dye effluent solution containing methylene blue; and agitating the solution to facilitate decolorization of the dye.

Furthermore, a dye effluent treatment system that comprises: a mixing chamber where synthesized nanoparticles are introduced to dye-contaminated water; a stirring mechanism for uniform nanoparticle distribution; and an outlet for treated water with significantly reduced dye concentration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Figure 1 illustrates the process of creating nanoparticles using plant extract.
Figure 2 shows the visual depiction of the jujube plant and leaves.
Figure 3 illustrates colour change during nanoparticles synthesis, showing the transition before and after iron nanoparticle formation.
Figure 4 shows the FTIR spectra of jujube leaf extract.
Figure 5 is the FTIR spectra of synthesized iron nanoparticles.
Figure 6 shows the SEM images illustrating nanoparticle size and shape at 100 nm and 40 nanometers.
Figure 7 shows the EDX spectrum of iron nanoparticles.
Figure 8 illustrates the XRD analysis of iron nanoparticles.
Figure 9 illustrates magnification-varying transmission electron micrographs of FeNPs: (a) 5 nm (b) 5 nm, (c) 10 nm, and (d) 20 nm

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention describes an environmentally sustainable method for producing iron nanoparticles using an extract from jujube leaves (Fig.1), which acts as a natural reducer and stabilizer. By mixing the jujube leaf extract with a ferric chloride solution, stable iron nanoparticles with an approximate diameter of 10 to 30 nanometers are formed. These nanoparticles exhibit high catalytic properties suited for the decolorization of methylene blue in dye-laden wastewater. The invention avoids the use of hazardous chemicals, making it a safe, sustainable alternative for large-scale industrial wastewater treatment.

SELECTION OF NANOPARTICLES FOR SYNTHESIS
Nanoparticles are very intriguing because of their exceptional surface-to-volume ratio and minuscule dimensions. Because of these features, their mechanical, biological, steric, thermal, electrical, absorption, melting, and boiling points, as well as their catalytic activity, are very different from larger amounts of the same chemical composition. At the nanoscale, precise manipulation of form and size allows for the creation and manufacturing of materials with innovative uses. There are two distinct methods for producing nanoparticles.

a) Bottom-up method:
This approach utilizes precise deposition or reaction parameters to arrange the atoms and molecules into nanoparticles with specific dimensions and forms. The electronics industry is one area that uses this technology, namely in the manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs), sol-gel materials, and other comparable items.

b) Top-down Method:
This approach employs the inverse process of selectively extracting the atoms and molecules from the larger amount of material to get the desired nanoparticle. We selected iron and silver nanoparticles from plant parts because of their potential effectiveness in cleaning colored wastewater.

NANOPARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION
1) VISUAL OBSERVATIONS
The leaf blades of jujube have a substantial and wide morphology (Fig.2). A significant and noticeable color shift occurred when combining 100 mL of jujube leaf extract with 500 mL of a 1M solution of ferric chloride, turning the solution from a brownish hue to black hue signified the formation of iron nanoparticles (Fig.3). After 24 hours of stirring, no further change in hue was observed. Compared to other ratios, the aforementioned ratio showed a more intense color shift. Therefore, we determined that the most effective proportion of jujube leaf extract to ferric chloride solution to produce iron nanoparticles was 1:5.

Figure 4 is the FTIR spectra of jujube leaf extract. Figure 5 is the FTIR spectra of synthesized iron nanoparticles.

2) ELECTRON MICROSCOPY SCANNING
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) creates distinct signals on solid objects' surfaces by directing a beam of high-energy electrons. The chemical makeup, the initial phase, and the crystalline shape of a sample may be gleaned from signals produced by electron interactions with materials. It is often necessary to gather measurements within the negligible outside area of the item under study, after which an image with two dimensions showcasing the characteristics' variations in various orientations must be created. Often used to take images of minuscule regions, frequently with dimensions of 1 cm to 5 microns in size scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

This approach uses magnification levels of 30,000X to attain a spatial precision of 50-100 nm. The ability to concentrate on certain regions inside a substance is among the advantages of using an electron microscope with scanning (SEM). This approach may provide qualitative or semi-quantitative data for the chemical structure, crystal structure, and crystal orientations of a material. One way to do this is by integrating energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) and electron probe microanalyzers (EPMAs) have similar functionalities and are similar in design. Both the iron and silver nanoparticles were measured using FT-IR spectroscopy after all relevant procedures had been completed. Nicolet 10 technology from Thermo Scientific was used to record the KBr pellet method. Finding the precise biomolecules in the Jujube extract from leaves that served to encapsulate and reduce the size of the nanoparticles was the main goal of our investigation. Figure 6 shows SEM images illustrating nanoparticle size and shape at different magnifications.

3) X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY WITH ENERGY-DISPERSE
Often referred to as EDS, EDX, EDXS, or XEDS, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, is a technique for examining the basic structure or chemical properties of a substance. Alternative terms for this kind of investigation include energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDXMA) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA).

A material and an X-ray source interact to stimulate the process. Spectroscopy relies on the concept that different elements exhibit distinct electromagnetic emission spectra as a result of their atomic structures. The ability of spectroscopy to describe objects is mostly attributed to this particular attribute. Distinctive X-ray emission from a material may be generated using either an X-ray beam or a powerful flow of charged particles, such as protons or electrons (PIXE).

1. The electromagnetic energy or electron beam used to induce the procedure.
2. A device that emits X-rays.
3. The pulse processor
4. The data analyzer

Examining iron nanoparticles with EDX
An EDX investigation was conducted to ascertain the elemental composition of the generated iron nanoparticles. Figure 7 displays the EDX spectra of the iron nanoparticles. Their spectrum study indicated that the majority of their composition consisted of iron, sodium, and chlorine atoms. The existence of salt and carbon might be explained by the biomolecules that function as capping agents found in the jujube leaf extract. According to the data in the table above, the percentage of iron in the final nanoparticles was 36.1%. The existence of iron in the produced nanoparticles was verified by the EDX table and spectra.

Table 1: Quantification of iron nanoparticle mass % using EDX
Element Atomic% Weight%
Fe K 53.02 36.10
NaK 42.94 40.40
Cl K 4.04 23.50
Total 100

Figure 8 depicts the XRD analysis of FeNPs produced during phytosynthesis using Jujube leaf extract. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) assessment verified the precision of the size, shape, and structural representation of the photosynthesized iron nanoparticles (FeNPs). Figures 9 a, b, c, and d show transmissions electron micrographs (TEM) of iron nanoparticles, illustrating their spherical morphology. The TEM imaging revealed that the produced FeNPs exhibited a size distribution ranging from 10 to 30 nm. The FeNPs that were created were in the range size of 20 nm.

Consequently, the synthesis methodology offers advantages compared to traditional methods of synthesizing FeNPs. The resultant stable iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) exhibited mostly square or spherical shapes. The diameters of the particles ranged from 10 to 30 nanometers. The FeNPs synthesized had an average diameter of 20 nm. The FeNPs that were artificially produced were used as catalysts in a cost-effective reduction process using methylene blue dye under normal environmental conditions.

The methylene blue concentration was manipulated by altering the amount of iron nanoparticles, ranging from 0.5 mg to 2.5 mg, throughout time intervals of 30 min to 150 min. The methylene blue concentration underwent a shift, increasing from 5 mg L-1 to 20 mg L-1. The use of 2.0 milligrams of FeNPs at a concentration of 5 milligrams per liter of methylene blue led to an 89.5% efficiency in the breakdown of the dye after 150 minutes.

The findings indicate that FeNPs possess exceptional catalytic properties due to their high surface-to-volume ratio, low toxicity, cheap cost, and innovative approach to treating various dye pollutants. The study presents an innovative approach for producing silver nanoparticles with accurate shapes and sizes. These nanoparticles may effectively recover dye waste generated by many industries, including chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, paint, plastic, paper, and textile production sectors.

A sustainable method for producing iron nanoparticles using Jujube leaf extract is presented here and is not only comprehensible but also highly efficient. Furthermore, the approach not only has the qualities of simplicity, speed, affordability, and environmental safety, but it also obviates the need for organic solvents and other potentially hazardous compounds.
 
, Claims:WE Claim:

1. A method for synthesizing iron nanoparticles, comprising steps of:
preparing an extract from jujube leaves;
mixing the leaf extract with a ferric chloride solution; and
stirring the mixture to facilitate nanoparticle formation, as indicated by a color change from brown to black.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio of jujube leaf extract to ferric chloride solution is 1:5 for optimal nanoparticle yield and stability.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the synthesized iron nanoparticles have a size distribution within the range of 10 to 30 nanometers,

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stirring of the mixture is performed for a period ranging from 12 to 24 hours to complete the reduction reaction and nanoparticle stabilization.

5. A dye effluent treatment process comprising steps of:
synthesizing iron nanoparticles as claimed in claim 1;
introducing synthesized nanoparticles to a dye effluent solution containing methylene blue; and
agitating the solution to facilitate decolorization of the dye.
6. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the concentration of iron nanoparticles is adjusted between 0.5 mg to 2.5 mg to optimize dye decolorization efficiency.

7. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the contact time for treatment is between 30 to 150 minutes to achieve effective decolorization.

8. A dye effluent treatment system that comprises:
a mixing chamber where synthesized nanoparticles as claimed in claim 1 are introduced to dye-contaminated water;
a stirring mechanism for uniform nanoparticle distribution; and
an outlet for treated water with significantly reduced dye concentration.

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