Synthesizing Ag2Ox(3 wt%)-loaded ZnFe2O4 photocatalysts for efficiently saving polluted aquatic ecosystems

Duraisamy Elango; Velu Manikandan; Jeyakumar Saranya Packialakshmi; Ashraf Atef Hatamleh; Bassam Khalid Alnafisi; Xinghui Liu; Fuchun Zhang; Palaniyappan Jayanthi

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136983

Synthesizing Ag₂O_x(3 wt%)-loaded ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalysts for efficiently saving polluted aquatic ecosystems

Chemosphere. 2023 Jan;311(Pt 2):136983. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136983. Epub 2022 Oct 25.

Authors

Duraisamy Elango¹, Velu Manikandan², Jeyakumar Saranya Packialakshmi³, Ashraf Atef Hatamleh⁴, Bassam Khalid Alnafisi⁴, Xinghui Liu⁵, Fuchun Zhang⁶, Palaniyappan Jayanthi⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China; Department of Environmental Science, Periyar University, Salem, 636011, Tamil Nadu, India.
² School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China; Department of Food Science and Technology, Seoul Women's University, 621 Hwarangno, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600 077, India.
³ Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University (KHU), 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
⁴ Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China; Department of Materials Physics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMTS), Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, Tamilnadu, India. Electronic address: liuxinghui@yau.edu.cn.
⁶ School of Physics and Electronic Information, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China. Electronic address: yadxzfc@yau.edu.cn.
⁷ Department of Environmental Science, Periyar University, Salem, 636011, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: jayanthievs@gmail.com.

PMID: 36306962
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136983

Abstract

Herein, we report an Ag₂O_x (3 wt%)-loaded ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalysts synthesized by co-precipitation and incipient wet impregnation approach for acetamiprid degradation, antibacterial, antioxidant, and toxicity assay. Initially, bare ZnFe₂O₄ nanostructures were made through a simple co-precipitation method. In the second step, 3 wt% of various transition metal oxides (CuO_x, ZrO_x, and Ag₂O_x) were embedded on the surface of ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalysts via a wet impregnation method. Further, the prepared photocatalysts were systematically characterized using XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, BET, HRTEM, and XPS analysis. The optimum Ag₂O_x (3 wt%)-loaded ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalysts revealed higher degradation efficiencies for acetamiprid under sunlight irradiation. Additionally, the Ag₂O_x (3 wt%)-loaded ZnFe₂O₄ photocatalysts showed more effective antioxidant and antibacterial activity than blank and bare ZnFe₂O₄ nanomaterials. The enriched catalytic efficiency can be accredited to the 3 wt% of Ag₂O_x NPs loaded on ZnFe₂O₄ nanomaterials, possibly due to the boosted transport properties of the electron-hole pairs. This study will provide a new avenue for the development of simple and effective photocatalysts for efficiently saving polluted aquatic ecosystems.

Keywords: Acetamiprid degradation; Ag(2)O(x)(3 wt%)-loaded ZnFe(2)O(4) photocatalysts; Antibacterial activity; Antioxidant; Co-precipitation method.