River drinking water treatment using green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles from Prosopis Glandulosa: Antibacterial efficiency and MB dye removal study

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 4, 963 - 976, 31.12.2025

Muhammad Aqeel Bhutto Bhutto , Sheeraz Ahmed Khaskheli , Farhatullah Kandhro , Tanzeel Rehman , Siraj Hyder Solangi

https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1551810

Abstract

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via a plant-mediated green synthesis method using aqueous extract from Prosopis glandulosa leaves. The synthesized NPs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and SEM, confirming their nanoscale morphology, polycrystalline structure, and an average size of 73.5 ± 6.7 nm. UV-Vis analysis revealed a maximum absorption peak at 340 nm, indicating a band gap energy of 3.44 eV, which is slightly higher than bulk ZnO due to quantum confinement effects. FTIR spectra exhibited key functional groups from the plant extract stabilizing the NPs. XRD analysis confirmed the hexagonal crystalline structure with peaks closely matching the JCPDS data card 01-079-0205. The ZnO NPs demonstrated remarkable efficiency in methylene blue dye removal, achieving a maximum removal rate of 95.24% at 100 mg/g dosage. Adsorption kinetics revealed pseudo-second-order behavior with an equilibrium capacity of 19.38 mg/g and a rate constant of 0.0289 g/mg/min, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Langmuir isotherm analysis yielded a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 88.5 mg/g, confirming favorable adsorption characteristics. Additionally, antibacterial activity evaluated through the disk diffusion method demonstrated significant inhibition of pathogenic bacteria. These findings highlight the potential of Prosopis glandulosa-synthesized ZnO NPs as an eco-friendly, cost-effective solution for water treatment, offering simultaneous antibacterial properties and efficient dye removal for the purification of Indus River drinking water.

Keywords

Zn.O N.Ps , Prosopis glandulosa , Methylene blue dye , antibacterial , river water treatment , adsorption kinetics and isotherm study

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