GREEN SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING CITRUS MAXIMA PEEL EXTRACT FOR PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF METHYLENE BLUE, AND RHODAMINE B UNDER SUNLIGHT

Abstract

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been extensively studied by using a variety of plant extracts for applications in catalysis, biomedical and biosensors. In this paper, the AgNPs were successfully synthesized via an easy and eco-friendly technique using peel extract of Citrus maxima as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents for the first time. The formation, structure and morphology of biosynthesized AgNPs were characterized using Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the synthesized AgNPs were investigated by degrading the methylene blue (MB), and Rhodamine B (RhB) dye solutions under sunlight in the presence of 10 mg AgNPs photocatalyst within 120 min irradiation. The percentage degradation of MB, and RhB dye solutions was found to be 84.68, and 77.84%, respectively. These results confirmed that the Citrus maxima could be a lowcost, nontoxic and eco-friendly natural resource for the synthesis of AgNPs, which might be useful for efficient adaptable photodegradation of organic dyes in industrial wastewater.