Fabrication of Highly Efficient Bi2Sn2O7/C3N4 Composite with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Organic Pollutants

Facile Construction of Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 Heterojunction with Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Norfloxacin

To mitigate antibiotic residues in the water environment, Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 (BSCN) heterojunction was fabricated by a facile ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method. The microstructure, morphology, and optical properties of Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 heterojunction was studied by XRD, FTIR, XPS, SEM, TEM, UV–Vis DRS, and PL. The degradation rate of 20 mg/L norfloxacin (NOR) under visible light for 3 h was adopted as one of the indexes to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 heterojunction. Embellished with 20% Bi2Sn2O7 (BSO), the Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 heterojunction decomposed 94% NOR in the experimental solution, which was 2.35 and 3.03 times as much as pristine g-C3N4 and bare Bi2Sn2O7, respectively. In addition, the Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 heterojunction still eliminated 89% of NOR after five cycles, portending outstanding stability and cyclability of photocatalytic activity. A possible photocatalytic mechanism of Bi2Sn2O7/g-C3N4 heterojunction for NOR degradation is proposed.

Bio-Synthesized Tin Oxide Nanoparticles: Structural, Optical, and Biological Studies

This research was planned to synthesize a biological potent nanomaterials via an eco-friendly process to combat the diseases causing bacteria and the free radicals generated inside the body. For this purpose, a green synthesis process was employed to prepare SnO2 nanoparticles by utilizing leaf extract of Populus ciliate, and they were characterized via different physico-chemical techniques. The crystallite size of SnO2 nanoparticles was found to be 58.5 nm. The calculated band gap energy of SnO2 nanoparticles was 3.36 eV. The SnO2 nanoparticles showed 38, 49, 57, and 72% antioxidant activity at concentrations of 100, 200, 300, and 400 L with 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonicacid) (ABTS) assays. The antibacterial effects of prepared SnO2 nanoparticles were studied using the agar well diffusion method against Gram-positive bacteria (S. pyogene and S. aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (K. pneumoniae and E. coli). Both the antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity were seen to increase with increasing the concentration of the nanoparticles.

Investigation of the Biological Applications of Biosynthesized Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles Mediated by Buxus wallichiana Extract

The preparation of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) was carried out using an environmentally friendly and novel green synthetic strategy that included the use of Buxus wallichiana leaf extract as a reducing agent. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques were used to characterize the resulting NiO NPs. At various concentrations, NiO NPs were tested for their percentage scavenging activity against the ABTS (2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free radical, with an IC50 value of 234.84 g/L. Furthermore, the bactericidal activity of NiO NPs was studied by the agar well diffusion method against two Gram-positive bacterial strains (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) and two Gram-negative bacterial strains (E. coli and K. pneumoniae).