Assessing the Plant Phytoremediation Efficacy for Azolla filiculoides in the Treatment of Textile Effluent and Redemption of Congo Red Dye onto Azolla Biomass

Facile synthesis of iron nanoparticles from Camellia Sinensis leaves catalysed for biodiesel synthesis from Azolla filiculoides

Recent years have seen an increase in research on biodiesel, an environmentally benign and renewable fuel alternative for traditional fossil fuels. Biodiesel might become more cost-effective and competitive with diesel if a solid heterogeneous catalyst is used in its production. One way to make biodiesel more affordable and competitive with diesel is to employ a solid heterogeneous catalyst in its manufacturing. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the researchers in this study proved their hypothesis that iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles were generated during the green synthesis of iron-based nanoparticles (FeNPs) from Camellia Sinensis leaves. The fabrication of spherical iron nanoparticles was successfully confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As a heterogeneous catalyst, the synthesised catalyst has shown potential in facilitating the conversion of algae oil into biodiesel. With the optimal parameters (0.5 weight percent catalytic load, 1:6 oil-methanol ratio, 60 °C reaction temperature, and 1 h and 30 min reaction duration), a 93.33% yield was attained. This may be due to its acid-base property, chemical stability, stronger metal support interaction. Furthermore, the catalyst was employed for transesterification reactions five times after regeneration with n-hexane washing followed by calcination at 650 °C for 3 h.

One-Step Fabrication of Amino-Functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2 Core-Shell Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Potential Novel Platform for Removal of Cadmium (II) from Aqueous Solution

Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2 core-shell magnetic nanoparticles were developed by a rapid one-step precipitation route followed by reverse microemulsion and amine functionalization. In this study, an Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2 nanoparticle was used to evaluate its adsorption efficiency for the treatment of a synthetic solution of Cd(II) ion. The structural and physicochemical properties of Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2 nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, SEM-EDAX, TEM, FTIR and TGA. From the TEM analysis, the morphology of Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2 was found as 100–300 nm. In TGA, the first weight loss was noticed between 373 and 573 K, the second was between 673 and 773 K and the final weight loss took place above 773 K. Batch experimental tests, such as pH, dosage of Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2, Cd(II) ion concentration, temperature as well as interaction time, were conducted and evaluated. Experimental study data were used for the non-linear forms exhibited by isotherms and kinetics of the sorption procedure. The equilibrium adsorption observations were adequately combined with pseudo-first-order kinetics as well as Freundlich isotherm. Monolayer maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 40.02 mg/g, recorded at pH 6 with an interaction time of 30 min, temperature of 303 K and sorbent dose of 2.0 g/L. The thermodynamic study indicated that the adsorption process was an exothermic, spontaneous reaction (−∆oo = −15.46–7.81 (kJ/mol)). The as-synthesized sorbent had excellent recyclability, and its adsorption efficiency was maintained after five cycles of reuse. The findings of the study exhibited the magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2-nanoparticle as an alternative effective adsorbent in eradicating Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution.