Nanophotocatalytic degradation of phenolic contaminants by ZnS nanoparticles synthesized from banana peel extract: a greener approach

Abstract

Research focused on the degradation of organic pollutants has seen considerable growth in recent years. The present investigations report a green chemistry route for the creation of ZnS nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) by employing the banana peel extract. X-ray diffraction analysis of the developed material established that the developed material has a cubic structure, while the FTIR spectrum of the fabricated ZnS NPs revealed the functional group present on the surface of the material exhibiting its suitability for the adsorption of the organic pollutant. SEM analysis of the material demonstrated the spherical particles with irregular morphology, and the average size of the material was estimated to be 52 nm. The fabricated ZnS NPs were utilized to capture the hazardous phenol and p-nitrophenol from wastewater. The influence of various process variables including the initial concentration of the pollutant, catalyst dose, pH, and contact time was examined to optimize the maximum efficiency of the photodegradation process. The optimum degradation of the p-nitrophenol and phenol was achieved to be 71% and 80%, respectively, under the specified condition; initial p-nitrophenol concentration 20 PPM, catalyst doses 0.6 gm/L, and the pH 10.