Advances in Plant Mediated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Dye Colorant Degradation—A Review

Water polluted by dye colorants has been on the rise in the last decade. This is due to the over reliance on the textile industry, and it is holding a high economic value in most countries. This industry is the highest consumer of fresh water whilst also discharging several natural and synthetic pollutants to the environment. Several methods have been used for the removal of these pollutants and one of the most efficient technologies to be developed includes the photocatalysis method, via advanced oxidation processes. This review highlights the developments of green iron oxide nanoparticles as photocatalysts in the last decade. It was noted that tuning and controlling the phytochemical concentration and synthesis conditions, can assist with forming uniform and non-agglomerated materials, as this has limited the vast usage of these materials in major applications. Also, upon controlling the synthesis conditions, improved surface area and charge separation efficiency was noted. Their limitations and need for modification through forming composites are highlighted. Moreover, future perspectives are given on the use of green IONPs as photocatalysts.