From phytochemicals to function: Iron oxide nanoparticles as an eco-friendly remediator

In this study, Pistacia terebinthus was employed to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles with an eco-friendly method for the first time. Furthermore, this is the first report investigating the environmental remediation applications of Pistacia terebinthus-templated iron oxide nanoparticles. The isolator characteristics of two nanoparticles, prepared by water and ethyl acetate extracts, were confirmed by optical band energies (3.19 and 3.67 eV). As expected from plant-mediated synthesis, the phytogenic nanoparticles, approximately 20-30 nm in size, exhibited highly agglomerated amorphous morphologies. The methylene blue removal activities of both nanoparticles, of which mild colloidal stabilities (-14.3 and -15.3 mV), were evaluated to manifest their environmental remediation potential. The nanoparticles obtained from the aqueous extract exhibited 77% methylene blue removal within 30 minutes, while those synthesized using the ethyl acetate extract achieved 62% methylene blue removal within 35 minutes. Both iron oxide nanoparticles remediated methylene blue via the adsorption pathway following pseudo-second-order kinetics.