Fructose modified synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles and its application for removal of industrial pollutants from water

This research work is an effort towards the purification of industrially polluted water for the savage of the environmental system. Optimized fructose modified ZnO nanoparticles were used as adsorbent as well as a photocatalyst for the removal of dyes from polluted water. Textile synthetic dyes were used as model pollutants. Structural and optical properties of the synthesized fructose modified ZnO nanoparticles were analyzed using XRD, SEM, TEM, and UV–Vis spectrophotometer. Wurtzite hexagonal phase with the quasi-spherical shape of diameter 14–40 nm of fructose modified ZnO nanoparticles were obtained by optimizing various reaction parameters. As compared to the bulk, fructose modified ZnO nanoparticles show a blue shift in the excitation absorption; confirming quantum confinement. The effect of pH, time, and initial dye concentration was investigated on the dye removal efficiency of the synthesized fructose modified ZnO nanoparticles. Through the kinetic study of dye removal, it has been observed that the adsorption and photodegradation phenomenon followed pseudo-first order kinetics.