ECO-FRIENDLY SYNTHESIS OF FE-DOPED CAO NANOPARTICLES USING AEGLE MARMELOS LEAF EXTRACT AS A MULTIFUNCTIONAL PLATFORM FOR PHOTOCATALYTIC, ANTIMICROBIAL, AND ANTICANCER APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Water pollution from industrial sources continues to pose a serious threat to ecosystems worldwide, and the search for sustainable solutions has never been more pressing. This study explores the green synthesis of three nanoparticles (NPs) using Aegle marmelos (Bael) leaf extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent, namely calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaONPs), hematite nanoparticles (α-Fe₂O₃NPs), and iron-doped calcium oxide nanoparticles. The synthesized NPs were thoroughly characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis to confirm their structural, crystalline, and compositional properties. Photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted on Reactive Red (RR), Reactive Blue (RB), and actual textile wastewater under solar irradiation and ultrasound treatment. Fe-doped CaONPs consistently outperformed the other two NPs in dye degradation, largely owing to their better charge separation efficiency and broader visible light harvesting capability. When screened for antimicrobial properties against Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, and Bacillus megaterium, Fe-doped CaONPs showed remarkable results, achieving full inhibition within just 18 hours. Additionally, cytotoxicity studies revealed noteworthy anticancer activity across all three NPs. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that Fe-doped CaONPs hold considerable promise as multifunctional nanomaterials for both environmental cleanup and biomedical use.