Eichornia crassipes mediated biofabrication of silver nanoparticles and spectroscopic evaluation of its catalytic efficacy in the degradation of azodyes

Aquatic resources explored for the biofabrication of nanoparticles are mainly the weed-plants owing to their wide distribution and abundance. Eichornia crassipes (Water hyacinth) is considered the most notorious aquatic weed due to its prolific spreading ability in water bodies. The present study investigated the ability of aquatic weed Eichornia in green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and the catalytic efficacy of the thus made nanoparticles in degradation of azodyes, a major class of industrial pollutants. The method adopted is entirely a green chemistry approach and is facile, economical, and efficient in mass production. The synthesis was confirmed by observation of SPR peak at 422 nm. FTIR revealed the presence of phenols, amino acids, and carbohydrates. TEM analysis confirmed the particle to be nearly spherical with a size distribution from 10-20 nm. , The crystallinity of the particle was assessed using XRD technique and the crystalline size was calculated 14.64. The catalytic efficacy of the nanoparticle was then spectrophotometrically monitored. The degradation of pollutants was 92.46% and 91.9%, respectively for methyl orange and methylene blue. Thus, the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles using low-valued renewable resources like aquatic weeds proved a promising tool in aquatic bioremediation.