A bottom-up green synthesis method has been
used to synthesize zero-valent iron nanoparticles taking
Emblica officinalis
leaf extract as reducing and stabilizing
agent at ambient temperature and using FeCl
3 solution as a
source of iron to be reduced. UV–Vis spectroscopy, scanning
electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy,
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray
diffraction have confirmed the fabrication of green synthesized
zero-valent iron nanoparticles. In the UV–Vis
spectrum, there was a shift in absorption peak ranging
between 350 and 600 nm wavelengths. Nearly, spherical
zero-valent iron nanoparticles having average size of
22.6 nm were obtained through this synthesis method.
Fourier transform infrared spectrum reveals that the biomolecules
are responsible for the synthesis and stabilization
of the green synthesized zero-valent iron
nanoparticles. Diffraction peak at 2θ of 44.9º in X-ray
powder diffraction spectrum illustrates the presence of pure
metallic α-Fe nanoparticles with zetapotential value
-26.7 mv. With the application of 20 ml l
-1 concentration,
green synthesized zero-valent iron nanoparticles were
found very efficient for the remediation of 10, 20, 50 and
100 ppm of lead from aqueous medium within 24 h and the
efficiency was positively correlated with the application
time period and concentration of GZVINPs.