Synthesis of iron-based nanoparticles using oolong tea extract for the degradation of malachite green

Iron-based nanoparticles (OT-FeNP) were synthesized using oolong tea extracts. Their morphology, structure and size were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Formation of FeNP results in mostly spherical particles with diameters ranging from 40 to 50 nm. Degradation of malachite green (MG) using OT-FeNP demonstrated that kinetics fitted well to the pseudo first-order reaction by removing 75.5% of MG (50 mg/L). This indicated that OT-FeNP has the potential to serve as a green nanomaterial for environmental remediation. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.