https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-024-05844-2
Regular Article
Enhancing MB dye degradation and apple shelf life with Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles: experimental and COMSOL simulation
1
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, 50700, Gujrat, Pakistan
2
Department of Mathematics and Physics, Nanotechnology University of Salento, 73100, Lecce, Italy
3
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, 50700, Gujrat, Pakistan
4
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
5
Department of Chemistry, AN-Najah National University, P.O. Box 7, Nablus, Palestine
a
tahir.awan@uog.edu.pk
b
ayeshayounas316@gmail.com
Received:
20
July
2024
Accepted:
14
November
2024
Published online:
4
December
2024
The present study reports the green synthesis of pure and Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with different dopant concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) using Azadirachta indica (Neem) leaves extract as a stabilizing and reducing agent. The XRD pattern confirmed the formation of hexagonal crystal structures of wurtzite ZnO. The particle size for the optimal sample 5% Mn-ZnO is 19 nm. The successful biosynthesis of the Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles was analyzed by several methods, e.g., EDX, FTIR, PL, UV–Vis spectroscopy and SEM. In order to test the photocatalytic activity of the nanoparticles, methylene blue (MB) dye was utilized. It was discovered that adding manganese (Mn) to ZnO enhanced the photocatalytic efficiency, degrading methylene blue to 90%. After six cycles of regeneration, the reusability of Mn-doped ZnO (5%) is approaching 76%. Additionally, in order to determine the effects of pure and 5% Mn-ZnO nanoparticles on apple storage life, a series of studies measuring time-dependent weight loss, moisture content, ascorbic acid and decay process were conducted. The antimicrobial and antifungal properties of Mn-doped ZnO were shown against Staphylococcus aureus, Fusarium spp., Rosellinia necatrix and Escherichia coli.. The current study is distinctive in the sense that it uses the COMSOL Multiphysics module 5.3a to link the theoretical model and experimental results.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
