Complex Dye Degradation Using Sweet Orange Peels-Derived Ag–Fe–Cu–Ni Oxide Nanoparticles

This study reports a simple single-pot green synthesis of Ag–Fe–Cu–Ni quad-metallic oxide nanoparticles using the green-waste extract of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) peels as both the reducing and capping agent. The nanoparticles are successfully fabricated and characterized using a UV-visible spectrometer, XRD, FESEM, EDS, DLS, and zeta potential. The catalytic efficiency of the quad-metallic nanoparticles was investigated against individual and a mixture of phenol red, eosin yellow, and methyl red, forming a complex dye solution. The complex dye was degraded by more than 86% in 3 h, while the individual methyl red, phenol red, and eosin yellow dyes were degraded by 94.61%, 94.97%, and 80.1%, respectively, in just 2 min. The reduction potential and eco-friendly synthesis route presented in this study highlight the importance of using waste materials for nanoparticle synthesis and their potential application as catalysts.