REMOVAL OF LEAD IONS BY GREEN SYNTHESIZED SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF PROSOPIS JULIFLORA AND MENTHA PIPERITA L. LEAVES

Abstract

Heavy metal compounds are commonly used as required industrial materials. Heavy metal ions are known to possess poisonous properties. Lead (II) ion is one of them; it is more toxic and carcinogenic. The contamination of water with Pb (II) may lead to kill people who drink it, in addition to harmful effects on plants and animals. Therefore, Pb (II) ions must be removed from the polluted water. In this work, an eco-friendly method was employed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from silver nitrate and two separate plant extracts; leaves of Prosopis Juliflora and Mentha Piperita L. AgNPs were used to remove Pb (II) ions from aqueous solutions through the adsorption process. The synthesized AgNPs were identified by ultraviolet- visible (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The diameters of formation nanoparticles were within the range of 8.06–11.5 and 8.02- 11.5 nm of AgNPs from Prosopis Juliflora, and AgNPs from Mentha Piperita L. extracts, respectively. During the adsorption process, the influence of adsorbent dose, Pb (II) ion concentration, and contact time in removing were studied at constant temperature and constant pH.