Waterborne pathogens treatment using biosynthesized silver‐mordenite nanocomposites in aqueous propolis extracts: Characterization and antibacterial activity

This paper deals with the preparation of silver/mordenite nanocomposite using aqueous propolis extract along with different concentrations of silver nitrate. The study of the prepared samples' structural properties gave two possibilities for the nanocomposite formation process, and this was confirmed by the UV–visible absorption spectrum and the energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. Unexpectedly, the decrease in the size of these nanocomposites (14–21 nm) showed a non‐linear behavior with increasing silver nitrate concentration because of the presence of propolis during urbanization, and this was explained using the results of the transmission electron microscopy images and X‐ray diffraction. The Ag/mordenite nanocomposites showed the effective ability to eliminate the two types of bacteria (Gram‐positive [ Staphylococcus aureus ] and Gram‐negative [ Escherichia Coli ]). As well, these nanocomposites demonstrated with simple experiments the removal efficiency of some dyes pollutants (such as methylene blue, methyl orange, malachite green, indigo, and Congo red) from aqueous solutions. These results were explained in this article.