Nanocomposites from spent coffee grounds and iron/zinc oxide: green synthesis, characterization, and application in textile wastewater treatment

This study reports on a novel composite of bimetallic FeO/ZnO nanoparticles supported by spent coffee grounds (SCGs). The leaves of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill) and trumpet (Cuphea aequipetala Cav), with their high antioxidant content, serve as bio-reductant agents for the green synthesis of nanoparticles. It was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Stable nanoparticles were produced with different diameters of 5-30 nm, and they were applied as catalysts in Fenton-like processes. Box-Behnken experimental design (BBD) was used to determine the optimal removal efficiency with three factors and was used in the degradation of textile dyes from wastewater. The nanocomposite displayed a high decolorization ratio (88%) of indigo carmine in the presence of H2O2 combined. This resulted in a reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 56% at 120 min of contact time at an initial pH of 3.0 and a 0.5 g/L of catalyst dose, a H2O2 concentration of 8.8 mM/L, an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L, and a temperature of 25 °C.