Synthesis of super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles assisted by brown seaweed Turbinaria decurrens for removal of reactive navy blue dye

Super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were synthesized using Turbinaria decurrens extract for the first time. The produced Fe₃O₄ was characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The XRD results showed the presence of crystalline Fe₃O₄, while the FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of organic molecules on the Fe₃O₄ surface. The homogeneous distribution of the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles was observed from the TEM images. The super-paramagnetic nature of the particles was revealed by the VSM studies. The SPIONs also showed good adsorption ability for navy blue dye, with the adsorption kinetics following the Langmuir pattern.