Green‐Synthesized SnO₂ Derived From Kombucha Tea and Assessment of Its Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Procion Red MX‐5B

Abstract

This study introduces a green synthesis approach for producing tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles (NPs) using Kombucha tea and evaluates their photocatalytic effectiveness in degrading the Procion Red MX‐5B (PR) dye. Characterization techniques, including UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, and TEM, confirmed the successful synthesis of SnO2 NPs with appropriate optical and structural properties. For instance; the absorption peak at 526 cm−1 in FT‐IR diagram is attributed to Sn–O which indicates the successful synthesis of SnO2. Photocatalytic tests under optimized conditions showed a notable degradation efficiency of PR dye, with the highest observed degradation efficiency reaching 97.60% at a catalyst loading of 30 mg, pH 6, in 90 min. A kinetic study was performed and the PR degradation followed first‐order reaction kinetics. For this process, the reaction kinetic rate constants were found to be 0.0589, 0.078, 0.1367, and 0.1389 min−1 for 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C, respectively. Moreover, the activation energy for the degradation process was calculated to be 25.75 kJ/mol, indicating a chemisorption mechanism. The reusability of SnO2 NPs was tested and after five subsequent usages, it still showed high degradation efficiency (95.7%). These results demonstrate the potential of Kombucha‐derived SnO2 nanoparticles as an efficient, low‐cost, reusable, and environmentally friendly photocatalyst for wastewater treatment applications.