Bio-inspired Sustainable Fabrication of CdO Nanoparticles Using Citrus sinensis Peel Extract for Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B Dye

Presently, the creation of metal nanoparticles (NPs) using plant extracts has rapidly gained an appealing aspect in the realm of modern nanobiotechnology, with substantial merits over traditional techniques. In this context, cadmium oxide (CdO) NPs have been created utilizing a bio-inspired green synthetic approach using Citrus limetta peel extract. The active organic biomolecules within the peel extract functioned as reductants and stabilizers for NPs, resulting in pure CdO NPs. The structural, chemical, optical, and topological traits were evaluated utilizing XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDX, HRTEM, UVDRS, and PL analyses. The synthesized CdO NPs are about 54 nm in size with a quasi-spherical morphology. The computed band gap of NPs was 2.59 eV, which validated the cubic phase formation of CdO NPs. The photocatalytic studies of the as-fabricated CdO NPs were investigated through Rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation via H₂O₂-assisted AOP under sunlight. The effect of H₂O₂, photocatalyst loading, RhB dye concentration, contact time, scavengers, and recyclability study was also investigated in detail to demonstrate the functionality of the photocatalyst. Approximately 85% of the dye was decomposed within 60 min, revealing its excellent photocatalytic performance of CdO NPs. Therefore, the research outcomes thus offer that the CdO NPs may have a substantial potential for ecological remediation through a photocatalytic approach.