Green synthesis of cellulose acetate/zinc oxide nanocomposite filter with plant extract and its application in water source pollution removal

Water resources are among the natural capitals of every country, therefore, the preservation of these natural resources is one of the important challenges of all countries. Excessive use of chemical and industrial materials has created many problems for these sources. Therefore, providing new methods to remove water pollutants is very important. The method of green synthesis of nanoparticles has attracted a lot of attention due to its features such as greater safety, compatibility with the environment, simplicity, and low cost. In this research work, the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles was carried out using the Daphne macronata plant and it was used in the preparation of a cellulose acetate/zinc oxide filter. The electron microscope image of the nano filter shows that the average diameter of nanofibers is about 40 nanometers and the average size of nanoparticles is about 47 nanometers. Also, the effect of this filter in removing methyl orange dye from water sources was investigated in different conditions of dye concentration, amount of adsorbent, and pH. The results showed that the cellulose acetate/zinc oxide nanocomposite filter is able to remove about 90% of methyl orange color in optimal conditions. Also, the results of investigating the antimicrobial effect of this structure on 4 samples of pathogenic bacteria, including Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermis, Salmonella, and Acinetobacter were carried out. The results showed that the largest diameter of the halo of non-growth is related to the pathogenic bacteria Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus epidermis and is about 22 mm