Abstract
Ecosystems worldwide face a serious and life-threatening water crisis due to water contamination. Nanotechnology offers a promising solution to this issue by providing methods for removing pollutants from aquatic sources. In this study, we utilized a green and simple approach to biosynthesize NiSe NPs using Hibiscus rosa-sinensis extract as the bio-source. The plant extract acts as a reducing, stabilizing, and capping agent in the synthesis process. A simple hydrothermal method was employed to blend the NiSe NPs photocatalysts. UV-Visible DRS spectroscopy was utilized to confirm the reduction in and stabilization of Ni2+ and Se2- ions. The resulting NiSe NPs have a bandgap of 1.74 eV, which facilitates electron and hole production on their surfaces. To characterize the functional groups on the NiSe NPs and their surface interactions with bio-compounds, FTIR spectroscopy was utilized. XRD analysis revealed the crystallite size of the NiSe NPs to be 24 nm, while FE-SEM and TEM imaging showed their spherical shape and material distribution. EDX spectroscopy confirmed the integrity of the NiSe NPs' material. XPS analysis provided information on the chemical composition, nickel and selenium valency, and their interface. The efficacy of the NiSe NPs as a blended photocatalyst in photodegrading Methylene Blue (MB) dye was tested under visible light, resulting in 92% degradation. Furthermore, the NiSe NPs exhibited bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria due to their advanced oxidation and reduction in charge particles, which increased the degradation efficiency and suppressed cell proliferation. Based on the obtained findings, the NiSe NPs show promise as a powerful agent for water remediation and microbial resistance.