Synthesis and characterization of bio-fabricated silver nanoparticles as green catalysts for mitigation of synthetic dyes: A sustainable environmental remedial approach

[Display omitted] •Development of a simple & fast technique to synthesize Ag-NPs.•P. granatum fruit peel extract (acts both as a reducing & stabilizing agent) is used for biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles.•The greenly synthesized Ag-NPs are characterized and then tested for their degradation potential toward synthetic dyes.•Sustainable, cost-effective & environmentally friendly approach.•Catalyst is effective up to 4–5 cycles and Could eliminate other synthetic reactive dyes very effectively. The greener synthesis of Ag-NPs is an environment-approachable, stable, simple, faster, and cheaper approach. In this study, Ag-NPs were manufactured by Punica granatum (Pomegranate) fruit peel extract. The synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were defined through spectral-analytical methods like SEM, XRD, FTIR, UV–Visible spectroscopy, etc. Optimal conditions to prepare Ag-NPs were found to be temperature 80 °C, pH 9, reactant ratio 3:5, and 70 min contact time/reaction time. The silver nanoparticles were utilized for the degradation of Basic Brilliant Flavine Y-40 (Y-40) and Direct Fast Rose FR Red-227 (Red-227) dyes succeeding the optimization of experimental conditions i.e. dyes concentration, silver nanoparticles Ag-NPs, pH range, amount of hydrogen peroxide and temperature. The aimed dyes were discolored at 41 % and 56 % at 0.04 and 0.03 mg dye concentration, 57 and 65 % at 6 mg and 7 mg amount of nanoparticles, 70 and 72 % at 9 pH, 81 and 80 % at 0.5 M of hydrogen peroxide and 90 and 91 % at 40 and 50 °C for both Y-40 and Red-227 dyes, respectively. The results explained that COD & TOC, toxicity assessment, TSS, EC, and pH removal efficiencies were 85.2 & 87.4 % and 91.2 & 92.3 %, 103 and 102 mg/L, 1105 and 1115 μS/cm and 6.91 for Y-40 and Red-227 dyes correspondingly. The UV and FTIR spectrum & degradation pathway similarly affirmed the degradation of selected dyes. This research work proposes a clean method for ecological restoration from toxins for a clean atmosphere.