CuO-Fe2O3/calcium alginate-carboxymethylcellulose-chitosan as efficient nanocomposite beads for catalytic reduction of water pollutants

[Display omitted] •Development of CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs nanocomposite beads.•Efficient catalyst for the reduction of nitrophenols and dyes.•Recyclability of the catalyst up to three times. This study involved the synthesis and catalytic activity testing of new nanocomposite beads CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads prepared by facile and environmentally friendly approach. CuO-Fe2O3 was prepared and applied for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The results showed that CuO-Fe2O3 demonstrate high catalytic activity toward the reduction of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). Further, CuO-Fe2O3 were well-dispersed in the polymeric matrix of CA-CMC-Cs to prepare CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads via crosslinker agent (AlCl3). CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads were also applied for the catalytic reduction of nitrophenol isomers (4-NP, 2-NP, and 2,6-DNP), organic dyes ((methyl orange (MO), eosin yellow (EY)) and potassium hexacyanoferrate K3[Fe(CN)6]. K3[Fe(CN)6], was found to be effectively reduced by the beads and was completed at 30 s.. While the catalytic reduction of 4-NP, EY and MO were completed at 300, 240 and 180 s and the rate constants were discovered to be 1.16 × 10−2 s−1, 1.68 × 10−2 s−1 and 1.51 × 10−2 s−1, respectively. The CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads catalytic activity was enhanced utilizing 4-NP as a model molecule. The beads had good catalytic activity and may be reused up to four times before losing their effectiveness. Additionally, the ability of the CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads to reduce 4-NP and MO in real samples such as wastewater, orange juice and strawberry juice was investigated where the reduction percentage was 91.5 % ∼ 89.0 % in the real samples. The results demonstrated that the beads were more efficient for reduction of 4-NP and MO in milk, while, in juices required more time and had a lower reduction percentage.