Eco-friendly Cr₂O₃ nanoparticles from Opuntia dillenii for visible-light photocatalysis and antimicrobial defense against waterborne pathogens

Water pollution is a serious problem, especially in developing and underprivileged countries; it has seriously affected ecosystems and human health. This work focuses on eco-friendly synthesis of Cr₂O₃ nanospheres using an extract from Opuntia dillenii plant leaves. This study identifies the potential of Cr₂O₃ nanospheres for Rose Bengal (RB) degraded pollutants. The synthesized Cr₂O₃ nanospheres have a bandgap of 2.93 eV and a highly crystalline structure. This makes them a better photocatalyst for degradation of RB. FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, and EDX characterized the crystalline Cr₂O₃ nanospheres. Under visible light irradiation, the Cr₂O₃ nanospheres degraded RB by 80 % in 40 min. The results of this study suggest that Cr₂O₃ nanospheres may be suitable for the environment and can perform best as photocatalysts for breaking down complex structures. The results also show that using Cr₂O₃ nanospheres, which are safe for the environment, could be a long-lasting and effective way to clean up complex organic pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. This study highlights the potential of Cr₂O₃ NPs mixed with O. dillenii extract as a good candidate.