PLANT-MEDIATED GREEN SYNTHESIS OF IRON NANOPARTICLES FOR ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION: MECHANISTIC DESIGN, CHARACTERIZATION, APPLICATIONS, AND SUSTAINABILITY OUTLOOK

Abstract

Industrialization and rapid urbanization have significantly increased the release of toxic pollutants into the environment, resulting in severe ecological degradation and adverse human health effects. Although conventional remediation technologies are widely used, they often suffer from limitations such as high operational costs, secondary pollution, and limited efficiency in removing persistent contaminants. These challenges have accelerated the development of sustainable nanotechnology-based approaches, particularly the green synthesis of functional nanomaterials. Among them, iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) have emerged as promising candidates for environmental remediation because of their high surface reactivity, strong reducing capability, excellent catalytic performance, and magnetic recoverability. Plant-mediated green synthesis has gained considerable attention as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional physical and chemical methods. Plant extracts contain bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, and proteins, which act as natural reducing and stabilizing agents during nanoparticle formation, eliminating the need for hazardous chemicals and supporting green chemistry principles. This review critically examines recent advances in plant-mediated FeNP synthesis, highlighting synthesis mechanisms, the influence of reaction parameters, and characterization techniques used to evaluate physicochemical properties. It further explores the environmental applications of plant-derived FeNPs, including wastewater treatment, degradation of organic dyes, removal of toxic heavy metals, and catalytic oxidation of persistent pollutants. Additionally, the review discusses key challenges related to scalability, reproducibility, environmental safety, and commercialization while emphasizing sustainability. By summarizing current knowledge and identifying future research directions, this review demonstrates the potential of plant-based FeNPs as efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly materials for advanced environmental remediation technologies

Keywords : Iron nanoparticles; Green synthesis; Plant-mediated synthesis; Environmental remediation; Nanotechnology; Phytochemicals; Sustainability; Wastewater treatment.