ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Comparative study of functionalized silver nanoparticles for solar-driven photocatalytic degradation of atrazine and organic contaminants

Zubeda Nangrejo, Muhammad Yasar, Aseel A. Kadhem, Gurumurthy Ramaiah, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Fuad M. Alzahrani, Khalaf F. Alsharif, Cumali Celik, Murodjon Yaxshimuratov, and Khushnud Azizjanov

School of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an, China

E-mail: Chemistresearcher786@gmail.com

Received: 4 November 2025  Accepted: 18 December 2025

Abstract:

This study compared the photocatalytic performance of unmodified silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), L-lysine-functionalized AgNPs, and TEMPO-modified AgNPs for solar-driven atrazine degradation in aqueous systems. Nanoparticles were synthesised via chemical reduction under controlled conditions and characterised using XRD, FTIR, SEM, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated under simulated solar irradiation (100 W xenon lamp) using 10 mg/L atrazine with a catalyst loading of 0.1 g/L. TEMPO-AgNPs demonstrated superior performance, achieving complete atrazine degradation within 75 min, compared to 74% for lysine-AgNPs and 53% for bare AgNPs. The enhanced activity correlated with improved physicochemical properties: a 41.4% higher specific surface area (28.45 m²/g), reduced bandgap (2.53 eV), and enhanced crystallinity. Radical scavenging identified hydroxyl radicals as the primary oxidative species, accounting for 77% of the degradation. The addition of peroxymonosulfate accelerated the complete degradation to 30 min. TEMPO-AgNPs exhibited exceptional stability, retaining 95.65% efficiency after five cycles with minimal silver leaching, and demonstrated broad-spectrum efficacy against ciprofloxacin (85%), methylene blue (73%), tetracycline (55%), and alizarin red S (38%) degradation. TEMPO functionalization enhances photocatalytic performance through the synergistic effects of improved charge separation, extended visible-light absorption, and superior surface properties, establishing a foundation for sustainable solar-powered water treatment systems targeting diverse organic contaminants.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords: Silver nanoparticles; Photocatalytic degradation; Atrazine; Hydroxyl radicals; Water treatment; Visible-light photocatalysis

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04609-0

Chemical Papers 80 (5) 5045–5063 (2026)