Ecofriendly synthesis of Salmalia Malabarica gum stabilized palladium nanoparticles: antibacterial and catalytic properties

Effluents containing dyes, discharged by various industries, have become a significant contributor to water pollution. This study explores the use of green-synthesized palladium nanoparticle (PdNP) catalysts, which offer enhanced catalytic performance compared to traditional methods. The research focuses on the synthesis of palladium nanoparticles using Salmalia Malabarica (SM) gum via a microwave-assisted process and investigates their catalytic and antibacterial properties. SEM analysis confirms the even distribution of PdNPs on the surface of SM gum. Furthermore, TEM analysis reveals a PdNPs size distribution of 10 ± 2 nm. XPS study was used to identify the chemical state of Pd in the synthesized nanoparticles. The results demonstrate that PdNPs are highly effective catalysts for the degradation of dyes such as Methylene Orange (MO), Rhodamine-B (Rh-B), and 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP), even after being reused five times. The catalytic activity of PdNPs was remarkable, achieved 99% dye degradation in four minutes. The degradation data of PdNPs on 4 -NP, MO and Rh-B dyes are followed by pseudo-first-order kinetics with 0.0087, 0.0152 and 0.0164 s^{− 1}, respectively. Additionally, PdNPs exhibit exceptional antimicrobial activity against both bacterial and fungal strains. This synthesis process proves to be cost-effective, devoid of toxic chemicals, and remarkably rapid. The findings suggest promising applications for PdNPs in fields like nanomedicine and environmental remediation, reflecting their potential for addressing water pollution issues.