Adsorption and photocatalysis efficiency of magnetite quantum dots anchored tin dioxide nanofibers for removal of mutagenic compound: Toxicity evaluation and antibacterial activity

- Fe3O4QDs/SnO2 NFs were synthesized via hydrothermal method.
- High maximum removal capacities were obtained for removal of EMS.
- Cytotoxicity of Fe3O4QDs/SnO2 NFs on human cells was sufficiently low to use.
- Fe3O4QDs/SnO2 NFs obtained have best properties in antibacterial applications.

The Magnetite Fe3O4 quantum dots anchored SnO2 nanofibers (Fe3O4 QDs/SnO2 NFs) have been synthesized using the facile one step hydrothermal method. The characteristic structure of synthesized Fe3O4 QDs/SnO2 NFs was analyzed using X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron Microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption instrumental techniques. The crystallites size of Fe3O4QDs/SnO2 NFs was 7.0 nm. The average diameters of Fe3O4QDs/SnO2 NFs were 7.25 nm. BET surface area of Fe3O4QDs/SnO2 NFs has been found 53.064 m2/g. The activity of Fe3O4 QDs/SnO2 NFs samples were compared towards adsorption and degradation of mutagenic compound such as Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). The Fe3O4 QDs/SnO2 NFs demonstrates 93.85% and 56.85% photo degradation and adsorption activity towards 10 ppm EMS solution in 30 and 40 min, respectively. Fe3O4 QDs/SnO2 NFs shows maximum removal of EMS at pH 5. Additionally, cytotoxicity test showed that the newly developed catalyst has low cytotoxic effects on three kinds of human cells. The antibacterial activity evaluation against two bacterials, including Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 43300), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) was considered. It was found that the MIC values for the antibacterial assay in the presence of Fe3O4 QDs/SnO2 NFs were around 0.38 mM with 83.4, and 85.5% inhibition for the S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa bacterial strains, respectively.