Synthetic dyes are extensively used in various articles of daily use ranging from foods, drinks, clothes, fabric to furniture. These toxic synthetic dyes are discharged in aquifers posing serious health issues. Even when they are treated in water treatments plants with disinfectants, the break down chemicals ends as chlorinated xeno-chemicals. There is an urgent need to eliminate these carcinogenic toxic dyes from water. This study deals with the synthesis of photocatalyst with a potential to eradicate harmful synthetic dyes from wastewater. This research work shows Ag based Mo nanoparticles from Citrus Limetta (Mousami) extract by hydrothermal green synthesis method. The synthesized photocatalyst was studied by different analytical techniques where SEM showed the development of crystalline particles, EDX evidenced the existence of Mo and Ag metals in large amounts and XRD pattern explained the phase and crystallinity in the prepared nanocomposites by giving distinct peaks for molybdenum and silver metals. Photocatalytic tests were performed by using Methylene Blue (MB) and Methylene Orange (MO) dyes by using UV-vis spectrophotometer. Absorbance values obtained were plotted against time and wavelength for assessing the degradation efficiency of the prepared nanocomposites. The prepared photo catalyst exhibited good ability to degrade synthetic dyes and could be effectively used for water purification. Hence, hydrothermal green synthesis proved to be an effective, cost free and safe method for the synthesis of silver doped molybdenum nanocomposites possessing remarkable photocatalytic activity.

Keywords: Rutaceae, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, Citrus limetta, silver nitrate, ammonium hepta molybdate, photocatalyst