Sustainable green synthesis of high-performance Fe2O3@CeO2-pullulan nanocomposite for efficient dye removal, and antifungal applications.

The escalating global environmental and microbial pollution necessitates the development of sustainable and efficient solutions, prompting the exploration of advanced nanomaterials. The current study reports the green synthesis of Fe2O3@CeO2 NPs using rosemary extract. Pullulan was incorporated as a mediating agent, resulting in Fe2O3@CeO2-pullulan NPs with improved dispersion and stability. The synthesized NPs were characterized using FTIR, UV-visible spectroscopy, zeta potential analysis, DLS, HR-TEM, SEM, and XRD. The phytochemical content in both NPs types contributed to antioxidant activity. Rosemary extract displayed the strongest antioxidant activity followed by Fe2O3@CeO2-pullulan NPs. Employing the artificial neural network successfully modeled and optimized the removal of MB, with a significant influence of both types of NPs. Both types of NPs demonstrated substantial activity against Candida albicans, with Fe2O3@CeO2-pullulan exhibiting a larger inhibition zone (35.67 ± 1.96 mm) compared to Fe2O3@CeO2 (33.33 ± 0.87 mm) and approved through FTIR and HR-TEM investigation. These findings suggest potential applications of the current NPs in various fields, including environmental remediation, and healthcare. Future research should elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore specific other applications to maximize the benefits of the findings.