Removal of contaminant in electroplating wastewater and its toxic effect using biosynthesized silver nanoparticles

Abstract This research is designed to remove contaminant in electroplating wastewater, using biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (SNPs) and to determine its in-vivo toxic effect. Silver nanoparticles (SNPs: 1,2,3 and 4) synthesized at different conditions and characterised, yielded spherical shapes of irregular sizes comprising of − OH, − C=C, − C=O, − C–H and − NO functional groups. The electroplating wastewater treated with the synthesized SNPs, were subjected to physicochemical analysis which revealed the ability of the SNPs to remove pollutants, with SNP4 displaying a higher affinity. The haematological investigation disclosed no significant impact on haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell, neutrophils and lymphocytes compared to the control group. Although, the liver tissues revealed toxic effects of the treated wastewater. The study validates that the biosynthesized SNPs contained stabilizing and reducing agent and also has the ability to eliminate pollutant in electroplating wastewater. Article highlights Spherical shaped SNPs exhibits loosely bound properties and aggregation. SNPs contained functional groups acting as stabilizing and reducing agent. The SNPs treated wastewater had no significant impact on haemoglobin, packed cell volume and red blood cell in rats. The synthesized SNPs had the ability to remove contaminant from the electroplating wastewater.