Iron oxide nanoparticles embedded on activated carbon: a comprehensive investigation of photocatalytic, antibacterial, and anticancer properties

Abstract This study presents the synthesis and multifunctional application of a novel nanocomposite material, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles embedded on activated carbon (Fe 3 O 4 @AC), designed to be environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and widely applicable. The material was thoroughly characterized using EDAX, FE-SEM, BET, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, VSM, Reflectance spectra and PL. SEM analysis revealed a homogeneous dispersion of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles on the carbon surface, while the alignment of Raman and XRD patterns confirmed successful phase integration. The BET surface area of 871.27 m 2 /g indicates high porosity, which enhances adsorption and photocatalytic performance. The Fe 3 O 4 @AC nanocomposite demonstrated 79% methylene blue (MB) adsorption in the dark within 120 min at a 25 mg l −1 concentration. Under UV irradiation, the material achieved 95% degradation efficiency in just 60 min, highlighting its superior photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic degradation process followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model, confirming its heterogeneous catalytic behavior. Additionally, the nanocomposite exhibited strong antibacterial activity and pronounced anticancer efficacy, with an IC 50 value of 31.17 μg ml −1 against A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. These findings underscore the potential of Fe 3 O 4 @AC for applications in wastewater treatment and biomedicine.