Photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial efficacy of novel synthesized green Cu–Fe metal organic framework derived from Acacia nilotica extract

Green synthesis provides an environmentally sustainable route for preparing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with photocatalytic potential. In this work, a copper(II)–ferric(III) MOF, (Cu1−x Fex)2(OH)2Cl2 herein referred to as green Cu-MOF, was produced through hydrothermal method with Acacia extract serving as a natural organic ligand source. The MOF was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UVDRS). Trace amounts of iron (0.96 wt %) detected by EDX analysis were attributed to the inherent mineral composition of the Acacia extract. The photocatalytic performance of the material was assessed throughout the photodegradation process of Reactive Blue dye and microbial inactivation under solar irradiation. The green Cu-MOF demonstrated excellent photocatalytic activity, achieving 91.2% dye photodegradation under optimized conditions (pH 5, and the concentration of the dye and the photocatalyst were (40, 0.5) mg/l respectively for 120 min of solar irradiation). Kinetic studies indicated that the degradation followed a pseudo-first-order model with a rate constant of 0.01752 min−1. Reusability tests showed the catalyst retained 83.3% of its initial activity after five cycles of recovery and reuse. Additionally, the material exhibited significant antimicrobial properties, generating zones of inhibition around 26 mm against Escherichia coli and 29 mm against Staphylococcus aureus for 1.2 × 105 CFU/ml bacteria concentration. These findings suggest that the green Cu-MOF is a promising, eco-friendly material for the removal of organic and microbial pollutants from water.