Eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles from rubber fig leaves and their application in the catalytic degradation of Congo Red dye

Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) were successfully synthesised using Ficus elastica (rubber fig) leaf extract and applied as catalysts for the degradation of Congo Red (CR) dye. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed nanoparticle formation with a surface plasmon resonance peak at 423 nm. XRD analysis indicated a face-centred cubic crystalline structure with a mean crystallite size of 11.67 nm, while TEM revealed spherical morphology with an average diameter of 23.47 nm. EDX confirmed elemental silver, and DLS measurements showed a hydrodynamic diameter of 107.6 nm with a zeta potential of − 17.9 mV. The SNPs exhibited efficient catalytic activity, achieving 91.21% CR dye degradation for 10 mg/L within 10 minutes in the presence of NaBH₄. These findings highlight the green synthesis potential of Ficus elastica-derived SNPs and their effective application in wastewater treatment.