Scholarly record

SUSTAINABLE VALORIZATION OF ONION PEEL WASTE THROUGH GREEN SYNTHESIS OF IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS

Sofia Popescu, Mihaela-Maria STANCIUGELU, Anisoara Ienciu, Lia Sanda Rotariu, Dan Manea

Abstract

The increasing amounts of agro-food waste generated globally represent a major challenge for environmental protection and sustainable development. Among these, onion peels resulting from processing, storage, and commercialization constitute an important source of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, quercetin, and sulfur-containing compounds, with high potential for valorization in the field of green nanotechnologies. The study aims to valorize the extract obtained from onion peels in the green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe?O?/Fe?O?), as a sustainable alternative to conventional methods based on aggressive chemical reagents. The phenolic compounds present in the extract act both as reducing agents and as natural stabilizers during the nanoparticle formation process, contributing to the production of a functional material through an ecological and sustainable method. Iron oxide nanoparticles present high potential for environmental applications, especially in contaminated water treatment processes, through the adsorption of heavy metals and organic dyes, as well as in pollution remediation processes. Their characterization is performed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and XRD, in order to confirm the structure, composition, and morphology of the obtained nanoparticles. By transforming an agro-food waste into a nanostructured material with high added value, the study highlights the importance of integrating circular economy principles into the development of modern solutions for environmental protection. The sustainable valorization of onion peels contributes both to waste reduction and to the development of efficient green technologies for natural resource management.

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