Eco-friendly synthesis of magnetically retrievable CuFe2O4 nanoparticles using Solanum torvum berry extract for the efficient catalytic reduction of anionic and cationic dyes

In this study, we report the green synthesis of magnetic copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) nanoparticles (NPs) using Solanum torvum (turkey berry) leaf extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. This eco-friendly method avoids the use of toxic chemicals, offering a low-cost, sustainable alternative to conventional synthesis routes. The biosynthesized CuFe2O4 NPs exhibited outstanding catalytic performance in the rapid reduction of toxic dyes—achieving complete decolorization of Congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB) within 3.5 and 5 minutes, respectively, in the presence of NaBH4. The magnetic nature of our synthesized copper ferrite NPs also allows easy recovery and reuse. While detailed structural and elemental analyses confirmed the formation of spinel-phase CuFe2O4 NPs averaging ~25 nm in size, the key innovation lies in the use of S. torvum as a green, bio-based synthesis medium and the demonstration of high-efficiency pollutant removal in short reaction times.