Abstract

Background: Contaminants introduced by human activity, particularly synthetic dyes, pose significant ecological and adverse health implications linked to their enduring presence in aquatic systems and their recalcitrance to environmental degradation processes. Method: In the current work, we synthesized and systematically investigated tin (Sn)-loaded zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials to enhance photocatalytic and antibacterial performance. The crystallographic, photonic, and surface morphological characteristics of pristine and Sn-loaded ZnO (with varying Sn loadings from 1 wt% to 4 wt%) were thoroughly characterized using XRD, FT-IR, Raman, PL, UV-DRS, FE-SEM, EDX, HR-TEM, XPS, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Significant Findings: Among the synthesized samples, 3 wt% Sn-ZnO exhibited superior photocatalytic efficiency, achieving approximate to 100% degradation of the azo dye Reactive Red 120 (RR 120) dye removal investigated under UV and solar light exposure at neutral (pH 7). Furthermore, GC-MS analysis revealed the intermediate degradation products, supporting the proposed dye degradation pathway. The 3 wt% Sn-ZnO catalyst demonstrated excellent reusability over multiple cycles without significant loss of activity. Beyond photocatalysis, the material exhibited potent investigation of bactericidal action toward model Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These findings highlight Sn-ZnO as a promising dual-functional nanomaterial for efficient wastewater remediation and antimicrobial applications.