Bioengineered Crystalline Single-Phase Potassium Chromate Nanocrystals

Abstract

This article reports for the first time on the possibility of the biosynthesis of single-phase potassium chromate (K2CrO4). This was achieved by using the natural extract of dried citrus peel as both an effective chelating agent and an original green source of potassium (K). For the bioengineering of K2CrO4 at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, H2O as the unique universal solvent and Cr(NO₃)₃ • 9H₂O as Cr source were used. The validation of such a bioengineered K2CrO4 was carried out specifically via Raman spectroscopy. In this investigation, the various intrinsic Raman modes of single-phase K2CrO4 were observed in full agreement with B2g (352 cm-1), Ag + B2g (396 cm-1), Ag + B2g (853 cm-1), B3g (875 cm-1) and Ag (905 cm-1) inherent in K2CrO4 (chromate) vibrational modes, which are different from those in K2Cr2O7 (dichromate).