The main objective of the present study is to examine the efficacy of iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles when employed in single basin solar still to convert saltwater into freshwater. This study aims to compare the operational efficacy of a solar still in the presence and absence of nanoparticles. The purpose is to evaluate the extent of their influence on the efficiency of the system. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to the development of sustainable methods for purifying saltwater into freshwater. Two groups were used in this research: Group 1, which used a standard solar still without nanoparticles, and group 2, which used a modified solar still with Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The study included a large number of specimens, with an average distribution of 20 samples in each group, and the specimen magnitude was determined using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. The most successful technique for minimizing the return on investment for the solar still with Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles was determined as having a payback period of up to 2.85 years, which was smaller than that of the still with typical water and other nanofluids. An independent sample t-test was conducted on the acquired results using the statistical software SPSS v26. The statistical significance was established through the obtained (two-tailed) test p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). Adding Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles to the base fluid considerably influences the performance of single-basin solar still. It improves system efficiency, and the findings of this study may be applied to develop sustainable techniques for purifying saltwater into freshwater. The results found that adding Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles to the base fluid significantly enhanced the solar still’s daily yield, evaporation, and condensation rates. Adding 0.3% Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles to the base fluid increased productivity by up to 23.7%.

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