Green Nanoparticle Production and Its Potential Applications

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a very new and growing technology with numerous uses. It entails the production and utilisation of materials with dimensions ranging from 1 to 100 nm. Nowadays, a wide range of physicochemical techniques are employed to synthesise nanoparticles (NPs). However, biogenic reduction of metal precursors to produce matching NPs is more environmentally friendly, less expensive, and free of chemical impurities for medical and biological applications where NP purity is critical. Biogenic reduction, like chemical reduction, is a "Bottom Up" technique in which a reducing agent is replaced by an extract of a natural substance with inherent stabilising, growth terminating, and capping capabilities. Furthermore, the size and shape of NPs are influenced by the nature of biological entities in varied concentrations in combination with reducing chemical agents. The current review focuses on the green synthesis of Ag, Au, Cu, Fe, Pd, Ru, PbS, CdS, CuO, CeO2, Fe3O4, TiO2, and ZnO NPs using microorganisms or plants, as well as their prospective applications.