Abstract
Algae have long been exploited commercially and industrially as food, feed, additives, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizer, but now the trend is shifting towards the algae-mediated green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs). This trend is increasing day by day, as algae are a rich source of secondary metabolites, easy to cultivate, have fast growth, and are scalable. In recent era, green synthesis of NPs has gained widespread attention as a safe, simple, sustainable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly protocol. The secondary metabolites from algae reduce, cap, and stabilize the metal precursors to form metal, metal oxide, or bimetallic NPs. The NPs synthesis could either be intracellular or extracellular depending on the location of NPs synthesis and reducing agents. Among the diverse range of algae, the most widely investigated algae for the biosynthesis of NPs documented are brown, red, blue-green, micro and macro green algae. Due to the biocompatibility, safety and unique physico-chemical properties of NPs, the algal biosynthesized NPs have also been studied for their biomedical applications, which include anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancerous, anti-fouling, bioremediation, and biosensing activities. In this review, the rationale behind the algal-mediated biosynthesis of metallic, metallic oxide, and bimetallic NPs from various algae have been reviewed. Furthermore, an insight into the mechanism of biosynthesis of NPs from algae and their biomedical applications has been reviewed critically.
Highlights
The last few decades have witnessed accelerated development in the field of nanotechnology attributed to the exceptional physio-chemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) and associated nanomaterials
NPs synthesized from various green approaches are usually biocompatible and free from toxic chemicals entangled on their surfaces, because they do not use any external capping or reducing agents during the synthesis of NPs and show less toxicity than chemically synthesized NPs
AgNPs synthesized from Pithophora oedogonia aqueous extract have shown potential antibacterial activity against E. coli, Micrococcus luteus, S. aureus, B. subtilis, Vibrio cholerae, P. aeruginosa, and Shigella flexneri
Summary
The last few decades have witnessed accelerated development in the field of nanotechnology attributed to the exceptional physio-chemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) and associated nanomaterials. Synthesis of NPs of diverse sizes and shapes has underpinned great interest due to their novel properties as compared to their bulk counterparts. Consistency in the chemical, biochemical, and physicochemical properties of materials varies immensely at the nanoscale mainly due to the high aspect ratio of surface area to volume [3,4]. Determination of the e3xoafc3t6 morphological (size, shape, and particle distribution) and physico-chemical properties of NPs is very criticaTl hine tbhioeisrybnitohmeseisdiocfaNl aPpspclaicnabtieoncosn[2tr0o]l.leTdhebymvoasrticooums pmhoynsliycaelmfapcltooyrse,dsumchicraosspcoHp,iccotneccehnntirqautieosn uosfedmetotalfipnrdecuourstorthaendsizbeioa-enxdtramcto,rcpohnotlaocgtictiaml eproofpreeratcietisonofmNixPtusrein, celxupdoesutrraentsomainssyiolinghetlescoturorcne, maincdrotsecmoppeyr(aTtuErMe.),Tshceasnenfiancgtoerlseccotrnotnroml tihceronsucoclpeyat(iSoEnM, g)r,oawtothm, iacgfionrgc,eamggilcormosecroaptiyon(A, aFnMd)s,taanbdilihzaigtiho-n reosfoNluPtiso,nwtrhainchsminisstuiornneclaecntraolntemr tihcreosscizoep,ys(hHapRe-T, EanMd),carnydstaarlleineimtyploofytehdetsoydnettheersmiziende tNhePssiz[1e6a–n1d9]. D in their synthesis, and significant industrial/biomedical applications of these algae-mediated NPs. FFigiguurere. This review critically reviews the potential of algae-based biosynthesis of NPs, mechanisms involved in their synthesis, and significant industrial/biomedical applications of these algae-mediated NPs
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