Green Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles by Plants: Current Trends and Challenges

Abstract

Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have been widely used in a range of recent scientific and technological applications. They can be produced by conventional chemical synthesis or green synthesis methods. Green synthesis consists of a myriad of promising approaches for the production of MNPs with desired properties. Plants represent the most explored group of living organisms for the green synthesis of MNPs, and to date, hundreds of species have been used. However, several factors that should be taken into account when performing green synthesis of MNPs remain underestimated or unexplored. This chapter does not focus on any specific plant species or experimental conditions leading to the synthesis of MNPs since there are numerous recent publications reviewing the literature in this outstanding field. The present chapter instead focuses on the trends and challenges in MNPs synthesis using plants which include reproducibility, scale-up, predictability, and development of strategies for effective management of governance, regulatory, and compliance risks. Finally, the major aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of relevant concerns raised or neglected by the available scientific literature regarding the green synthesis of MNPs using plants.