Utilization of Algae for the Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Applications

Abstract

This study aims to provide an overview of silver nanoparticles and their applications. Among the many applications for nanoparticles, nanoparticle synthesis is a particularly appealing research issue. Silver nanoparticle synthesis is an emerging field due to its wide applications in different fields. Silver nanoparticles are manufactured using a variety of processes, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. Physical and chemical procedures are both expensive and dangerous. As a result, biological procedure is considered cleanest and safest as no toxic chemicals are used in this. The biological procedure includes the use of microbes, algae, and plant extract for the nanoparticle synthesis. Algal-mediated biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles is easy, nontoxic, environmentally friendly, and requires less time. Algae have the high capacity to take metals and reduce metal ions apart from their wider distribution and abundant availability. Algae can help in mass scale production of nanoparticles at a low cost. Several physical factors such as algal extract concentration, the effect of pH, time, and temperature controlled the formation and stabilization of silver nanoparticles. AgNPs are important because of their antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, and wound-healing activities. Algal-synthesized AgNPs are increasingly being used in biomedicine. Targeted drug delivery techniques employ silver nanoparticles. The benefit of wound healing by silver nanoparticles includes cytokine release, which inhibits mast cell infiltration and so acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Nanoparticles maintain electrical and optical features that can be applied to biosensors. The high-quality production of algae-mediated silver nanoparticles will enhance the properties and usefulness of AgNPs for commercial use. Silver nanoparticles boost membrane permeability and generate a hole in <i>E. coli</i> bacteria's cell wall. This review highlighted the wide applications of silver nanoparticles in the field of medicines, therapeutics, cosmetics, biosensors, etc. and their different methods of synthesis.