Emerging developments in plant-based metal nanomaterials for diverse versatile applications - A review
Garima Rana, Vivek Kumar Dhiman, Syed Kashif Ali, Ankush Chauhan, Majid S. Jabir, Suresh Ghotekar
Abstract
The developments that have been made in nanoscience and nanotechnology have made a substantial contribution to the widespread use of nanomaterials that are based on metals across a wide range of scientific fields, institutes, and industries. The eco-friendly production of metal nanomaterials via plant derivatives has become crucial in sustainable materials science. This paper presents an overview of sustainable ways of synthesizing metal nanoparticles , focusing on their production from plant biomass through quick and eco-friendly techniques. The diversity of reduction mechanisms across many plant species, a neglected topic, is comprehensively examined. The study emphasizes the varied applications of green-synthesized metal nanoparticles in biomedicine, notably their remarkable antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic , cytotoxic, and photocatalytic applications, a growing interest. Plant extracts contain active biomolecules that act as reducing and capping/stabilizing agents; natural strains secrete these biomolecules. The low cost, ease of synthesis, and abundant resources make plant-based nanomaterial production attractive. Hence, this review comprehensively examines plant-mediated metal-based nanomaterials' synthesis, characterization methods, optimal conditions, and the influence of shape and size. The review clarifies contemporary advances in water treatment methodologies, particularly emphasizing the utilization of nanoparticles produced via eco-friendly approaches with the overarching objective of comprehensively understanding and tackling environmental issues. This review seeks to motivate individuals from various fields to investigate the potential of naturally generated metal nanoparticles in light of the limited data and increasing industrial demand, thereby advancing sustainable materials research. This review concentrates on plant-mediated metal-based nanomaterials for their biomedical (antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, and cytotoxicity) and environmental applications (photocatalytic applications). There are also multiple viewpoints on issues and future studies in this field that are addressed.