Biogenic Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles
Summary
Biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles harnesses the reducing and stabilising power of biological agents—microorganisms, plant extracts or enzymes—to convert silver ions into nanoscale metallic particles under mild conditions. This green approach offers distinct advantages over conventional chemical or physical methods, including lower energy requirements, reduced use of toxic reagents and generation of biocompatible surface coatings derived from natural biomolecules. Control over nanoparticle size, shape and surface chemistry is achieved by modulating parameters such as pH, temperature, precursor concentration and the identity of the biological mediator. The resulting silver nanoparticles display unique optical, catalytic and antimicrobial properties owing to their high surface‐to‐volume ratio and the phenomenon of localized surface plasmon resonance. In recent years, advances in enzymatic routes, fungal filtrates and bacterial cultures have improved yield, monodispersity and functional performance. The broad spectrum of applications spans antimicrobial coatings in medicine and agriculture, catalytic reduction of environmental pollutants, anticancer therapies and integration into advanced materials for sensing and photonic devices. This field continues to evolve through interdisciplinary efforts that link microbiology, materials science and nanotechnology to meet global demands for sustainable nanomanufacturing.
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Biogenic Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Localized surface plasmon resonance: Collective oscillation of conduction electrons in metallic nanoparticles upon light excitation, leading to strong optical absorption.
Bioreduction: Enzymatic or biomolecule-mediated chemical reduction of metal ions to form zero-valent metal nanoparticles.
Zeta potential: Electrostatic potential at the slipping plane of a particle in suspension, indicative of colloidal stability.
Monodispersity: Uniformity in size and shape among nanoparticles within a given preparation.
References
- 1,4-α-Glucosidase from Fusarium solani for Controllable Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Multifunctional Applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Green synthesized silver nanoparticles mediated by Fusarium nygamai isolate AJTYC1: characterizations, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and photocatalytic activities and cytogenetic effects. Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2023).
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