Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles

Green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles employs biological resources—plants, algae, bacteria or fungi—to reduce metal salts and stabilise the resulting nanostructures without hazardous chemicals or excessive energy input. Endogenous biomolecules such as proteins, polysaccharides and polyphenols act as both reducing and capping agents, enabling control over particle size, shape and surface chemistry under ambient conditions. Process parameters including pH, temperature and reactant concentration govern nucleation and growth, yielding nanoparticles of silver, gold, copper, iron and other metals with tailored properties. This eco-friendly approach aligns with circular economy principles by valorising agricultural and food-processing waste, and offers cost-effective routes to antimicrobial coatings, catalytic systems, targeted drug-delivery vehicles and environmental remediation agents. Ongoing efforts seek mechanistic insight, process standardisation and integration into sustainable manufacturing.

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Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Green synthesis: Eco-friendly production of nanoparticles using biological agents instead of chemical reagents.

Metallic nanoparticle: A particle of metallic element with dimensions typically between 1 and 100 nm, exhibiting unique size-dependent properties.

Reducing agent: Substance that donates electrons to metal ions, converting them into zero-valent metal atoms during nanoparticle formation.

Capping agent: Molecule that adsorbs onto nanoparticle surfaces to prevent aggregation and control growth, thus stabilising the colloid.

Surface plasmon resonance: Collective oscillation of conduction electrons in metallic nanoparticles upon light excitation, producing a characteristic absorption peak.

References

1. Microalgae with active biological metal-nanoparticles as a novel food. Biosynthesis, characterization and bioavailability investigation – Review. Trends in Food Science & Technology (2023).
2. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles with algae and the importance of capping agents in the process. Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (2021).
3. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using marine macroalgae Padina sp. and its antibacterial activity towards pathogenic bacteria. Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (2020).