Nanomicrobiology: Emerging Trends in Microbial Synthesis of Nanomaterials and Their Applications

• Published in: Journal of cluster science 2023-03, Vol.34 (2), p.639-664
• Main Authors: Tauseef, Atirah, Hisam, Fatima, Hussain, Touseef, Caruso, Aurore, Hussain, Kashif, Châtel, Amélie, Chénais, Benoît
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actinomycetes; Bacteria; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Bioremediation; Biotechnology; Catalysis; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Contaminants; Cost effectiveness; Cyanobacteria; E coli; Energy consumption; Environmental Sciences; Enzymes; Heavy metals; Inorganic Chemistry; Life Sciences; Literature reviews; Microorganisms; Nanochemistry; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Physiochemistry; Proteins; Quantum dots; Review Paper; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1040-7278; 1572-8862
• DOI: 10.1007/s10876-022-02256-z

Blossoming advancements and implementation of technologies in nanosciences have thrown open avenues for the nano-revolution, which divulge the contribution of microorganisms in bio and green synthesis of nanomaterials (NMs), which seemed to have drawn indisputable attention of researchers towards this new area of research. However, many approaches based on physiochemical methods are being implemented these days for nanoparticle synthesis. Microorganism-based biological approaches for the reduction of metals to corresponding nanoscale particles are frequently used for biological and medical applications due to their environmental friendliness, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and lack of chemical contaminants. Biological synthesis of various metallic NMs via different microorganisms such as bacteria, cyanobacteria, microalgae, fungi, yeasts, actinomycetes, and viruses are reported. This review highlights the literature found on the approaches to synthesize inorganic NMs by microorganisms, either through intracellular or extracellular pathways. It also presents several examples of the various biological applications of these NMs in the fields of agriculture, bioremediation, food industry, biotechnology and the vast biomedical sector (antibacterial, anticancer, cosmetic, drug delivery). Finally, the development of improved NMs bioproduction technology will open many new and exciting possibilities in the use of NMs in every sphere of life, which may become a boon to society.