Biological synthesis of nanoparticles and their applications in bioremediation: a mini-review

Abstract

On an annual basis, around a million tons of toxic chemical compounds are released by process industries. The high variability in the physical and chemical properties of these chemical compounds, their cytotoxicity, and numerous interactions with biotic and abiotic environmental factors, i.e., microorganisms, plants, animals, water, organic matter, etc., have complicated the performance of remediation technologies. In recent years, nanomaterials have been integrated with biological processes to speed up and promote the removal of toxic compounds from the environment. The use of nanoparticles with biotechnology could advance remediation capabilities, avoiding process intermediates, and escalating the speed of degradation. Biosurfactants are one such green compounds that are considered novel enhancers for the synthesis of nanoparticles as they are non-toxic and environmentally benign. In the stabilization of nanoparticles, biosurfactants have shown favorable results. The biosurfactant has a significant role in the reduction of the metal precursor, as well as in nanoparticle stabilization. In this review, we discuss nanoparticle production from biological and biosurfactant-mediated synthesis, biosurfactant production from a non-pathogenic bacterium, and the use of nanoparticles for the bioremediation of contaminants. Besides, we discuss the parameters that influence the interactions of nanoparticles with biota and contaminants.