Open Access<p>Cyanobacteria – A Promising Platform in Green Nanotechnology: A Review on Nanoparticles Fabrication and Their Prospective Applications</p>
Author(s) -
Reham Samir Hamida,
Mohamed Abdelaal Ali,
Alya Redhwan,
Mashael Mohammed Bin-Meferij
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of nanomedicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.245
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1178-2013
pISSN - 1176-9114
DOI - 10.2147/ijn.s256134
Subject(s) - cyanobacteria , nanotechnology , nanoparticle , antifungal , materials science , nanomaterials , algae , biochemical engineering , chemistry , biology , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , engineering , genetics
Green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is a global ecofriendly method to develop and produce nanomaterials with unique biological, physical, and chemical properties. Recently, attention has shifted toward biological synthesis, owing to the disadvantages of physical and chemical synthesis, which include toxic yields, time and energy consumption, and high cost. Many natural sources are used in green fabrication processes, including yeasts, plants, fungi, actinomycetes, algae, and cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are among the most beneficial natural candidates used in the biosynthesis of NPs, due to their ability to accumulate heavy metals from their environment. They also contain a variety of bioactive compounds, such as pigments and enzymes, that may act as reducing and stabilizing agents. Cyanobacteria-mediated NPs have potential antibacterial, antifungal, antialgal, anticancer, and photocatalytic activities. The present review paper highlights the characteristics and applications in various fields of NPs produced by cyanobacteria-mediated synthesis.