Prospects and environmental sustainability of phyconanotechnology: A review on algae-mediated metal nanoparticles synthesis and mechanism

Sook Sin Chan; Sze Shin Low; Kit Wayne Chew; Tau Chuan Ling; Jörg Rinklebe; Joon Ching Juan; Eng Poh Ng; Pau Loke Show

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113140

Prospects and environmental sustainability of phyconanotechnology: A review on algae-mediated metal nanoparticles synthesis and mechanism

Environ Res. 2022 Sep;212(Pt A):113140. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113140. Epub 2022 Mar 18.

Authors

Sook Sin Chan¹, Sze Shin Low², Kit Wayne Chew³, Tau Chuan Ling¹, Jörg Rinklebe⁴, Joon Ching Juan⁵, Eng Poh Ng⁶, Pau Loke Show⁷

Affiliations

¹ Institut Sains Biologi, Fakulti Sains, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
² Research Centre of Life Science and HealthCare, China Beacons Institute, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo, 315100, Zhejiang, China.
³ School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, China.
⁴ University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany.
⁵ Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁶ School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
⁷ Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Electronic address: PauLoke.Show@nottingham.edu.my.

PMID: 35314164
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113140

Abstract

In recent years, researchers have proven that the employment of natural green components in the biogenesis of nanoparticles from microalgae species is one of the ways to delight the global environment issues. The application of nanotechnology with the exploitation of phycochemical produced from algae species is known as 'phyconanotechnology'. The use of biological compounds by microalgae as reducing agents for the synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles has shown promising results such as cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Different classifications of algae such as brown algae, red algae, green algae, and cyanobacteria are studied for the synthesis of different types of metal nanoparticles. It is also an important motive to acknowledge the mechanisms of the microalgae-mediated biosynthesis of nanoparticles via an intracellular pathway or extracellular pathway. Besides, microalgae species as biogenic sources preclude the use of conventional methods reagents, such as sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), which further consolidates their position as the best choice for sustainable (economically and environmentally) nanoparticle synthesis compared to the conventional nanoparticles synthesis pathway.

Keywords: Bioprocessing; Biosynthesis; Metal nanoparticles; Microalgae; Phyconanotechnology; Reproducibility.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cyanobacteria* / metabolism
Metal Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Microalgae* / metabolism
Nanotechnology / methods
Plants