Synthesis of metal nanoparticles in living plants

Abstract

In recent years, nanotechnologies have evolved from a multidisciplinary research concept to a primary scientific field. Rapid growth of new technologies has led to the development of nanoscale device components, advanced sensors, and novel biomimetic materials. In addition to chemical and physical approaches a new, simple and cheaper strategy to synthesize metal nanoparticles utilizes biological tools such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and plants. The majority of research has investigated ex vivo synthesis of nanoparticles in plants, proving that this method is very cost effective, and can therefore be used as an economic and valuable alternative for the large-scale production of metal nanoparticles. Instead, very few studies have been devoted to investigating the potential of living plants. The synthesis of metal nanoparticles using living plants is discussed in this review. So far, metal NPs formation in living plants has been observed for gold, silver, copper and zinc oxide. To date the results achieved demonstrate the feasibility of this process; however several aspects of the plant physiology involved should be clarified in order to be able to gain better control and modulate the formation of these new materials. Plant sciences could significantly contribute to fully exploring the potential of phyto-synthesis of metal nanoparticles.

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles in Photosynthetic Plants

“…These can be applied in food and other packaging, construction, and transportation vehicle body structures. Nanofertilizer, nanopesticides including nanoherbicides, nanocoating, and smart delivery system for plant nutrients are being used extensively in agriculture with several industries making formulations which contain 100-250 nm nanoparticles that are more soluble in water thus increasing their activity [39]. Nanofertilizers are able to synchronize the release of nutrients with their plant uptake, thus avoiding nutrient losses and reducing the risks of groundwater pollution.…”

Advances of nanotechnology in agro-environmental studies

“…This yields NPs for industrial use by growing plants in defined soils (Marchiol, 2012). For example, research has shown that alfalfa plants grown in gold rich soil absorb gold NPs through their roots and accumulates them in their tissues (Gardea-Torresdey et al, 2002).…”

Synthesis and Processing of Nanomaterials

“…It is probably notable to indicate that nanoparticle synthesis of gold, silver, and copper in particular has been observed and studied in a number of biomimetic or "green" synthesis regimes including bacteria (Anastas and Warner 2000), fungi (Ahmad et al 2003), and plants, where plant components uptake metal ions from the soil and produce small, colloidal, or neutral nanogold, copper, or silver crystals or polycrystal forms (MarChiol 2012;Das and Marsili 2010). In these processes the reduced, neutral metal nanoparticles can be recovered by simple combustion of the organic matrix.…”