Green synthesized nanoparticles via plant extracts: present and potential applications

J.M. MEICHTRY; L. VITOLA; A. FERRERO; A.M. SENN; M.I. LITTER

Industrial Applications of Nanoparticles ? A Prospective Overview

Taylor and Francis

Año: 2023; p. 59 - 77

The use of plant extracts is attracting much attention as a simple, environmentally friendly route to obtain nanoparticles. These extracts are obtained by submerging leaves or peels, considered wastes of forestry and food industries, in aqueous or alcoholic solutions under mild temperature and pressure conditions; thus, the synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extracts can be considered a clear example of green chemistry since expensive and toxic compounds used as reducing and/or capping agents (i.e., sodium borohydride, hydrazine, etc.) are replaced by these biodegradable, low-cost extracts. In this chapter, silver (gAgNPs), gold (gAuNPs), and iron-based (gFeNPs) nanoparticles synthesis, characterization, and applications are reviewed. A summary of the different plant sources, chemical functional groups, compounds, and extraction conditions used to obtain the plant extracts, is also included. gAgNPs and gAuNPs are usually metallic, with Ag and Au in their zerovalent oxidation state, while gFeNPs are typically a mixture of oxides as magnetite and hematite or complexes with the extracts, although some reports indicate the presence of zerovalent iron. These green synthesized nanoparticles have applications in a wide range of fields, such as medicine, textile industry, biosensors, pollutants treatment, agriculture, catalysis, and energy storage.