Authors : Prafulla Katkar, Shafi Sheikh and Sandip Ghuge
Page Nos : 90-98
Description :
Bio-nanotechnology explores a variety of promising approaches in the area of material sciences on a molecular level and is of leading interest in the world of science. It deals with the fusion of biology and nanotechnology based on the principles and chemical pathways of living organisms, and refers to the functional applications of biomolecules in nanotechnology. A vast array of biological resources available in nature including plants and plant products, algae, fungi, yeast, bacteria, viruses could all be employed for synthesis of nanoparticles. Bio-based methods are more useful for the production of highly stable, well characterized and safer nanoparticles than the chemical methods, which are usually not environmental friendly, less stable and not easy to scale up. Microorganisms produce nanomaterials as part of their metabolism and hence, can be utilized for various applications discussed in this review. The microbes reproduce fast; therefore this characteristic can be well exploited for their use in various aspects. Their use in various applications is well known to everyone in the field of biological sciences. Bacteria, due to high growth rate, are useful tools in the production of NPs and their application in nanobiotechnology is expanding. However, generation of nanoparticles through chemical method is very tedious; whereas, through microbes it is a fast and an eco-friendly approach. These can further be useful in various industrial, as well as many biomedical applications. The large-scale synthesis of NPs using bacteria is interesting because it does not need any hazardous, toxic, and expensive chemical materials for synthesis and stabilization processes. It seems that by optimizing their action conditions and selecting the best bacteria, these natural nanofactories can be used in the synthesis of stable NPs with well-defined sizes, morphologies, and compositions.
