Biomolecule silver nanoparticle-based materials for biomedical applications

Abstract

The biomedical properties of nanoparticulated silver have been widely studied in the last decade; however, still there are concerns regarding its long-term toxicity. Recent developments in nanoparticle fabrication and surface manipulation, using different biomolecules, have allowed the preparation of nontoxic nanosilver. Thus, nanosilver has been safely incorporated in a variety of regenerative templates for engineering of a number of tissues like the cornea, skin, and heart. In this chapter, some selected friendly synthetic routes for the preparation of biomolecule- capped silver nanoparticles will be discussed and presented. The main goal is to present a rationale for selecting a synthetic route for nanosilver that minimizes/avoids toxic side effects for biomaterial development.