Green synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plants

Abstract

In recent years, the development of efficient green chemistry methods for synthesis of metal nanoparticles has become a major focus of researchers. They have investigated in order to find an eco-friendly technique for production of well-characterized nanoparticles. One of the most considered methods is production of metal nanoparticles using organisms. Among these organisms plants seem to be the best candidates and they are suitable for large-scale biosynthesis of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles produced by plants are more stable and the rate of synthesis is faster than in the case of microorganisms. Moreover, the nanoparticles are more various in shape and size in comparison with those produced by other organisms. The advantages of using plant and plant-derived materials for biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles have interested researchers to investigate mechanisms of metal ions uptake and bioreduction by plants, and to understand the possible mechanism of metal nanoparticle formation in plants. In this review, most of the plants used in metal nanoparticle synthesis are shown. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.