An Overview of the Algae-Mediated Biosynthesis of Nanoparticles and Their Biomedical Applications
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biomolecules Review An Overview of the Algae-Mediated Biosynthesis of Nanoparticles and Their Biomedical Applications 1, 1, 1, 2,3 Rimsha Chaudhary y, Khadija Nawaz y, Amna Komal Khan y, Christophe Hano , Bilal Haider Abbasi 3,4 and Sumaira Anjum 1,* 1 Department of Biotechnology, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; [email protected] (R.C.); [email protected] (K.N.); [email protected] (A.K.K.) 2 Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures (LBLGC), INRAE USC1328, Université d’Orléans, 28000 Chartres, France; [email protected] 3 Le Studium—Institute for Advanced Studies, 1 Rue Dupanloup, 45000 Orléans, France; [email protected] 4 Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 54000, Pakistan * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +92-300-6957038 These authors contribute equally. y Received: 19 September 2020; Accepted: 27 October 2020; Published: 30 October 2020 Abstract: Algae have long been exploited commercially and industrially as food, feed, additives, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizer, but now the trend is shifting towards the algae-mediated green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs). This trend is increasing day by day, as algae are a rich source of secondary metabolites, easy to cultivate, have fast growth, and are scalable. In recent era, green synthesis of NPs has gained widespread attention as a safe, simple, sustainable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly protocol. The secondary metabolites from algae reduce, cap, and stabilize the metal precursors to form metal, metal oxide, or bimetallic NPs. The NPs synthesis could either be intracellular or extracellular depending on the location of NPs synthesis and reducing agents. Among the diverse range of algae, the most widely investigated algae for the biosynthesis of NPs documented are brown, red, blue-green, micro and macro green algae. Due to the biocompatibility, safety and unique physico-chemical properties of NPs, the algal biosynthesized NPs have also been studied for their biomedical applications, which include anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancerous, anti-fouling, bioremediation, and biosensing activities. In this review, the rationale behind the algal-mediated biosynthesis of metallic, metallic oxide, and bimetallic NPs from various algae have been reviewed. Furthermore, an insight into the mechanism of biosynthesis of NPs from algae and their biomedical applications has been reviewed critically. Keywords: algae; green synthesis; nanoparticles; iomedical applications 1. Introduction The last few decades have witnessed accelerated development in the field of nanotechnology attributed to the exceptional physio-chemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) and associated nanomaterials. Nanotechnology has infiltrated almost every discipline of science to create novel alternatives aimed at solving different research-related bottlenecks [1]. The origin of nanobiotechnology is the fabrication of nanoscale particles by virtue of biological moieties that can influence the physical characteristics of NPs [2]. Synthesis of NPs of diverse sizes and shapes has underpinned great interest due to their novel properties as compared to their bulk counterparts. Consistency in the chemical, biochemical, and physicochemical properties of materials varies immensely at the nanoscale mainly due to the high aspect ratio of surface area to volume [3,4]. This leads to considerable differences Biomolecules 2020, 10, 1498; doi:10.3390/biom10111498 www.mdpi.com/journal/biomolecules Biomolecules 2020, 10, 1498 2 of 36 Biomolecules 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 37 in mechanical properties, melting point, optical absorption, thermal, electrical conductivity, biological, andelectrical catalytic conductivity, activities [ 5biological,]. NPs bridge and thecatalytic gap between activities bulk [5]. materialsNPs brid andge the atomic gap orbetween molecular bulk structures.materials NPsand atomic usually or ranging molecular in size structures. from 1 to NPs 100 nmusually and haveranging been in classifiedsize from on 1 to the 100 basis nm of and origin, have dimensions,been classified and on structural the basis configurations, of origin, dimensions, as shown and in Figure structural1[6]. configurations, as shown in Figure 1 [6]. FigureFigure 1. 1.NPs NPs (nanoparticles; (nanoparticles; usually usually ranging ranging in in size size from from 1 1 to to 100 100 nm) nm) classification classification on on the the basis basis of of origin,origin, dimensions, dimensions, and and structural structural configurations. configurations. DueDue to to unique unique morphological morphological (shape, (shape, size, size, and and charge charge distribution) distribution) and and physico-chemical physico-chemical propertiesproperties of of NPs, NPs, they they find find applications applications in in almost almost every every discipline discipline of of science, science, like like space, space, energy,energy, defense,defense, communication, communication, biomedicine, biomedicine, and and agriculture. agriculture. UseUse ofof NPs NPs in in disease disease diagnosis, diagnosis, imaging, imaging, treatment,treatment, drug drug delivery, delivery, tissue tissue engineering, engineering, and and cancer canc therapeuticser therapeutics is also is also increasing increasing tremendously tremendously [7]. However,[7]. However, application application of NPs of NPs in biological in biological entities, entities, especially especially humans, humans, is veryis very critical, critical, and and the the NPs NPs usedused in biomedicalin biomedical applications applications should should preferably preferably be from greenbe from sources green [8]. Takingsources into [8]. consideration Taking into variousconsideration factors, various such as factors, biocompatibility, such as biocompatibility, bioavailability, bioavailability, bio-distribution, bio-distribution, and most importantly and most biosafetyimportantly of NPs, biosafety the current of NPs, trend the ofcurrent synthesis trend of of NPs synthesis is moving of NPs towards is moving the safer towards side [ 9the]. safer side [9]. NPs are mostly synthesized by physical and chemical methods such laser ablation, mechanical milling,NPs electro are mostly explosion, synthesized and sol-gel, by butphysical they are and hazardous chemical for methods environmental such laser and ablation, human healthmechanical [10]. Themilling, trend electro to synthesize explosion, NPs and from sol-gel, alternative, but they environmentally are hazardous for safe, environmental cost-effective, and and human non-toxic health green[10]. The methods trend isto increasing synthesize[ NPs11]. from Organisms alternative, such asenvironmentally algae, fungi, bacteria, safe, cost-effective, and plants and allow non-toxic green synthesisgreen methods of NPs is that increasing are free [11]. from Organisms impurities such [12, 13as]. algae, These fungi, biological bacteria, systems and plants possess allow various green biologicalsynthesis entitiesof NPs whichthat are behave free from as both impurities reducing [12,13]. and cappingThese biological agents in systems NP generation, possess various either intracellularlybiological entities or extracellularly which behave [14 as]. both Proteins, reducing peptides, and capping and functional agents groupsin NP generation, (carbonyl, thiol,either hydroxyl,intracellularly and amine) or extracellularly present in biological [14]. Proteins, entities peptides, reduce precursor and functional salt into groups NPs called (carbonyl, reducing thiol, or stabilizinghydroxyl, agentsand amine) [15]. present They cap in andbiological stabilize entities NPs atreduce the same precursor time, hencesalt into this NPs type called of synthesis reducing is or relativelystabilizing simple, agents reproducible, [15]. They cap and and stable stabilize [9]. NPs at the same time, hence this type of synthesis is relatively simple, reproducible, and stable [9]. The biosynthesis of NPs can be controlled by various physical factors, such as pH, concentration of metal precursor and bio-extract, contact time of reaction mixture, exposure to any light source, and Biomolecules 2020, 10, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/biomolecules Biomolecules 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 37 temperature. These factors control the nucleation, growth, aging, agglomeration, and stabilization of NPs, which in turn can alter the size, shape, and crystallinity of the synthesized NPs [16–19]. After synthesis of NPs, they are subjected to various microscopic and spectroscopic characterization techniquesBiomolecules 2020to ,find10, 1498 out their unique physico-chemical characteristics. Determination of the exact3 of 36 morphological (size, shape, and particle distribution) and physico-chemical properties of NPs is very criticalThe in their biosynthesis biomedical of NPs applications can be controlled [20]. The by most various commonly physical employed factors, such microscopic as pH, concentration techniques usedof metal to find precursor out the and size bio-extract, and morphological contact time pr ofoperties reaction of mixture, NPs include exposure transmission to any light electron source, microscopyand temperature. (TEM), These scanning factors electron control microscopy the nucleation, (SEM), growth, atomic aging, force agglomeration, microscopy (AFM), and stabilization and high- resolutionof NPs, which transmission in turn electron can alter microscopy the size, shape, (HR-TEM), and crystallinityand