Biogenic nanomaterials: Synthesis, characterization, growth mechanism, and biomedical applications

The biosynthesis of nanomaterials is a huge and intensifying field of research due to their application in various areas, in particular the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. In this review, we focused on the biosynthesis of both metallic and semiconductor nanomaterials and their application in biomedicine and pharmaceutics. In order to meet an exponentially increasing need for nanostructured materials, the biological route for the synthesis of nanomaterials will have to be explored, offering advantages over chemical and physical methods as a simpler, more cost effective, and environmentally friendly method, and for which there is no need to use high pressure and temperatures or toxic chemicals. This review discusses in detail the potential role of bioreducing and capping/stabilizing agents in biosynthesis. This review also investigates the application of various biosynthetic nanomaterials as antimicrobial materials, in clinical detection, for drug delivery and wound-healing, and as anti-diabetic materials.