A review on biosynthesis of nanoparticles by marine organisms

Marine organisms produce remarkable nanofabricated structures in cell wall, shells, pearls and fish bones. Marine microorganisms such as bacteria (E. coli, Pseudomonas sp.), cyanobacteria (Spirulina platensis, Oscillatoria willei, Phormidium tenue), yeasts (Pichia capsulata, Rhodospiridium diobovatum), fungi (Thraustochytrium sp., Penicillium fellutanum, Aspergillus niger), and algae (Navicula atomus, Diadesmis gallica, Stauroneis sp. Sargassum wightii, Fucus vesiculosus) are reported to synthesize inorganic nanoparticles either inside or outside cells. Mangroves (Rhizophora mucronata, Xylocarpus mekongensis), salt marshes (Sesuvium portulacastrum and Suaeda sp.) and sand dune (Citrullus colocynthis) are also capable of synthesizing the nanoparticles, in addition to marine animals such as finfish and sponges. Biosynthesis of nanoparticles may be triggered by several compounds such as carbonyl groups, terpenoids, phenolics, flavonones, amines, amides, proteins, pigments, alkaloids and other reducing agents present in the biological extracts. Marine bio-nanotechnology has a great promise in nanomedicines, food stuff, pharmaceuticals and fabric industries for the future.

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► Marine organisms are known to produce metallic nanoparticles due to presence of varied reductants.
► There is a great scope to study marine biologically derived nanoparticles for their utility values.
► Marine bio-nanotechnology has a great promise in nanomedicines, food stuff, pharmaceuticals and fabric industries for the future.