Gold nanoparticles fabrication by plant extracts: synthesis, characterization, degradation of 4-nitrophenol from industrial wastewater, and insecticidal activity - A review

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) are being used in several research fields such as medical and environmental research, because they have unique biophysical properties, mainly owing to high accessible surface. Among several noble metal NPs, gold NPs (AuNPs) have received peculiar interest. Conventionally, AuNPs are synthesized using chemicals as reducing agents which later become considerable for various biological adverse effects due to their general toxicity, causing the serious concern to develop environmental friendly nanosynthesis routes. The green production of NPs using biological molecules derived from plant extracts demonstrated superiority over established chemical methods. These plant-based fabrication of NPs experience highly controlled assemblies making them great candidates for metal NPs fabrication. The present review focused on current knowledge on green synthesis processes proposed for the fabrication of AuNPs, showing how different botanical preparations can lead to the production of AuNPs with varying biophysical features, including controlled dimension and morphology. Furthermore, the potential of green synthesized AuNPs for removal of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) in industrial wastewater and insecticidal agents is discussed, shedding light on their mechanisms of action and the related non-target effects.