Cyanobacteria-Based Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Industrial Applications

Cyanobacteria are microscopic Gram-negative photoautotrophs present in fresh and marine water. They are mainly used as source of pigments in many industries. Nanoparticles synthesized from cyanobacteria are gaining interest in recent years. There are many physical and chemical methods for synthesizing nanoparticles, but these methods use toxic chemicals and are much more expensive. Green synthesis of nanoparticles from cyanobacteria is an eco-friendly approach synthesizing various nanoparticles with unique physical, chemical, and biological features. Cyanobacterial cell extract contains many biomolecules that help in the synthesis and stabilization of nanoparticles. Such biomolecules could be used to produce food, metabolites, and biodiesel products. They are also used as antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agents. In industry, nanoparticles synthesized from certain species of cyanobacteria are used as biofertilizers and biopesticides. They produce exopolysaccharides that decrease surface tension and help in oil recovery. They also help in the removal of dyes from industrial effluents. Moreover, cyanobacterial synthesized nanoparticles along their synthesis, can also accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoates that being biodegradable materials are used in pharmaceutical applications. In this chapter various methods to synthesize nanoparticles from cyanobacteria have been discussed along with their industrial applications.