Seaweed bioactive compounds: Promising and safe inputs for the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles in the food industry

Abstract

Scientific research on developing and characterizing eco-friendly metal nanoparticles (NPs) is an active area experiencing currently a systematic and continuous growth. A variety of physical, chemical and more recently biological methods can be used for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Among them, reports supporting the potential use of algae in the NPs green synthesis, contribute with only a minor proportion, although seaweed was demonstrated to perform as a successful reducing and stabilizing agent. Thus, the first part of the present review depicts the up-to-date information on the use of algae extracts for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles, including a deep discussion of the certain advantages as well as some limitations of this synthesis route. In the second part, the available characterization techniques to unravel their inherent properties such as specific size, shape, composition, morphology and dispersibility are comprehensively described, to finally focus on the factors affecting their applications, bioactivity, potential toxic impact on living organisms and incorporation into food matrices or food packaging, as well as future prospects. The present article identifies the key knowledge gap in a systematic way highlighting the critical next steps in the green synthesis of metal NPs mediated by algae.

Keywords:

• Bionanofactories
• renewable marine resources
• eco-friendly synthesis
• bioactivity
• toxicity
• food application

Acknowledgements

L.C., N.E.M. and A.G.-Z are members of the research career from the Argentinean Research Council (CONICET).

Authors' contributions

L.C. and A.G.-Z, conceptualization, literature search, formal analysis and writing of the manuscript (original draft). N.E.M., formal analysis, writing of the manuscript (original draft). A.G.-Z funding acquisition. L.C., N.E.M. and A.G.-Z., final revision of the manuscript (review and editing).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work has received funding from the Argentinean Agency for the Scientific and Technological Promotion [PICT startup (2016)/4808 and PICT(2017)/1344].