Microbial recovery of metallic nanoparticles from industrial wastes and their environmental applications

"In recent years, metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have been produced by biological methods using bacteria and have been used with remarkable environmental applications. This paper emphasizes the basic aspects of microbial synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, from the selection of the strain to the settings of reaction parameters. Mechanisms involved in the microbial production of NPs are also discussed, summarizing general findings and implications in the process. There is also a section dedicated to the identification of wastes as a source of precious metals and the production of metallic NPs from waste streams containing ionic metals to give a vision of the opportunities to implement microbial synthesis as a treatment–recovery technology. Environmental applications of biogenic NPs are reviewed in detail indicating that the implementation of these nanomaterials enable the achievement of higher removal efficiencies and greater extent of transformation of recalcitrant compounds in wastewater treatment systems. Under this scenario and based on the information reviewed concluding remarks and futures perspectives are enunciated. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.