Introduction to Bioinspired Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials (NMs) developed using biomolecules display numerous advantages which attract the science community to explore them for a wide range of applications. In this line, bio-scaffolds are studied as templates to form nano-bio heterojunctions in the nano confined materials. With the high flexibility of biomediated NMs, it is possible to develop desired size and shape selective NMs. Such bio-based NMs have great benefits in wide areas including catalysis, sensors and energy related applications particularly, electrocatalysis, supercapacitor, batteries etc. The viability of bio-scaffolds in developing metal superstructures makes them better choice in the medicinal fields. This book chapter mainly focused on the advantageous and challenges of bioinspired NMs in the medicinal field, particularly in drug delivery systems. Moreover, the synthetic methods such as enzyme catalyzed wet-chemical route, photo-irradiation and incubation methods were also discussed in detail. Also, this chapter gives a better understanding to the readers about the development of new nano-bio heterojunctions for medicine, energy and environmental fields. Moreover, the morphological features of nano-bio interactions at nanoscale level show predominant activity particularly in Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and sensor applications. With the knowledge gained from this chapter, in futuristic, one can go for the development of new metal nanostructures with different bio-scaffolds such as microorganisms, viruses, DNA and protein to mainstream applications for the medicinal fields.

Bio-Mediated Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Fluorescence Sensors

The nature deeds alike a hefty “bio-laboratory” embracing of plants, algae, fungi, yeast etc. which are poised of biomolecules. These indeed befalling biomolecules must stood notorious to play an active role in the establishment of nanoparticles through diverse shapes and sizes thus acting as a driving force intended for the scheming of greener, safe and environmentally benign protocols for the synthesis of nanoparticles. The contemporary chapter targets the proportional biogenic synthesis and mechanisms of nanoparticles using biomolecules. The practice of biomolecules not only diminishes the price of synthesis but also curtails the need of using hazardous chemicals and arouses ‘green synthesis’. It also emphases on aspects of binding of biomolecules to nanoparticles and certain of the applications of the biosynthesized nanoparticles as sensor for cations, anions and also biosensors.

Bio-Mediated Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Packaging Applications

Change in lifestyle of humans in this present generation with huge dependence on packaging materials has encouraged several studies on development of new variety of packaging materials. Emphasis on replacement of existing non-biodegradable packaging materials with biodegradable materials paved the way for the use of biopolymers. Lack of properties, such as thermal stability and mechanical strength in biopolymers led to the development of biopolymer nanocomposites by adding metal/metal oxide nanoparticles as fillers into the biopolymers. Metal/metal oxide nanoparticles improve mechanical/tensile strength, thermal stability as well as antimicrobial properties of the binding and receiving polymer matrix. Bio-mediated synthesis of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles result in the development of novel packaging materials at a low cost and without releasing hazardous wastes into the environments. Novel packaging materials with metal/metal oxide nanoparticles as additives are capable of increasing the shelf life of food, in certain cases they act as indicators of quality food inside the package. Summarily, this present chapter focuses on bio-mediated synthesis of various metal/metal oxide nanoparticles and their applications in food packaging.

Bio-Mediated Synthesis of Quantum Dots for Fluorescent Biosensing and Bio-Imaging Applications

Quantum dots (QDs) have received great attention for development of novel fluorescent nanoprobe with tunable colors towards the near-infrared (NIR) region because of their unique optical and electronic properties such as luminescence characteristics, wide range, continuous absorption spectra and narrow emission spectra with high light stability. Quantum dots are promising materials for biosensing and single molecular bio-imaging application due to their excellent photophysical properties such as strong brightness and resistance to photobleaching. However, the use of quantum dots in biomedical applications is limited due to their toxicity. Recently, the development of novel and safe alternative method, the biomediated greener approach is one of the best aspects for synthesis of quantum dots. In this Chapter, biomediated synthesis of quantum dots by living organisms and biomimetic systems were highlighted. Quantum dots based fluorescent probes utilizing resonance energy transfer (RET), especially Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) to probe biological phenomena were discussed. In addition, quantum dot nanocomposites are promising ultrasensitive bioimaging probe for in vivo multicolor, multimodal, multiplex and NIR deep tissue imaging. Finally, this chapter provides a conclusion with future perspectives of this field.

Bio-Mediated Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Sensor Applications

The bio-mediated nanomaterials have expected growing responsiveness due to an increasing requirement to develop naturally nonthreatening technologies in nanomaterial synthesis. Biotic ways to prepare nanomaterials through extracts from the plant (includes stems, leaves, flowers, and roots) and microorganisms were recommended as likely replacements for physical and chemical routes due to their solvent medium and environment eco-friendliness and nontoxicity. This chapter focuses on electrocatalyst prepared by various bio-mediated synthetic ways and used as a green and eco-friendly electrocatalyst to recognize extensive chemical and biologically essential molecules with improved selectivity and sensitivity with low detection limit. The bio-mediated nanocomposite formation processes and their unique properties surface functionalization and electron transfer mechanism discussed in connection with the design and fabrication of sensors. As a final point, the encounters and prospects in developing bio-mediated nanomaterials-based electrochemical sensing technology was outlined.

Bioinspired Metal Nanoparticles for Microbicidal Activity

The broad reception for nanotechnology is due to their appreciable size and versatile applications in the interdisciplinary areas. In this modern era one of the major problems is microorganisms possessing antibiotic resistance, nanoparticles (NPs) are a lucrative option to solve this. In materials science, “green synthesis” has gained extensive attention as a reliable, sustainable, and eco-friendly protocol for synthesizing a wide range of materials, especially metals, and metal oxides nanomaterials, hybrid materials and bioinspired materials. As such, green synthesis is regarded as an important tool to reduce the destructive effects associated with the traditional methods for synthesis of nanoparticles commonly utilized in laboratory and industry. Bio-inspired NPs held edges over conventionally synthesized nanoparticles due to their low cost, easy synthesis and low toxicity. This chapter elaborates the developments on the biosynthesis of NPs using natural extracts with particular emphasis on their application as microbiocidal agents. This chapter has very specifically dealt with coinage metals such as Cu, Ag, Au due to their significance of antimicrobial activities. Succeeding, reported the developments in the synthetic methodologies of metal-oxide (Titanium dioxide, TiO2) nanoparticles using novel plant extracts with high medicinal value and their corresponding ability to degrade bacterial pathogens through advanced oxidation process (AOPs) based on heterogeneous photocatalysis.

Bioinspired Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery

Over the preceding few decades therapeutic/drug delivery systems were explored and investigated as a tactic to advance the efficiency and safety of therapeutic agents for various biomedical applications. Nano-engineering on the various biomaterials are reported and are under investigation to enhance the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of many drugs, with proven enhancements in terms of objective facility, therapeutic efficacy, reduction in dosing frequency and associated drug side effects. Bioinspired materials from various sources (biomass, plants, animals, cells, biotechnology interventions) are of great interest with additive advantages over synthetic materials in terms of biocompatibility, biodegradation, nontoxicity, non-immunogenic and are cost effective systems. Bioinspired nano platforms are proceeding round the world to contrive novel drug delivery carriers using different strategies. This chapter encompasses encroachments in the diverse types of bioinspired polymers and their nano delivery systems. Comprehensive evidence is also concise on delivery systems morphological, biological functionalities from respectively material and their potentialities as persuasive carriers for drug delivery systems.

Bio-Mediated Synthesis of Metal Nanomaterials for SERS Application

The discovery of nanomaterials (NMs) caused a great revolution in the field of science especially in material science. The highly exotic and tunable size and shape of NMs have devoted more interest due to their unique physiochemical properties. There are various methods and methodologies involved to prepare NMs in a desired morphology. Among these, the fabrication of bio-molecules mediated NMs are highly attractive because their size and shape can be easily tuned by simple, eco-friendly and reliable way. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is considered to be one of the most promising and well-studied bio-molecule in the fabrication of various types of NMs. The rich functionalities with the double-helix structure of DNA facilitate to accommodate a higher number of metal ions on its surface and results in perfect chain-like nano-assemblies. Moreover, the DNA mediated NMs can be highly useful for the Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) studies with appropriate analytes. The SERS technique provides the fingerprint information of the analyte molecules even at very low concentration (such as even in ppm levels). The SERS intensity is greatly influenced by the size and shape of the NMs prepared using DNA scaffolds due to their assembly in a close proximity and generation of higher number of ‘hot spots’. In this present book chapter, we elaborated the numerous methodologies involved for the synthesis of DNA-based NMs considering their size, shapes, and also highlighted the possible mechanism involved for their growth with DNA scaffolds. In-addition, the possible application of DNA mediated NMs towards SERS studies has also been detailed in this book chapter.