[Mechanisms and applications of microbial synthesis of metal nanoparticles]

The rapid growth of electronic waste has led to the accumulation of large amounts of valuable metal elements in the environment, causing serious environmental pollution and resource wastage. Compared with pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes which often result in severe environmental pollution and carbon footprints, microbial synthesis of metal nanoparticles has emerged as a green and environmentally friendly metallurgical technology for recovering valuable metals from electronic waste. This paper first reviews the mechanisms of metal nanoparticle synthesis within different structural compartments of microbial cells. It then introduces the applications of microbially synthesized metal nanoparticles in fields such as environmental remediation, energy production, biocatalysis, and biomedicine. Finally, it discusses the development prospects of microbial synthesis of metal nanoparticles, including exploration of diverse microbial resources and synthesis pathways, yield enhancement, integration of new technologies, and industrialization, aiming to promote further research and application of microbial synthesis of metal nanoparticles.