Biomaterials, Composites, and Nanotechnology: The Amazonian Potentialities

Pan-Amazonian biodiversity represents an unexplored source of high-value compounds and renewable raw materials, particularly from the many plant species of the Amazon Forest. Although the legal framework for Amazonian resource exploitation is grounded in sustainable management systems, generating a significant amount of plant residues remains unavoidable, creating opportunities to valorize them within circular economy frameworks. Amazonian biomass and its byproducts can provide both structural biopolymers and reinforcing materials (i.e., cellulose, starch, proteins, and fibers) and bioactive compounds (i.e., phenolic compounds, pigments, and essential oils). These compounds are valuable because of their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties; however, their application is often limited by chemical instability, low bioavailability, and susceptibility to processing and storage conditions. Innovative composites and micro- and nano-materials address these challenges, enabling applications in the food, cosmetic, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries. This review critically examines current approaches, emerging trends, and knowledge gaps in extracting, processing, and transforming Amazon resources into micro- or nano-structured biomaterials, demonstrating the relationships among their composition, material properties, the biological effects of bioactive compounds, and applications.