A review on phytochemical mediated synthesis of nanoparticles through fruits and vegetables extract and their potential applications

Vegetables and fruits waste extracts are becoming increasingly popular due to their accessibility, affordability and high concentration of bioactive compounds in environmentally friendly nanoparticle biosynthesis. This is mainly because it utilizes natural sources and helps to reduce bio-waste. The current review is an effort to investigate the use of these extracts as reducing, capping and stabilizing agents in the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. The presented work critically reviews different phytochemical compositions present in fruits and vegetables waste extract and their functioning in the synthesis of nanoparticles. These nanoparticles synthesized by the environmentally friendly method have shown potential applications in a variety of fields. Further, their applications are also reviewed in this study. It is found that the extract made up of Ailanthus altissima fruit as well as the peels waste of lemons and mandarins yields a significant amount of zinc oxide and silver nanoparticles. These nanoparticles effectively interact with viruses, cancer cells, and environmental pollutants. Therefore, these nanoparticles might be a promising candidate for environmental and medical applications. Furthermore, the nanoparticles synthesized through Sterculia acuminata, tangerine peels, and cauliflower waste are useful for eliminating heavy metals and degrading organic dyes. Therefore, it can be concluded that the potential of synthesized nanoparticles derived from fruit and vegetable waste addresses the environmental issues and also propels improvements in environmental remediation and healthcare.