Principles and practice of greener ionic liquid–nanoparticles biosystem

Abstract

The growing demand for advanced nanomaterials (NMs) has led to the development of safer, cost-effective, and bio-compliant synthesis methods for the nanoparticles (NPs) in compliance with stringent quality and environmental standards, particularly in the field of healthcare section. Conventional NPs preparation methods often fall short in terms of safety and environmental concerns, hindering their compatibility with modern biomedicine and biotechnology. In this context, ionic liquids (ILs) can play a pivotal role in the fabrication of NPs with precise morphologies and bioapplicability. The incorporation of ILs offers more efficient and environmentally friendly routes for the synthesis of NPs with deliberate control over their fundamental properties (e.g., in terms of surface morphology, functionalities, dispersibility, and size distribution). The use of ILs in bioactive NPs is often in line with the principles of green chemistry to help establish a fundamental strategy for biological applications. Here, a comprehensive review is offered to describe the perspectives of ILs-NPs (bio)systems with special emphasis on biotechnology and biomedicine. The design of useful and applicable ILs-NPs (bio)systems is proposed under the umbrella concept of green principles. Furthermore, the six principles of green ILs-NPs biosystems are outlined to meet the requirements of green chemistry. Finally, our discussions are extended to cover research gaps and future directions of ILs-NPs within the framework of sustainable development. This review highlights the promising role of ILs in advancing green chemistry practices with regard to the synthesis and application of NPs for the betterment of biotechnology and biomedicine.