Green-synthesized nanoparticles: the next frontier in the bioelectrochemical mitigation of pesticides

Abstract

Universal and equitable accessibility to clean and affordable drinking water is one of the sustainable goals established by the United Nations General Assembly to achieve the millennium development goals. However, the contamination of natural freshwater reservoirs by toxic agrochemicals like pesticides has reduced the availability of safe drinking water, necessitating the development of innovative mitigation approaches. Recently, bioinspired green NPs synthesized using biological entities have evolved as a sustainable choice for the catalytic degradation of a broad spectrum of recalcitrant emerging pollutants due to their conducive properties and cost-effectiveness. In this regard, the present review comprehensively examines the potential application of green nanoparticles (NPs) in (bio)electrochemical systems for the effective mineralisation of pesticides. Pesticide removal in the range of 79.3% to 100.0% has been reported using green NPs, while a power density up to 4.7 W m⁻³ has been attained in (bio)electrochemical systems. This study further highlights the antibacterial properties of green NPs, offering potential applications in the agricultural, environmental and biomedical fields. This review also highlights the environmental impacts and sustainability of green NPs, along with their critical limitations, particularly in the context of (bio)electrochemical systems. Ultimately, plausible strategies to overcome the impending challenges in green synthesis techniques have been outlined as a future perspective that will aid in standardising and streamlining these novel synthesis procedures.