Regulations and risk assessment of microbial green nanotechnology

© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Fabrication of nanomaterials obtained from microbial sources has been studied for application in several fields, such as medicine, environmental sciences, cosmetics, food industry, and catalysis. Physical and chemical approaches are utilized to synthetize nanoparticles; however, most of them require the use of hazardous solvents and generate toxic wastes, which have significant impact in the environment and entail high costs. Despite the advantages of using biological agents for nanoparticle production, regulation and risk assessment of these materials are in the infancy stage. This chapter describes the basic concepts of green synthesis of nanomaterials, life cycle, and environmental impact. Additionally, influencing factors related to the toxicity and performance of green nanomaterials and state of the art in global regulatory aspects are also addressed.