ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology is an emerging branch of science utilizing technological advances of nanomaterials of size 1–100 nm. The nanotechnology in biomedical research and clinical practices emerged as nanomedicine that makes a major impact on human health. Nowadays, nanomaterials are increasingly used in therapeutics, diagnostics, theranostics, and targeted drug delivery due to their unique and specific function at the cellular, atomic, and molecular levels. Silver and silver containing compounds have been used as therapeutic agents since ages. With the pace of time, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have gained utmost position due to the wide range of pharmacological activities such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and antiviral, etc. AgNPs have traditionally been synthesized using wet chemical techniques, where the chemicals used are often toxic, produces by-products, expensive, and flammable. In this 276book chapter, ecofriendly, simple, and size/shape-controlled biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using seaweeds, algae, bacteria, and fungi has been described along with the plausible mechanism of AgNPs formation.
