Biopolymers: A comprehensive review

Biopolymers are compounds prepared by using various living organisms, including plants. These are composed of repeated units of the same or similar structure (monomers) linked together. Rubber, starch, cellulose, proteins and DNA, RNA, chitin, and peptides are some of the examples of natural biopolymers. Biopolymers are a diverse and remarkably versatile class of materials that are either produced by biological systems or synthesize from biological sources. Biopolymers are used in pharmaceutical industry and also in food industry.Naturally derived polymers are also used for conditioning benefits in hair and skin care. Biopolymers have various applications in medicine, food, packaging, and petroleum industries. This review article is focused on various aspects of biopolymers with a special emphasis on role of biopolymers in green nanotechnology and agriculture.

Innovative and Biocompatible Approaches for Nanomaterial Production and Application

The world is going green; hence, environmentally friendly practices that would conserve natural resources for the future generation are encouraged. As a consequence, the world is less concerned about the numerous applications of nanotechnology, especially in the health sector; rather, it is more concerned about the sustainability of functionalized nanomaterials. Thus, the future of nanotechnology depends on its ability to ‘go green'. Green nanotechnology attempts to synthesize improved, nontoxic, and biocompatible nanomaterials with sustainable benefits using eco-friendly materials. Although green nanotechnology is considered a sustainable, viable, and biocompatible approach to the production of eco-friendly nanomaterials, there are shortcomings especially in microbial handling and process optimization. In this chapter, the authors aim to appraise not only the use of biocompatible approaches for the synthesis of nanoparticles and/or nanomaterials but also their shortcomings.