From Pigment Chemistry to Nanomaterials: Fungal Pigments as Reducing and Stabilizing Agents in Green Nanoparticle Synthesis.

Authors

Akshay Chavan, Guruprasad Mavlankar, Umesh B Kakde, Laurent Dufossé, Sunil Kumar Deshmukh

Published in

Microorganisms. Volume 14. Issue 4. Mar 31, 2026. Epub Mar 31, 2026.

Abstract

Fungal pigments have gained attention as eco-friendly and versatile materials for green nanotechnology because of their varied chemical structures, inherent redox properties, and strong metal ion-binding capabilities. These pigments, such as polyketides, azaphilones, melanins, and carotenoids, can function simultaneously as reducing, capping, and surface-functionalizing agents, facilitating the environmentally friendly production of metallic nanoparticles without the use of harmful chemicals. This review provides a critical overview of recent progress in the production, extraction, and application of fungal pigments for nanoparticle synthesis, focusing on the mechanistic roles of pigment functional groups in metal ion reduction, nanoparticle nucleation, growth, and stabilization. The impact of pigment chemistry and reaction conditions on the nanoparticle size, shape, crystallinity, and colloidal stability was thoroughly examined. Additionally, this review highlights the emerging biomedical, environmental, and industrial applications of pigment-mediated nanoparticles, emphasizing their biocompatibility and functional adaptability. Key challenges, such as variability in pigment yield and composition, limited mechanistic validation, lack of standardized synthesis protocols, and insufficient toxicity assessment, are critically analyzed in this review. Finally, future directions are outlined, emphasizing the importance of process optimization, omics-guided pigment discovery, and comprehensive safety evaluations as crucial steps toward the scalable and reliable use of fungal pigment-mediated nanoparticle synthesis in sustainable nanotechnology.

PMID:
42075188
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Sep 2026.

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