**3.2 Types of nanomaterials used in biodegradation**

Different types of nanomaterials have been utilized in the biodegradation process. **Table 1** summarizes the specific types of nanomaterials and their applications. Commonly used biodegradable nanomaterials include zero-valent metals, metal oxides, metal sulfides, nano clay, nanocomposites, carbon-based nanomaterials,



#### *Novel Acumens into Biodegradation: Impact of Nanomaterials and Their Contribution DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98771*

**Table 1.**

**Figure 1.**

*Different types of nanomaterials widely used for biodegradation process.*

biopolymer-based nanomaterials, and nanofibrous materials (see **Figure 1**). These nanomaterials can be synthesized using two different ways; one is the laboratorymediated synthesis of nanoparticles (ex-situ) [29], and the other one is the in-situ synthesis of nanomaterials inside the microbes [62]. Besides, there could be another lineage of ex-situ synthesized nanomaterials, which are biodegradable in origin and mainly applied in the biomedical field as theragnostic agents [27]. After performing its' definite action including controlled drug delivery, imaging, implantation, tissue engineering) these nanomaterials undergo natural degradation upon the enzymatic attack inside the living cells [27].

However, the selection of the type of nanomaterial relies on the nature of the contaminants and the microorganism that mediates the biodegradation process [12].
