Recent advancements on plant mediated fabrication of zinc chalcogenide nanomaterials for environmental and therapeutic applications

Plant-mediated synthesis of zinc chalcogenides (ZnX; X = S, Se, and Te) are emerging as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical routes with enhanced functionality for diverse technological applications. This review critically examines the synthesis, formation mechanisms, physicochemical characteristics, and emerging applications of plant-mediated zinc chalcogenide nanomaterials in the field of environmental remediation and therapeutics, with particular emphasis on the role of phytochemicals as reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents. The reviewed studies demonstrated that the plant-mediated approaches enabled the production of ZnS, ZnSe, and ZnTe nanoparticles often with controlled morphology, improved biocompatibility, and reduced environmental impact compared with traditional synthetic methods. Such fabrication approach also afforded a scope for structural defect engineering and band gap modulation that significantly modified their optoelectronic properties and surface reactivity. Thus, these tailored properties have made them appreciably suitable for the photodecomposition of pollutants, environmental monitoring as well as proficient in antimicrobial and anti-tumour applications. However, significant limitations remain, including variability in plant extract composition, poor reproducibility, inadequate mechanistic understanding, challenges in large-scale production, scarcity of standardized synthesis protocols and biosafety issues. The novelty of this review lies in providing the first comprehensive and comparative assessment of plant-mediated zinc chalcogenides, integrating synthesis strategies, phytochemical mechanisms, structure–property relationships, biohazard concerns, current challenges and future prospects. By highlighting the current knowledge gaps and standardization problems, this review provides a roadmap for the development of reproducible, scalable, and sustainable nanotechnology