Nanomaterials (NMs) are gaining significance in technological applications due to their tunable chemical, physical, and mechanical properties and enhanced performance when compared with their bulkier counterparts. This review presents a summary of the general types of NMs and provides an overview of the various synthesis methods of nanoparticles (NPs) and their functionalization via covalent or noncovalent interactions using different methods. It highlights the techniques used for the characterization of NPs and discusses their physical and chemical properties. Due to their unique properties, NMs have several applications and have become part of our daily lives. As a result, nanotoxicity research is gaining attention since some NPs are not easily degraded by the environment. Thus, this review also highlights research efforts into the fate, behavior, and toxicity of different classes of NMs in the environment.

纳米材料（NMs）与较大的同类材料相比，由于其可调节的化学，物理和机械性能以及增强的性能，在技术应用中正变得越来越重要。这篇综述介绍了NMs的一般类型，并概述了纳米颗粒（NPs）的各种合成方法及其使用不同方法通过共价或非共价相互作用的功能化。它着重介绍了用于表征NP的技术，并讨论了其物理和化学性质。由于其独特的性能，NMs具有多种应用，并已成为我们日常生活的一部分。结果，由于一些NP不容易被环境降解，因此纳米毒性研究受到关注。因此，这篇评论也突出了对命运的研究工作，