Nanoparticles draw larger attention in the latest years due to their versatile chemical, optical, electrical and magnetic properties. The metal oxide nanoparticles i.e zinc oxide, copper oxide, and titanium dioxide showed potential applications as photocatalyst, sensors and luminescent material for optoelectronic devices. The properties of such metal oxide nanoparticles are size and shape dependent. The synthesis route i.e chemical or green, selection of precursor, stabilizing material and operating temperature conditions affects the morphology of synthesized nanoparticles. To remove pollutants i.e dyes from industrial water, the different semiconductor metal oxide nanoparticles having particular size and shape tested for their photocatalytic behaviour. The chemical synthesis route i.e co-precipitation method using the Zinc acetate dihydrate, Sodium hydroxide, and Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as precursor, reducing and stabilizing agent respectively produced elongated triangular bipyramidal shaped zinc oxide nanostructures and the fructose capped zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized via co precipitation method elaborates the formation of quasi-spherical shaped nanoparticles. The synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles showed good photocatalytic activity for removal of methylene blue and congo red dyes. The green synthesis route preparing extract from the plant leaves i.e syzygium cumini gives formation to spherical shaped zinc oxide nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles used for removal of reactive orange-4 dye in photocatalytic process. The green synthesis is preferred process due to its environment friendly nature and cost effectiveness. This review elaborates the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles through chemical and green synthesis routes and use of synthesized nanoparticles for removal of pollutants i.e methylene blue, congo red and reactive orange-4 dyes from water for environment remediation.