Effect of accumulation of nanoparticles in soil health- a concern on future

Abstract

Nanotechnology proved as a boon to this era and is widely applied in many areas of science and technology. Agriculture is the backbone of industrial raw material and it is very important to have technologies supporting high yield, better crop production and protection in a cost effective, ecofriendly and sustainable way. Globally, there is a lot of research being conducted in the field of application of nanoparticles in agriculture. In recent time nano-based materials like nanoparticles and nanoformulations, nano-based fertilizers, nano-pesticides and insecticides, nano fungicides and other plant disease control formulations are available in the market. Though this technology offers many advantages, yet there are some vices which is causing the concern among the researchers and practitioners. The unregulated exposure of the nanoparticles to the soil is expected to cause adverse effects on the soil microbiota and in some cases negatively impact the important adaphic factors like soil infertility and toxicity. The studies conducted so far have shown diverse responses of nanoparticles by soil fungi and soil bacteria. The enzymatic activities of the microbes have been reported to be affected when the stress is induced from different sources. In some studies, silver nanoparticles have been found to decrease FDA-hydrolysis in soil. More research still needs to be done on addressing the nanoparticle induced metal-stress by different microbes. This review provides the comprehensive account of side effects of the nanoparticles on soil fertility and their effect on the different properties of soil and plant growth along with the research gaps in the field of soil application of nanoparticles and way forward to introduce an ecofriendly application of nanoparticles.

Recent Developments in the Application of Nanomaterials in Agroecosystems

“…Most nanoparticles including magnetite enter the surroundings with no appropriate former treatment, which could lead to different effects on soil organisms [196][197][198][199][200][201][202][203]. Therefore, the authors of [204] examined the effects brought about by magnetite nanoparticles on Eudrilus eugeniae earthworm.…”

Sorption, separation and recycling of ammonium in agricultural soils: A viable application for magnetic biochar?

“…For example, ferromagnetic particles could become dislodged from biochar in soil, possibly altering soil chemistry. Although this may not have a negative effect on soil ecology (for example, Rui et al (2016) showed that maghemite nanoparticles could be used as an Fe fertiliser to improve plant growth after they were adsorbed onto the sandy soil), the use of synthetic nanoparticles in the environment is an area which should be approached with caution ( Javed et al, 2019 ). Because of this, some studies have quantified the levels of enzymatic activity and bacterial community size/composition after addition of metal oxide nanoparticles.…”

Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles using Leaf Extracts of Medicinal plants and its Impact on Anabaena doliolum

“…The negative impact of silver nanoparticles disrupts plant growth and productivity but robust and smart engineered techniques are being explored for the betterment of agricultural crop production to cater to different agricultural needs. A significant increase in agricultural production could be possible through the utilization of current knowledge in the field of nanotechnology for the efficient nutrient system, good plant protection practices, efficient photo capturing system in plants, precision agriculture, and many others (Ditta et al;, Javed et al, 2019). Yet, whatever the chemical nature of nanoparticles is, one should remember potential adverse effects, i.e., phytotoxicity at high concentrations and toxicity for unintended non-target organisms.…”