Bioaccumulation of CeO Nanoparticles by Earthworms in Biochar-Amended Soil: A Synchrotron Microspectroscopy Study.

The interactions of nanoparticles (NPs) with biochar and soil components may substantially influence NP availability and toxicity to biota. In the present study, earthworms ( Eisenia fetida) were exposed for 28 days to a residential or agricultural soil amended with 0-2000 mg of CeO NP/kg and with biochar (produced by the pyrolysis of pecan shells at 350 and 600 °C) at various application rates [0-5% (w/w)]. After 28 days, earthworms were depurated and analyzed for Ce content, moisture content, and lipid peroxidation.

Weathering in soil increases nanoparticle CuO bioaccumulation within a terrestrial food chain.

This study evaluates the bioaccumulation of unweathered (U) and weathered (W) CuO in NP, bulk and ionic form (0-400 mg/kg) by lettuce exposed for 70 d in soil co-contaminated with field incurred chlordane. To evaluate CuO trophic transfer, leaves were fed to crickets (Acheta domestica) for 15 d, followed by insect feeding to lizards (Anolis carolinensis). Upon weathering, the root Cu content of the NP treatment increased 214% (327 ± 59.

Molecular Response of Crop Plants to Engineered Nanomaterials.

Functional toxicology has enabled the identification of genes involved in conferring tolerance and sensitivity to engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposure in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Several genes were found to be involved in metabolic functions, stress response, transport, protein synthesis, and DNA repair.

Carbon Nanomaterials in Agriculture: A Critical Review.

There has been great interest in the use of carbon nano-materials (CNMs) in agriculture. However, the existing literature reveals mixed effects from CNM exposure on plants, ranging from enhanced crop yield to acute cytotoxicity and genetic alteration. These seemingly inconsistent research-outcomes, taken with the current technological limitations for in situ CNM detection, present significant hurdles to the wide scale use of CNMs in agriculture.

CeO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles change the nutritional qualities of cucumber (Cucumis sativus).

There is lack of information about the effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on cucumber fruit quality. This study aimed to determine possible impacts on carbohydrates, proteins, mineral nutrients, and antioxidants in the fruit of cucumber plants grown in soil treated with CeO2 and ZnO NPs at 400 and 800 mg/kg. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to detect changes in functional groups, while ICP-OES and μ-XRF were used to quantify and map the distribution of nutrient elements, respectively.

Influence of CeO2 and ZnO nanoparticles on cucumber physiological markers and bioaccumulation of Ce and Zn: a life cycle study.

With the dramatic increase in nanotechnologies, it has become increasingly likely that food crops will be exposed to excess engineered nanoparticles (NPs). In this study, cucumber plants were grown to full maturity in soil amended with either CeO2 or ZnO NPs at concentrations of 0, 400, and 800 mg/kg. Chlorophyll and gas exchange were monitored, and physiological markers were recorded.

Synchrotron verification of TiO2 accumulation in cucumber fruit: a possible pathway of TiO2 nanoparticle transfer from soil into the food chain.

The transfer of nanoparticles (NPs) into the food chain through edible plants is of great concern. Cucumis sativus L. is a freshly consumed garden vegetable that could be in contact with NPs through biosolids and direct agrichemical application.

Arsenic localization and speciation in the root-soil interface of the desert plant Prosopis juliflora-velutina.

The bioavailability and mobility of arsenic (As) in soils depends on several factors such as pH, organic matter content, speciation, and the concentration of oxides and clay minerals, among others. Plants modify As bioavailability in the rhizosphere; thus, the biogeochemical processes of As in vegetated and non-vegetated soils are different. Changes in As speciation induced by the rhizosphere can be monitored using micro-focused synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) combined with μX-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (μXANES).

Synchrotron micro-XRF and micro-XANES confirmation of the uptake and translocation of TiO₂ nanoparticles in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants.

Advances in nanotechnology have raised concerns about possible effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the environment, especially in terrestrial plants. In this research, the impacts of TiO(2) nanoparticles (NPs) were evaluated in hydroponically grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants. Seven day old seedlings were treated with TiO(2) NPs at concentrations varying from 0 to 4000 mg L(-1).