Cinnamon is widely used as a food spice, but due to its antibacterial and pharmacological properties, it can also be used in processing, medicine and agriculture. The word “Cinnamon” can refer to the plant, processed material, or an extract. It is sometimes used as a substance, and sometimes used as a mixture or as compounds or a group. This article reviews research into the effectiveness of various forms of cinnamon for the control of plant diseases and pests in crops and during storage of fruit and vegetables. Cinnamon acts on pests mainly as a repellent, although in higher doses it has a biocidal effect and prevents egg-laying. Cinnamon and its compounds effectively hinder bacterial and fungal growth, and the phytotoxic effects of cinnamon make it a possible herbicide. This article presents the wide practical use of cinnamon for various purposes, mainly in agriculture. Cinnamon is a candidate for approval as a basic substance with protective potential. In particular, it can be used in organic farming as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides for use in plant protection, especially in preventive treatments. The use of natural products is in line with the restriction of the use of chemical pesticides and the principles of the EU’s Green Deal.

Increasing pollution by heavy metals calls for advanced methods to immobilize or extract soil metals, thus avoiding their contact with water, air and living organisms. In particular there is a need for cheap binding materials that extract metals. Here we tested the use of the halloysite clay, functionalized with silanes and non-functionalized, on metal extraction from soils. The clay was functionalized with 3-mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane and 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyltrimethoxysilane. Contaminated soils were sampled at the Głogów Copper Smelter and Refinery. Soils were sequentially extracted using the Tessier method. Metals were quantified by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Our results show that the addition of halloysite increases the metal content of the plant unavailable fraction that is the fifth fraction of the Tessier method, thus decreasing metal availability. Indeed metal contents of the fifth fraction versus total content increased from 67.64 to 157.79 mg/kg for copper, from 28.10 to 76.14 mg/kg for lead, from 41.60 to 95.78 mg/kg for zinc, from 0.77 to 1.79 mg/kg for cadmium and from 3.96 to 8.90 mg/kg for arsenic.

3- propyl]trimethoxysilane were used to functionalize the surface of silica from Piotrowice in Poland to stabilize heavy metals (HMs) and arsenic in soil. The soil for the study was sampled from the impact zone of Głogów Copper Smelter and Refi nery. The soil samples were exposed to fi ve-step Tessier sequential extraction. The speciation studies were limited to fi ve sequentially defi ned fractions in which metal content was determined. The addition of unmodifi ed silica did not affect signifi cantly the concentration of metals in individual fractions. Signifi cant changes were noted upon introduction of functionalized silica in the soil. The hybrid formulations obtained signifi cantly reduce the release of heavy metals and arsenic from soil sorption complex. The results indicate the potential use of functional formulations for reduction of metal migration in soil in the areas of exceeded concentration of heavy metals and arsenic in the soil, caused by industrial activity.

The results of the research studies concerning the binding of heavy metals (HMs) by quartz sand functionalized with amino silanes have been described. The studies have been carried out on soils sampled from the areas affected by emissions from Copper Smelter and Refinery. The research aims to increase the food safety in the areas of industrial impact. The presence of polyamine chain in the hybrid materials obtained enables a binding of heavy metals (nickel, copper, cobalt). The best results are observed for the hybrid material having four amine groups (four coordination centers) per molecule. For this material the highest content after two extraction cycles (pH 7.0 and 5.0) is observed for copper (98.2%), but for other ions (nickel, cobalt) it is at least 85% of the initial amount of components available for plants.

The results of the research studies concerning binding of heavy metals and arsenic (HM+As), occurring in soils affected by emissions from Głogów Copper Smelter and Refi nery, by silane nanomaterial have been described. The content of heavy metals and arsenic was determined by AAS and the effectiveness of heavy metals and arsenic binding by 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane was examined. The total leaching level of impurities in those fractions was 73.26% Cu, 74.7% -Pb, 79.5% Zn, 65.81% -Cd and 55.55% As. The studies demonstrated that the total binding of heavy metals and arsenic with nanomaterial in all fractions was about as follows: 20.5% Cu, 9.5% Pb, 7.1% Zn, 25.3% Cd and 10.89% As. The results presented how the safety of food can be cultivated around industrial area, as the currently used soil stabilization technique of HM by soil pH does not guarantee their stable blocking in a sorptive complex.