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The adequate bioavailability of nutrients to plants is among the various difficulties of the agricultural sector. Thus, the existence of mechanisms for controlled release of the nutrients is essential for planting, as well as novel techniques that do not cause adverse effects. The use of nanotechnology in agriculture can bring many benefits, such as better use of nutrients by plants, reducing waste. Nanofertilizers are an emerging technology and a constantly expanding class of agrochemicals, representing possible solutions to the development of sustainable agriculture. Based on this, the present work aims to update and discuss some relevant topics about these nanomaterials, such as different synthesis approaches, possible mechanisms for the capture of nanofertilizers by plants, and the advantages and limitations of using these materials. Also, an overview of the main literature in the area is presented approaching current studies that use green chemistry concepts.

Oily wastewater from agro-industries can cause severe environmental and public health damages if unproperly treated. The conventional methods have several limitations for the treatment of oily wastewaters since the oil fraction can cause pipe clogging and biomass washout during the biological step. Based on this, the use of lipases can increase the oil removal efficiency of the treatments, minimizing operational problems,and improving the performance of the biological process. Lipases can also be used for the valorization of the oily wastewaters, transforming these waste streams intovaluable compounds, such as biodiesel, lubricants, antioxidant agents, etc. The use of wastes for the production of value-added compounds followsthe circular economy approach, minimizing the generation of residues and potential environmental liabilities. Thus, this study aims to give a general overview of themain topics related to thetreatment and valorization of oily wastewaters using lipases. The main characteristics of oily wastewaters from agro-industries areaddressed, as well as the most used conventional techniques for their treatment. Some relevant information about the enzyme lipaseisalso discussed to give the reader a background about how these enzymes can be applied for the treatment and transformation of oily wastes.

Agricultural protection agents used in soil and crops, when applied conventionally, may have their activity impaired against pests and vectors due to their volatilization, photodegradation, leaching, and other unwanted occurrences caused by weather conditions. These problems cause economic and environmental damage due to the high volume of applications necessary for the farmer to achieve the desired results. The indiscriminate use of free pesticides causes high environmental pollution because these compounds are cumulative in soil, water and vegetation, sometimes causing air contamination, which can cause health issues in local workers and the death of animals. In contrast, nanopesticides are an alternative emerging technology that allows the controlled release of active compounds, improving pest control performance and turning it more sustainable and in line with the concept of precision agriculture. The use of nanodelivery systems for pesticide agents uses nanostructures capable of altering the release kinetics of these compounds, providing the plantation with an adequate amount for pest elimination. This paper presents an overview of nanopesticides, addresses some current concepts of sustainability, reviews and analyzes the latest developments regarding these nanomaterials, and provides an update on their advantages and disadvantages.

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