Engineered Nanomaterials in Soil: Their Impact on Soil Microbiome and Plant Health

Abstract

A staggering number of nanomaterials-based products are being engineered and produced commercially. Many of these engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are finally disposed into the soil through various routes in enormous quantities. Nanomaterials are also being specially tailored for their use in agriculture as nano-fertilizers, nano-pesticides, and nano-based biosensors, which is leading to their accumulation in the soil. The presence of ENMs considerably affects the soil microbiome, including the abundance and diversity of microbes. In addition, they also influence crucial microbial processes, such as nitrogen fixation, mineralization, and plant growth promoting activities. ENMs conduct in soil is typically dependent on various properties of ENMs and soil. Among nanoparticles, silver and zinc oxide have been extensively prepared and studied owing to their excellent industrial properties and well-known antimicrobial activities. Therefore, at this stage, it is imperative to understand how these ENMs influence the soil microbiome and related processes. These investigations will provide necessary information to regulate the applications of ENMs for sustainable agriculture and may help in increasing agrarian production. Therefore, this review discusses several such issues.

Nanotechnological Interventions in Agriculture

“…The tailored nanomaterials, for example, nanofertilizers, nanopesticides and nanobiosensors, are being utilized in agriculture systems leading to their accumulation in the soil. The accumulation of these affects soil health, soil microbiome and, most importantly, plant health [ 30 ]. Moreover, nitrogen fixation, mineralization and activities responsible for plant growth and development are also affected [ 30 ].…”

“…The accumulation of these affects soil health, soil microbiome and, most importantly, plant health [ 30 ]. Moreover, nitrogen fixation, mineralization and activities responsible for plant growth and development are also affected [ 30 ]. Some ENMs such as silver, SiO 2 , titania, iron oxides, zinc oxides, alumina, etc., are being discarded into the soil in large quantities without evaluating the risk [ 30 ].…”

“…Moreover, nitrogen fixation, mineralization and activities responsible for plant growth and development are also affected [ 30 ]. Some ENMs such as silver, SiO 2 , titania, iron oxides, zinc oxides, alumina, etc., are being discarded into the soil in large quantities without evaluating the risk [ 30 ]. As per the reports, ENMs are released into the environment at several stages such as the synthesis, manufacturing, usage and disposal of the products [ 237 ].…”

“…Nanomaterials (NMs) have become an elemental part of NPs due to their distinctive characteristics in terms of physical, chemical, mechanical and thermal properties. The NMs can be natural or tailored by using physical, chemical or biological methods [ 30 ]. In terms of the recent progress, an emphasis has been placed on the use of nanomaterials (NMs) or engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in agriculture sectors.…”

Evolution and Recent Scenario of Nanotechnology in Agriculture and Food Industries

“…When the nanomaterials are introduced into the environmental fields, aggregation of particles will occur spontaneously. Reactivity of the nanomaterials is getting 7 Journal of Nanomaterials affected by the reduction of surface area due to aggregation [110]. Aggregation may happen in two ways; they are homo-aggregation and hetero-aggregation.…”