Interactions between engineered nanomaterials and agricultural crops: implications for food safety

Abstract

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are being discharged into the environment and to agricultural fields, with unknown impacts on crop species. In this paper, we review the literature on ENMs uptake, translocation/distribution, and generational transmission in various crop species, as well as potential material trophic transfer. Previous studies reveal that ENM-exposed crops exhibit adaptive processes in response to stress, including endocytosis/endosome activities, production of antioxidant enzymes, regulation of genes related to cell division/extension and membrane transport. Some agronomic traits of crops are compromised during the adaption response, including photosynthesis, fruit yields, nutritional quality and nitrogen fixation. Cultivation of crops in ENMs-contaminated environments has unknown implications for food safety and quality. Notably, mechanisms underlying ENMs phytotoxicity and bioavailability are unclear. Additional investigations focused on developing novel techniques for in vivo identification/characterization of ENMs are critically needed. Given the abundance of uncertainty in the literature, it is clear that more research is urgently needed in the area of ENMs-crop interactions; only then can one accurately assess exposure, risk, and overall implications for food safety and also enable guidance development for the sustainable implementation of nanotechnology in agriculture and food production/manufacturing.

1H NMR and GC–MS based metabolomics reveal nano-Cu altered cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit nutritional supply

“…Although a number of publications have begun to explore the interaction between NPs and plants (Rico et al, 2011;Deng et al, 2014;Ma et al, 2010;Priester et al, 2012;Majumdar et al, 2015;Musante and White, 2012), the knowledge of the implications of NPs on the nutritional value of crop fruit is still limited. Rico et al showed that nCeO 2 decreased some of the nutrients in rice grains, including Fe, S, prolamin, glutelin, lauric and valeric acids, and starch.…”

Environmental risks of engineered nanomaterials

“…Several mechanisms such as the production of intracellular oxidative stress, mechanistic damage, and changes in nutrient elements levels were suggested based on the experimental observations to interpret the toxicity and damage of nanoparticles to animals, microbes, and plants (Miralles et al, 2012;Sharifi et al, 2012;Podila and Brown, 2013;Deng et al, 2014).…”

“…Debates widely exist in literature. A number of knowledge gaps and challenges are still waiting to be addressed (Sharifi et al, 2012;Podila and Brown, 2013;Deng et al, 2014;Luo et al, 2014;Kumar et al, 2014).…”

“…This review emphasized the importance of integrating physicochemical kinetics and uptake kinetics in evaluating the bioavailability and toxicity of nanoparticles. Deng et al (2014) reviewed the literature on nanoparticle uptake, translocation/ distribution, and generational transmission in various crop species, as well as potential material trophic transfer. They noted that (1) cultivation of crops in nanoparticle contaminated environments has unknown implications for food safety and quality, (2) mechanisms underlying nanoparticle phytotoxicity and bioavailability are unclear, and (3) developing novel techniques for in vivo identification/ characterization of nanoparticles are critically needed.…”

“…Knowledge gaps and challenges in these research fields were listed clearly in these reviews, encouraging future research studies. Given the abundance of uncertainty in the literature summarized by the four reviews, it is clear that more research is urgently needed in these areas, only then, can one accurately assess the exposure, risk, and overall implications for food safety and also enable guidance development for the sustainable implementation of nanotechnology (Deng et al, 2014).…”