•State-of-the-art review of engineered nanoparticles and organic matter.•Organic matter affects engineered nanoparticles stability and toxicity.•The interaction of nanoparticles and organic matter is ...used for many purposes.•Humic substances have been used as stabilization agent for nanoparticles.
Growth in the development and production of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in recent years has increased the potential for interactions of these nanomaterials with aquatic and terrestrial environments. Carefully designed studies are therefore required in order to understand the fate, transport, stability, and toxicity of nanoparticles. Natural organic matter (NOM), such as the humic substances found in water, sediment, and soil, is one of the substances capable of interacting with ENPs. This review presents the findings of studies of the interaction of ENPs and NOM, and the possible effects on nanoparticle stability and the toxicity of these materials in the environment. In addition, ENPs and NOM are utilized for many different purposes, including the removal of metals and organic compounds from effluents, and the development of new electronic sensors and other devices for the detection of active substances. Discussion is therefore provided of some of the ways in which NOM can be used in the production of nanoparticles. Although there has been an increase in the number of studies in this area, further progress is needed to improve understanding of the dynamic interactions between ENPs and NOM.
Nanomedicine and nano delivery systems are a relatively new but rapidly developing science where materials in the nanoscale range are employed to serve as means of diagnostic tools or to deliver ...therapeutic agents to specific targeted sites in a controlled manner. Nanotechnology offers multiple benefits in treating chronic human diseases by site-specific, and target-oriented delivery of precise medicines. Recently, there are a number of outstanding applications of the nanomedicine (chemotherapeutic agents, biological agents, immunotherapeutic agents etc.) in the treatment of various diseases. The current review, presents an updated summary of recent advances in the field of nanomedicines and nano based drug delivery systems through comprehensive scrutiny of the discovery and application of nanomaterials in improving both the efficacy of novel and old drugs (e.g., natural products) and selective diagnosis through disease marker molecules. The opportunities and challenges of nanomedicines in drug delivery from synthetic/natural sources to their clinical applications are also discussed. In addition, we have included information regarding the trends and perspectives in nanomedicine area.
Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) nanocapsules have been recently developed as a modified release system for atrazine, an herbicide that can have harmful effects in the environment. Here, the ...post-emergence herbicidal activity of PCL nanocapsules containing atrazine was evaluated using mustard (Brassica juncea) as target plant species model. Characterization of atrazine-loaded PCL nanocapsules by nanoparticle tracking analysis indicated a concentration of 7.5 x 10(12) particles mL(-1) and an average size distribution of 240.7 nm. The treatment of mustard plants with nanocapsules carrying atrazine at 1 mg mL(-1) resulted in a decrease of net photosynthesis and PSII maximum quantum yield, and an increase of leaf lipid peroxidation, leading to shoot growth inhibition and the development of severe symptoms. Time course analysis until 72 h after treatments showed that nanoencapsulation of atrazine enhanced the herbicidal activity in comparison with a commercial atrazine formulation. In contrast to the commercial formulation, ten-fold dilution of the atrazine-containing nanocapsules did not compromise the herbicidal activity. No effects were observed when plants were treated with nanocapsules without herbicide compared to control leaves sprayed with water. Overall, these results demonstrated that atrazine-containing PCL nanocapsules provide very effective post-emergence herbicidal activity. More importantly, the use of nanoencapsulated atrazine enables the application of lower dosages of the herbicide, without any loss of efficiency, which could provide environmental benefits.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Polymeric nanoparticles change the herbicide release profile.•PCL nanoparticles used as carrier systems increase herbicide activity.•Genotoxicity studies showed a decrease in herbicide toxicity ...after encapsulation in PCL nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) containing the herbicide atrazine were prepared, characterized, and evaluated in terms of their herbicidal activity and genotoxicity. The stability of the nanoparticles was evaluated over a period of three months, considering the variables: size, polydispersion index, pH, and encapsulation efficiency. Tests on plants were performed with target (Brassica sp.) and non-target (Zea mays) organisms, and the nanoparticle formulations were shown to be effective for the control of the target species. Experiments using soil columns revealed that the use of nanoparticles reduced the mobility of atrazine in the soil. Application of the Allium cepa chromosome aberration assay demonstrated that the nanoparticle systems were able to reduce the genotoxicity of the herbicide. The formulations developed offer a useful means of controlling agricultural weeds, while at the same time reducing the risk of harm to the environment and human health.
The advances in products based on nanotechnology have directed extensive research on low-cost, biologically compatible, and easily degradable materials.
Sericin (SER) is a protein mainly composed of ...glycine, serine, aspartic acid, and threonine amino acids removed from the silkworm cocoon (particularly Bombyx mori and other species). SER is a biocompatible material with economic viability, which can be easily functionalized due to its potential crosslink reactions. Also, SER has inherent biological properties, which makes possible its use as a component of pharmaceutical formulations with several biomedical applications, such as anti-tumor, antimicrobials, antioxidants and as scaffolds for tissue repair as well as participating in molecular mechanisms attributed to the regulation of transcription factors, reduction of inflammatory signaling molecules, stimulation of apoptosis, migration, and proliferation of mesenchymal cells.
In this review, the recent innovations on SER-based nano-medicines (nanoparticles, micelles, films, hydrogels, and their hybrid systems) and their contributions for non-conventional therapies are discussed considering different molecular mechanisms for promoting their therapeutic applications.
•Chitosan/TPP nanoparticles present potential to agriculture application.•Humic substances affected the dynamic equilibrium of the herbicide in the medium.•Humic substance influenced the toxicity of ...paraquat associated with the NPs.
Polymeric nanoparticles have been developed for several applications, among them as carrier system of pesticides. However, few studies have investigated the fate of these materials in the environment in relation to colloidal stability and toxicity. In nature, humic substances are the main agents responsible for complexation with metals and organic compounds, as well as responsible for the dynamics of these nanoparticles in aquatic and terrestrial environments. In this context, the evaluation of the influence of aquatic humic substances (AHS) on the colloidal stability and toxicity of polymeric nanoparticles of chitosan/tripolyphosphate with or without paraquat was performed. In this study, the nanoparticles were prepared by the ionic gelation method and characterized by size distribution measurements (DLS and NTA), zeta potential, infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy. Allium cepa genotoxicity studies and ecotoxicity assays with the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata were used to investigate the effect of aquatic humic substances (AHS) on the toxicity of this delivery system. No changes were observed in the physical–chemical stability of the nanoparticles due to the presence of AHS using DLS and NTA techniques. However some evidence of interaction between the nanoparticles and AHS was observed by infrared and fluorescence spectroscopies. The ecotoxicity and genotoxicity assays showed that humic substances can decrease the toxic effects of nanoparticles containing paraquat. These results are interesting because they are important for understanding the interaction of these nanostructured carrier systems with species present in aquatic ecosystems such as humic substances, and in this way, opening new perspectives for studies on the dynamics of these carrier systems in the ecosystem.
There is an increasing imperative to explore safer alternatives for pesticides due to their indiscriminate use and consequential health impacts on the environment and humans. Nanoformulations of ...pesticides are being developed as potential alternatives due to their beneficial properties, including enhanced solubility, targeted delivery to the site of action, improved stability and efficacy and reduced non-target effects. Nevertheless, a comprehensive assessment is necessary for these emerging nanopesticides compared to existing formulations, aiming to ascertain whether their "nano" characteristics exacerbate toxicity for non-target organisms. This study investigated the toxicity of tebuconazole (TBZ) in different formulations, including nanoformulations (poly-ε-caprolactone PCL and nanostructured lipid carrier NLC loaded with TBZ), as well as a commercial formulation, on the reproduction of the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
in both aqueous and soil matrices. Additionally, the impact of the correspondent nanocarriers without TBZ on
C. elegans
was examined. In water, TBZ in the form of nano and commercial formulations exhibited higher toxicity on the nematodes' reproduction than the TBZ (a.s.) attributable to higher freely dissolved concentrations of TBZ, which resulted in a toxicity order, ranging from the most to the least toxic as follows: NLC-TBZ > PCL-TBZ > commercial formulation > TBZ (a.s.). For NLC-TBZ, the excess toxicity could be clearly explained by combined toxicity of TBZ (a.s.) and nanocarriers, with the effect addition of the separate single compounds matching the observed effects of the nanoformulation. For PCL-TBZ, effects were stronger than expected from the effect addition of TBZ (a.s.) and PCL nanocarriers, potentially due to enhanced bioavailability of encapsulated TBZ in the gut of the nematodes. In soil, NLC with and without loaded TBZ showed higher toxicity than other tested compounds, while PCL nanocarriers without TBZ did not exhibit negative effects on the reproduction of
C. elegans
. Microcosm experiment, where long-term effects on native soil nematode fauna were tested, confirmed that TBZ-nanoformulations act via combined toxic effects of TBZ and nanocarriers. These findings contribute valuable insights to understanding nanopesticides' ecotoxicity and underscore the need for harmonized regulatory assessments to evaluate these novel formulations adequately.
The use of nanotechnology has emerged in the agricultural sector. In recent years, several nano-enabled materials have been reported for weed control. Nano-enabled herbicides (also called ...nanoherbicides) can be designed from organic, inorganic, or hybrid materials. These materials have unique properties such as small size, specific surface area, and the ability to control the release of metal ions and organic molecules in the agricultural field. Some studies have reported the ability of nanoherbicides to provide better weed management compared to non-nanoformulations. However, studies regarding the environmental risk assessment and mechanisms of action of nanoherbicides in plants are still incipient. Nevertheless, they are essential to ensure a safe application for human health and the environment. In this review, we outlined the current understanding of nano-enabled herbicides as well as some strategic design to fabricate nanostructures for weed control. Also, a critical discussion regarding the fate, behavior and effects of nanoherbicides in plants was addressed in order to achieve products for environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture.
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•NPs improves the germination of seeds.•Higher doges of NPs may cause reduction in seed germination.•Nano priming is significant way to improve stress tolerance in seeds.•Nano priming regulate the ...ROS in favor of plant life.
In the interest to assist plant growth and bolster their strength to deal with the environmental cues, priming has been revealed to play a remarkable role through induction of several metabolic and physiological alterations. It can be delineated as a physiological process of prompting plants by treating with biological/chemical priming agents or mild stress to display better growth biomarkers and stress resistance in case of repeated stress encounters. Priming of seeds has been of great interest for researchers in recent years which brings about changes in seed metabolism to support the successful establishment of plants in its environment through faster and more prominent seed germination and growth of developing seedlings. The conspicuously displayed rise in applications of nanotechnology in agriculture has also stirred up the research on nano-priming of plants. Nanoparticles (NPs) have appeared to be more proficient in influencing growth, quality, yield, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in plant seeds than other methods of priming such as priming with the bulk materials or hydro-priming. However, there is a need to opt-out NPs exhibiting toxic effects on seed germination and seedling growth for deliberate priming while understanding their possible repercussions on plant as well as human health. Therefore, this article aims to present the recent research conducted in the field of nano-priming of seeds of different plants along with recommendations for future research.
This mini-review paper does not consider classical work concerning the formation of inclusion complexes between pharmaceuticals and cyclodextrins. Instead, it highlights recent reports concerning the ...association of these host:guest systems with other carrier systems such as liposomes and nanoparticles showing the state of art of this subject with examples of developed systems and the advantages of these strategy in order to be potential systems as drug carriers.
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