Phytotoxicity and Ecological Safety of Engineered Nanomaterials

Abstract

With the dramatically increasing use of nanotechnology-enabled consumer products, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). ENMs are inevitably discharged into environment, posing unknown risks to ecosystem structure and function. Plants play important roles in soil and water resources in the environment. Although these ENMs have been widely used in medicine, agriculture, and consumer products for great economic benefit, their unique properties, may cause adverse effects on plants. Thus, toxicity and disposition of ENMs in terrestrial plants, especially agricultural crops, should be fully characterized. This mini-review summarizes the current literature on: (1) the distribution and biotransformation of ENMs; (2) ENMs induced phytotoxicity at physiological and molecular levels; (3) nutrient displacement or enhancement in ENMs treated plants; (4) trophic transfer of ENMs in terrestrial food chains.