U.S., India. New citation of Moscow University research, nanoscience, nanotoxicology, environment.
http://5bio5.blogspot.com/2014/10/us-india-new-citation-of-moscow.html
M. GROVER, S. R. SINGH, B. VENKATESWARLU. Nanotechnology: Scope and Limitations in Agriculture. -
International Journal of Nanotechnology and Application (IJNA),
[ISSN: 2277–4777], Vol.2, Issue 1, Mar 2012, 10-38
http://pakacademicsearch.com/pdf-files/eng/240/10-38%20Vol%202%20issue%201%20mar%202012.pdf
Citation of Moscow University results. Among the papers that were cited in this article of scientists of U.S.A. and India:
Ostroumov, S. A., and Kotelevtsev SV. 2011. Toxicology of nanomaterials
and environment. Ecologica, 18(61), 3-10;
NANOTECHNOLOGY: SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS IN AGRICULTURE
MINAKSHI GROVER A*,
SHREE R. SINGH B,
B. VENKATESWARLU A
A
CENTRAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR DRYLAND AGRICULTURE,
HYDERABAD, INDIA 500059;
B
CENTER FOR NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, ALABAMA
STATE UNIVERSITY, USA 36104;
ABSTRACT:
Nanotechnology is one of the fastest developing fi
elds with potential to
revolutionize industries such as pharmaceuticals, e
lectronics, military,
manufacturing, and agriculture. Nanomaterials have
significant applications in
food and agriculture systems as smart delivery mech
anisms for agrochemicals,
nano-formulations, nano-biosensors for precision fa
rming and food packaging,
nano-bioremediation, nanofibres for genetic manipul
ation etc. Besides direct
applications of nanotechnology in agriculture, the
engineered nanomaterials that
are used in commercial products and industries (non
-agricultural) may also
affect agriculture indirectly. Many nano-based prod
ucts are already in the market
with or without proper labeling. Not much informati
on is available on the
interactions between nanomaterials and biological s
ystems. Therefore,
understanding the impact of nanomaterials and relat
ed technologies on soil and
plant health is very important. The present review
focuses on the application of
nanotechnology in agriculture and its possible impa
ct on plant growth and soil
microflora. It emphasizes on more research to study
the impact of
nanotechnology on agriculture and develop regulator
y protocols for safe
production, use and release of nanomaterials to minimize environmental
nanotoxicity.
International Journal of Nanotechnology and
Application (IJNA)
ISSN: 2277–4777,
Vol.2, Issue 1, Mar 2012, 10-38
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.,
Nanotechnology: Scope and Limitations in Agriculture
11
KEY WORDS:
Nanotechnology, Agriculture, Soil microorganisms,
Nanotoxicity, Regulation.
INTRODUCTION
The fast development in the disciplines like biote
chnology and
bioengineering has transformed agricultural into a
modern industry.
Nanotechnology, another upcoming discipline has rev
olutionary applications in
pharmaceuticals, electronics, military, manufacturi
ng, and other life sciences.
Nanotechnology is the understanding and manipulatin
g matter at scales
measurable in nanometers (1-100 nm) at least in one
direction (NNI 2007). At
nanoscale, the surface area of the particles is ver
y large relative to their small
size, which can make them very reactive. Due to the
very small size and high
reactivity, the fundamental properties of the matte
r at nano-scale may differ
from that of corresponding bulk material. These nov
el properties may help in the
development of revolutionary technologies having ap
plication in different fields.
For example, carbon in the form of graphite is rela
tively soft but nano form of
carbon nanotubes (made of carbon atoms) is 117 time
s stronger than steel and 30
times stronger than kevlar (Chang
et al.
2010). Thermal behavior of nanoscale
materials may also differ from bulk materials (Pivk
ina
et al.
2004). Aluminum in
its bulk form does not burn, however, aluminum nano
particles combusts rapidly
and are used as propellant in rocket fuel. Precise
use of such novel materials can
lead to enormous economic and societal benefits. Th
ousands of nanotechnology
based products are already in the market in the for
m of medicines, cosmetics,
food packaging, formulations, electronics etc.
The progressive development of novel nanoscale mat
erials and related
technologies has significant applications in food a
nd agriculture systems (Joseph
and Morrison 2006). Nanosensors and nanobased formu
lations of agricultural
chemicals (pesticides, herbicides etc.) are some of
the current applications of
nanotechnology in agriculture. The role of nanopart
icles (NPs) has been
Minakshi Grover, Shree R. Singh
& B. Venkateswarlu
12
proposed as low cost technology for purification of
drinking water (Yavuz
et al.
2006) and mineralization of undesired organic pollu
tants (Mach 2004).
Nanoparticles may be used for the remediation of po
lluted soil and groundwater
(Zhang 2003). Thus through different means or appli
cations, nanomaterial can
come in contact with soil and waterbodies. Besides,
the advancement in the use
of various engineered nanoparticles in commercial p
roducts and industries like
medicines, cosmetics, electronic appliances etc. is
bound to impact agriculture
directly indirectly or accidently. The nanomaterial
s entering water and soil
ecological systems might affect soil and plant heal
th and/or might be bio-
accumulated through the food chain and finally accu
mulated in higher-level
organisms. Although soil is a rich source of natura
l nanoparticles, little is known
about the impact of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs)
on food crops.
Furthermore, there is lack of information on the ef
fect/fate of these ENPs in the
soil and food chain (Darlington
et al.
2009). Accumulation of NPs may affect
microbial communities which act as soil health indi
cators and also interact with
plants in different ways. Plants play important rol
e in ecological system and may
serve as a potential pathway for NPs transport and
a route for bioaccumulation
into the food chain (Zhu
et al.
2008). How these nanomaterials interact with
biological systems at molecular level is not yet kn
own (Maynard 2006). These
interactions may be positive, negative or neutral (
Fig. 1).
Although, advances in nanotechnology can help in u
sing agricultural inputs
more effectively, enhancing agricultural productivi
ty in a sustainable manner,
the nanomaterials used in agriculture may also beco
me new environmental
hazards themselves. Such technologies may also pose
potential risks which may
be hidden initially but may be realized at later st
ages. Asbestos is a current
example of use of technology without knowing the co
nsequences, disadvantages
of which far outweighed the benefits. The toxic eff
ects of nanoparticles on
prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms have been rece
ntly summarized
(Ostroumov and Kotelevtsev 2011). It is necessary
to review effects and
Nanotechnology: Scope and Limitations in Agricultur
e
13
possible consequences of nanomaterials related tech
nologies on soil and plant
health before expanding the application of this tec
hnology in different
dimensions.
1. APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE
Nano-agriculture involves the employment of nanoma
terials or nano-based
technologies in agriculture, aiming to get some ben
eficial effect on the crops in
terms of productivity or quality. At present, the w
ork on application of
nanotechnology in agriculture is at its preliminary
stage, worldwide. But in
coming years we will witness more applications of n
anotechnology in food and
agriculture sector. The Government of India initiat
ed a Nano Science and
Technology Mission in 2007 through the Department o
f Science and
Technology with an allocation of Rupees 1,000 crore
s (US$ 200 million) for a
period of five years and continues to strengthen it
(DST 2009). The Department
of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India launche
d the Nanotechnology
Initiative in Agriculture and allied sectors (Sastr
y 2007). Indian council on
Agricultural Research ICAR has also initiated work
on application of
nanotechnology in agriculture.
1.1.
Nanobiosensors for agricultural applications
The work on the development of nanotechnology-base
d biosensors to
monitor soil health, plant growth, and disease onse
t is in progress. Biosensors
have a biological component that reacts to changes
in surrounding environment,
and then produce a signal in a linked transducer, t
hat can be further processed to
generate data. Compared to the conventional methods
, biosensors are more
sensitive and specific and can give real-time analy
sis in complex mixtures in
very less time. These biosensors can be linked with
GPS system and connected
to a computer for real-time monitoring. Use of thes
e biosensors in agriculture,
can be very useful in precision farming where produ
ctivity can be optimized by
judging the soil and plant health and nutritional s
tatus before the appearance of
Minakshi Grover, Shree R. Singh
& B. Venkateswarlu
14
visible symptoms of any deficiency or disease and p
roviding the required inputs
and conditions, in a timely manner with precision
(Day 2005, Joseph and
Morrison 2006). Biosensors for livestock animals ca
n be used to monitor
changes in hormone levels or antibody profile, ther
eby helping in timely
breeding practices and veterinary interventions (Sc
ott 2005). Run
et al
. 2007
described an amperometric biosensor for the rapid d
etection of
organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, by using carbon n
anotubes for the surface
modification of glassy carbon electrode, for the im
mobilization of acetylcholine
esterase and bovine serum albumin. The degree of in
hibition of the enzyme
acteylcholinesterase (AChE) by OP compounds is dete
rmined by measuring the
electrooxidation current of the thiocholine generat
ed by the AChE catalyzed
hydrolysis of acteylthiocholine (ATCh) (Joshi
et al.
2005). The large surface
area and electro-catalytic activity of carbon nanot
ubes increase the sensitivity
and stability of electrode. However, such biosensor
s using inhibition of
acetylcholine esterase (AChE) for the detection of
OP compounds are not
specific, and are more indirect and slow. A preferr
ed direct biosensing route for
detecting OP compounds involves the biocatalytic ac
tivity of organophosphorus
hydrolase (OPH) as described by Deo
et al
(2005). A bilayer approach with the
OPH layer atop of the carbon nanotube (CNT)-modifie
d transducer (glassy
carbon electrole) used for preparing the CNT/OPH bi
osensor lead to a highly
sensitive and stable detection of the enzymatically
(OPH) liberated
p-
nitrophenol
thus offer great promise for rapid on-site screenin
g of OP pesticides.
1.2 Nanosensors for detection of food pathogens
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safety, quality and long shelf life of packed food.
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manufactured. Nanocomposite, bio-degradable materia
ls are being used for safe
packaging and long shelf-life of food products. Com
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