Influence of sawdust addition on the toxic effects of cadmium and copper oxide nanoparticles on Vigna radiata seeds

Multi-functional copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized using Lagerstroemia indica leaf extracts and their applications

Developing multifunctional nanomaterials through environmentally friendly and efficient approaches is a pivotal focus in nanotechnology. This study aimed to employ a biogenic method to synthesize multifunctional copper oxide nanoparticles (LI-CuO NPs) with diverse capabilities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and seed priming properties, as well as photocatalytic organic dye degradation and wastewater treatment potentials using Lagerstroemia indica leaf extract. The synthesized LI-CuO NPs were extensively characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The colloid displayed surface plasmon resonance peaks at 320 nm, characteristic of LI-CuO NPs. DLS analysis revealed an average particle size of 93.5 nm and a negative zeta potential of -20.3 mV. FTIR and XPS analyses demonstrated that LI-CuO NPs possessed abundant functional groups that acted as stabilizing agents. XRD analysis indicated pure crystalline and spherical LI-CuO NPs measuring 36 nm in size. Antibacterial tests exhibited significant differential activity of LI-CuO NPs against both gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) bacteria. In antioxidant tests, the LI-CuO NPs demonstrated a remarkable radical scavenging activity of 97.6 % at a concentration of 400 μg mL-1. These nanoparticles were also found to enhance mustard seed germination at low concentrations. With a remarkable reusability, LI-CuO NPs exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance, with a degradation efficiency of 97.6 % at 150 μg/mL as well as a 95.6 % reduction in turbidity when applied to wastewater treatment. In conclusion, this study presents environmentally friendly method for the facile synthesis of LI-CuO NPs that could potentially offer promising applications in biomedicine, agriculture, and environmental remediation due to their multifunctional properties.

The Effects of Several Metal Nanoparticles on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth: A Meta-Analysis

Using the proper means to improve seed germination is of great significance in agriculture and forestry. Here, a meta-analysis was used to examine whether metal nanoparticle treatments have a specific effect on the seed germination and seedling growth of agricultural species. Using the Web of Science (1950–2021), PubMed (1950–2021), and Scopus (1950–2021) databases, a paper search was conducted using the following items (“nanoparticles” and “seed germination”, “nanomaterials” and “seed germination”) to filter the references in the title, abstract, and keywords of the published articles. The results indicated that nanoparticle (NP) treatments had a significantly positive effect on the final germination percentage (FGP), with a mean difference (MD) (that is, the overall effect) of 1.97 (0.96, 2.98) for the silver (Ag)-NP subgroup, 1.21 (0.34, 2.09) for the other-NP subgroup, 1.40 (0.88, 1.92) for the total based on the NP types, 1.47 (0.85, 2.09) for the “Concentrations: < 50 mg/L” subgroup, and 1.40 (0.88, 1.92) for the total based on the NP concentrations. Similarly, root length (RL) was positively and significantly affected by NP treatment, with an MD (95% CI) of 0.92 (0.76, 1.09) for the zinc (Zn)-NP subgroup, 0.79 (0.65, 0.92) for the other-NP subgroup, 0.82 (0.72, 0.93) for the total based on the NP types, 0.90 (0.77, 1.04) for the “Concentrations: ≤ 50 mg/L” subgroup, 0.80 (0.60, 0.99) for the “Concentrations: > 50 mg/L” subgroup, and 0.82 (0.72, 0.93) for the total based on the NP concentrations. However, there was no statistical correlation between the nanoparticle concentrations and shoot length (SL), due to the inclusion of zero in the 95% CI of the overall effect. Therefore, Ag-NPs could increase the FGP more than other-NPs, while Zn-NPs enhanced RL more. Moreover, NPs at lower concentrations could improve the FGP and RL of crop species to a larger extent than NPs at higher concentrations. This meta-analysis can provide a reference for the nanoparticle treatment technology utilization in agricultural and forest seeds.