Chitosan nanoparticles containing the insecticide dimethoate: A new approach in the reduction of harmful ecotoxicological effects

Synthesis, characterization of chitosan/tripolyphosphate nanoparticles loaded with 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetate sodium salt and its herbicidal activity against Bidens pilosa L

Herbicides are widely used to control weeds in agriculture filed, however, the excessive use of the conventional formulation causes harmful side effects on the environment. To relieve this problem, natural polymer nanoparticles as herbicide carrier were rapidly developed and applied in recent years. In the present study, chitosan/tripolyphosphate (CS/TPP) nanoparticles were synthesized as nanocarrier to load herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetate sodium salt (MCPA-Na). The encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 51.32% was obtained through measuring indirectly by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The free and MCPA-Na-loaded CS/TPP nanoparticles were characterized by using dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The encapsulation of MCPA-Na in CS/TPP nanoparticles resulted in the change of MCPA-Na release profile in different pH media and displayed effective sustained-release under neutral condition. The evaluation of herbicidal activity against Bidens pilosa L. showed that the efficacy enhancement of MCPA-Na was realized after encapsulation in CS/TPP nanoparticles. The proposed herbicide nanoformulation presented a good potential as a sustainable alternative for weed control in agriculture.

Eco-friendly and safe alternatives for the valorization of shrimp farming waste

The seafood industry generates waste, including shells, bones, intestines, and wastewater. The discards are nutrient-rich, containing varying concentrations of carotenoids, proteins, chitin, and other minerals. Thus, it is imperative to subject seafood waste, including shrimp waste (SW), to secondary processing and valorization for demineralization and deproteination to retrieve industrially essential compounds. Although several chemical processes are available for SW processing, most of them are inherently ecotoxic. Bioconversion of SW is cost-effective, ecofriendly, and safe. Microbial fermentation and the action of exogenous enzymes are among the significant SW bioconversion processes that transform seafood waste into valuable products. SW is a potential raw material for agrochemicals, microbial culture media, adsorbents, therapeutics, nutraceuticals, and bio-nanomaterials. This review comprehensively elucidates the valorization approaches of SW, addressing the drawbacks of chemically mediated methods for SW treatments. It is a broad overview of the applications associated with nutrient-rich SW, besides highlighting the role of major shrimp-producing countries in exploring SW to achieve safe, ecofriendly, and efficient bio-products.

Long-term toxic effects of iron-based metal-organic framework nanopesticides on earthworm-soil microorganism interactions in the soil environment

With the widespread use of controlled-release nanopesticides in field conditions, the interactions between these nanopesticides and biological systems are complex and highly uncertain. The toxicity of iron-based metal organic frameworks (CF@MIL-101-SL) loaded with chlorfenapyr (CF) to terrestrial invertebrate earthworms in filter paper and soil environments and the potential mechanisms of interactions in the nanopesticide-earthworm-cornfield soil microorganism system were investigated for the first time. The results showed that CF@MIL-101-SL was more poisonous to earthworms in the contact filter paper test than suspension concentrate of CF (CF-SC), and conversely, CF@MIL-101-SL was less poisonous to earthworms in the soil test. In the soil environment, the CF@MIL-101-SL treatment reduced oxidative stress and the inhibition of detoxifying enzymes, and reduced tissue and cellular substructural damage in earthworms compared to the CF-SC treatment. Long-term treatment with CF@MIL-101-SL altered the composition and abundance of microbial communities with degradative functions in the earthworm intestine and soil and affected the soil nitrogen cycle by modulating the composition and abundance of nitrifying and denitrifying bacterial communities in the earthworm intestine and soil, confirming that soil microorganisms play an important role in reducing the toxicity of CF@MIL-101-SL to earthworms. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the ecological risks of nanopesticides to soil organisms.

Decision support model to assess pesticide safeness toward environment

For farmers around the world to protect crops from disturbing pests, it is common to use pesticides to ward off the growth of pests or even eliminate them. Even though pesticides are seen as a good thing for protecting crops, there is one thing that mustn't be forgotten the origin of the pesticide itself is a toxin compound that is dangerous if used irresponsibly. The main concern of this study is excessive use of pesticides may cause serious consequences to the ecosystem and environment through the accumulation of pesticide residue by irresponsible farmers. To minimize the effects of pesticide residues, the selection of the type of pesticide needs to be considered which type may not be harmful to the environment's health even though accumulation happens. Therefore, in this study, a fuzzy-based computational model assessor was built to measure the safety level of pesticides toward the environment. The fuzzy model was created with consideration of several parameters related to pesticide behaviors, its effects on beneficial organisms, and its persistence in the environment. The method used for this study includes literature reviewing, fuzzification, statistical approach, expert knowledge sharing, and quantitative analysis. The model created in this study can assist in a more accurate and realistic method of selecting better pesticide options that will be used by farmers. To ensure the validity of the model, verifying and validating the formula and pesticide result assessment were done with related literature articles. In this study, from 10 types of pesticides used as a sample, dodine, and iprodione pesticides are the best option for protecting crops with a safety level of 7.36, and abamectin, dimethoate, chorpyrifos, and methidathion are not safe options for farming use because of its potential of harming the environment.

A review of chitosan nanoparticles: Nature's gift for transforming agriculture through smart and effective delivery mechanisms

Chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) have emerged as a promising tool in agricultural advancements due to their unique properties including, biocompatability, biodegradability, non-toxicity and remarkable versatility. These inherent properties along with their antimicrobial, antioxidant and eliciting activities enable CNPs to play an important role in increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing nutrient absorption and improving pest management strategies. Furthermore, the nano-formulation of chitosan have the ability to encapsulate various agricultural amendments, enabling the controlled release of pesticides, fertilizers, plant growth promoters and biocontrol agents, thus offering precise and targeted delivery mechanisms for enhanced efficiency. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest research and developments in the use of CNPs for enhancing agricultural practices through smart and effective delivery mechanisms. It discusses the synthesis methods, physicochemical properties, and their role in enhancing seed germination and plant growth, crop protection against biotic and abiotic stresses, improving soil quality and reducing the environmental pollution and delivery of agricultural amendments. Furthermore, the potential environmental benefits and future directions for integrating CNPs into sustainable agricultural systems are explored. This review aims to shed light on the transformative potential of chitosan nanoparticles as nature's gift for revolutionizing agriculture and fostering eco-friendly farming practices.

Novel insights regarding the safety and efficacy of pyrethroid-coated nanoparticles against Hyalomma ticks

Nanoparticles have been shown to inhibit major life cycle stages of ticks, indicative of the promising application of nanomaterials against hard ticks. The study thus probed into one of the alternative options to curtail Hyalomma by employing nanocomposites consisting of pyrethroids (cypermethrin and deltamethrin) coated nanoparticles of iron oxides and iron sulfides keeping alongside the evaluation of their toxicity through plant and mammalian cell lines. The nanoparticles used in this study were roughly spherical in morphology and exhibited various size dimensions upon characterization using SEM, EDX, and FTIR. The application of nanomaterials on female ovipositioning tick showed a decline up to 15% (females ovipositioned) in deltamethrin-coated FeO NPs, whereas this decline was up to 18% in Cyp-FeS NPs and up to 5% in Cyp-FeO NPs. Similarly, the larval hatching was also impacted, leading to a hatching percentage of 5% and only 1% by application of Cyp-FeS NPs and Cyp-FeO NPs, respectively. Similarly, the larval groups had LC90 of 4.1 and 4.73 mg/L for the Cyp-FeO NPs and Cyp-FeS NPs groups. The delta-FeO NPs and delta-FeS NPs demonstrated a promising effect against adult ticks, showing LC50= 3.5 mg/L, LC90= 6.7 mg/L and LC50= 3.8 mg/L, LC90= 7.9 mg/L, respectively. MTT assay revealed that the pyrethroids coupled with iron oxide nanoparticles showed the least cytotoxicity even at the highest concentration (10-1 µL) among other nanomaterials. The study thus concluded a safer spectrum of non-target effects of pyrethroids-coated nanomaterials in addition to their significant anti-tick activity.

Alginate-based composites as novel soil conditioners for sustainable applications in agriculture: A critical review

The development of alginate-based composites in agriculture to combat nutrient loss and drought for sustainable development has drawn increasing attention in the scientific community. Existing studies are however scattered, and the retention and slow-release mechanisms of alginate-based composites are not well understood. This paper systematically reviews the current literature on the preparation, characterization, and agricultural applications of various alginate-based composites. The synthesis methods of alginate-based composites are firstly summarized, followed by a review of available analytical techniques to characterize alginate-based composites for the attainment of their desired performance. Secondly, the performance and controlling factors for agricultural applications of alginate-based composites are discussed, including aquasorb, slow-release fertilizer, soil amendment, microbial inoculants, and controlled release of pesticides for pest management. Finally, suggestions and future perspectives are proposed to expand the applications of alginate-based composites for sustainable agriculture.