Potential Risk to Pollinators from Nanotechnology-Based Pesticides

Nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture: A double-edged sword

Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing discipline that has the potential to transform the way we approach problems in a variety of fields, including agriculture. The use of nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture has gained popularity in recent years. It has various applications in agriculture, such as the development of nanoscale materials and devices to boost agricultural productivity, enhance food quality and safety, improve the efficiency of water and nutrient usage, and reduce environmental pollution. Nanotechnology has proven to be very beneficial in this field, particularly in the development of nanoscale delivery systems for agrochemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, and growth regulators. These nanoscale delivery technologies offer various benefits over conventional delivery systems, including better penetration and distribution, enhanced efficacy, and lower environmental impact. Encapsulating agrochemicals in nanoscale particles enables direct delivery to the targeted site in the plant, thereby reducing waste and minimizing off-target effects. Plants are fundamental building blocks of all ecosystems and evaluating the interaction between nanoparticles (NPs) and plants is a crucial aspect of risk assessment. This critical review therefore aims to provide an overview of the latest advances regarding the positive and negative effects of nanotechnology in agriculture. It also explores potential future research directions focused on ensuring the safe utilization of NPs in this field, which could lead to sustainable development. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Zinc oxide nano-fertilizer differentially effect on morphological and physiological identity of redox-enzymes and biochemical attributes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The aim of current study was to prepared zinc oxide nanofertilzers by ecofriendly friendly, economically feasible, free of chemical contamination and safe for biological use. The study focused on crude extract of Withania coagulans as reducing agent for the green synthesis of ZnO nano-particles. Biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR and GC-MS analysis. However, zinc oxide as green Nano fertilizer was used to analyze responses induced by different doses of ZnO NPs [0, 25, 50,100, 200 mg/l and Zn acetate (100 mg/l)] in Triticum aestivum (wheat). The stimulatory and inhibitory effects of foliar application of ZnO NPs were studied on wheat (Triticum aestivum) with aspect of biomass accumulation, morphological attributes, biochemical parameters and anatomical modifications. Wheat plant showed significant (p < 0.01) enhancement of growth parameters upon exposure to ZnO NPs at specific concentrations. In addition, wheat plant showed significant increase in biochemical attributes, chlorophyll content, carotenoids, carbohydrate and protein contents. Antioxidant enzyme (POD, SOD, CAT) and total flavonoid content also confirmed nurturing impact on wheat plant. Increased stem, leaf and root anatomical parameters, all showed ZnO NPs mitigating capacity when applied to wheat. According to the current research, ZnO NPs application on wheat might be used to increase growth, yield, and Zn biofortification in wheat plants.

Toxicokinetics Explain Differential Freshwater Ecotoxicity of Nanoencapsulated Imidacloprid Compared to Its Conventional Active Ingredient

Agricultural applications of nanotechnologies necessitate addressing safety concerns associated with nanopesticides, yet research has not adequately elucidated potential environmental risks between nanopesticides and their conventional counterparts. To address this gap, we investigated the risk of nanopesticides by comparing the ecotoxicity of nanoencapsulated imidacloprid (nano-IMI) with its active ingredient to nontarget freshwater organisms (embryonic Danio rerio, Daphnia magna, and Chironomus kiinensis). Nano-IMI elicited approximately 5 times higher toxicity than IMI to zebrafish embryos with and without chorion, while no significant difference was observed between the two invertebrates. Toxicokinetics further explained the differential toxicity patterns of the two IMI analogues. One-compartmental two-phase toxicokinetic modeling showed that nano-IMI exhibited significantly slower elimination and subsequently higher bioaccumulation potential than IMI in zebrafish embryos (dechorinated), while no disparity in toxicokinetics was observed between nano-IMI and IMI in D. magna and C. kiinensis. A two-compartmental toxicokinetic model successfully simulated the slow elimination of IMI from C. kiinensis and confirmed that both analogues of IMI reached toxicologically relevant targets at similar levels. Although nanopesticides exhibit comparable or elevated toxicity, future work is of utmost importance to properly understand the life cycle risks from production to end-of-life exposures, which helps establish optimal management measures before their widespread applications.

Investigating the ecological implications of nanomaterials: Unveiling plants' notable responses to nano-pollution

The rapid advancement of nanotechnology has led to unprecedented innovations; however, it is crucial to analyze its environmental impacts carefully. This review thoroughly examines the complex relationship between plants and nanomaterials, highlighting their significant impact on ecological sustainability and ecosystem well-being. This study investigated the response of plants to nano-pollution stress, revealing the complex regulation of defense-related genes and proteins, and highlighting the sophisticated defense mechanisms in nature. Phytohormones play a crucial role in the complex molecular communication network that regulates plant responses to exposure to nanomaterials. The interaction between plants and nano-pollution influences plants' complex defense strategies. This reveals the interconnectedness of systems of nature. Nevertheless, these findings have implications beyond the plant domain. The incorporation of hyperaccumulator plants into pollution mitigation strategies has the potential to create more environmentally sustainable urban landscapes and improve overall environmental resilience. By utilizing these exceptional plants, we can create a future in which cities serve as centers of both innovation and ecological balance. Further investigation is necessary to explore the long-term presence of nanoparticles in the environment, their ability to induce genetic changes in plants over multiple generations, and their overall impact on ecosystems. In conclusion, this review summarizes significant scientific discoveries with broad implications beyond the confines of laboratories. This highlights the importance of understanding the interactions between plants and nanomaterials within the wider scope of environmental health. By considering these insights, we initiated a path towards the responsible utilization of nanomaterials, environmentally friendly management of pollution, and interdisciplinary exploration. We have the responsibility to balance scientific advancement and environmental preservation to create a sustainable future that combines nature's wisdom with human innovation.

Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan

Managed bee species provide essential pollination services that contribute to food security worldwide. However, managed bees face a diverse array of threats and anticipating these, and potential opportunities to reduce risks, is essential for the sustainable management of pollination services. We conducted a horizon scanning exercise with 20 experts from across Europe to identify emerging threats and opportunities for managed bees in European agricultural systems. An initial 63 issues were identified, and this was shortlisted to 21 issues through the horizon scanning process. These ranged from local landscape-level management to geopolitical issues on a continental and global scale across seven broad themes-Pesticides & pollutants, Technology, Management practices, Predators & parasites, Environmental stressors, Crop modification, and Political & trade influences. While we conducted this horizon scan within a European context, the opportunities and threats identified will likely be relevant to other regions. A renewed research and policy focus, especially on the highest-ranking issues, is required to maximise the value of these opportunities and mitigate threats to maintain sustainable and healthy managed bee pollinators within agricultural systems.

Trace metals with heavy consequences on bees: A comprehensive review

The pervasiveness of human imprint on Earth is alarming and most animal species, including bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), must cope with several stressors. Recently, exposure to trace metals and metalloids (TMM) has drawn attention and has been suggested as a threat for bee populations. In this review, we aimed at bringing together all the studies (n = 59), both in laboratories and in natura, that assessed the effects of TMM on bees. After a brief comment on semantics, we listed the potential routes of exposure to soluble and insoluble (i.e. nanoparticle) TMM, and the threat posed by metallophyte plants. Then, we reviewed the studies that addressed whether bees could detect and avoid TMM in their environment, as well as the ways bee detoxify these xenobiotics. Afterwards, we listed the impacts TMM have on bees at the community, individual, physiological, histological and microbial levels. We discussed around the interspecific variations among bees, as well as around the simultaneous exposure to TMM. Finally, we highlighted that bees are likely exposed to TMM in combination or with other stressors, such as pesticides and parasites. Overall, we showed that most studies focussed on the domesticated western honey bee and mainly addressed lethal effects. Because TMM are widespread in the environment and have been shown to result in detrimental consequences, evaluating their lethal and sublethal effects on bees, including non-Apis species, warrants further investigations.

Frequency of urinary pesticides in children: a scoping review

Pesticides are any mix of ingredients and substances used to eliminate or control unwanted vegetable or animal species recognized as plagues. Its use has been discussed in research due to the scarcity of strong scientific evidence about its health effects. International literature is still insufficient to establish a global recommendation through public policy. This study aims to explore international evidence of the presence of pesticides in urine samples from children and their effects on health through a scoping review based on the methodology described by Arksey and O'Malley. The number of articles resulting from the keyword combination was 454, and a total of 93 manuscripts were included in the results and 22 were complementary. Keywords included in the search were: urinary, pesticide, children, and childhood. Children are exposed to pesticide residues through a fruit and vegetable intake environment and household insecticide use. Behavioral effects of neural damage, diabetes, obesity, and pulmonary function are health outcomes for children that are commonly studied. Gas and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods are used predominantly for metabolite-pesticide detection in urine samples. Dialkylphosphates (DAP) are common in organophosphate (OP) metabolite studies. First-morning spot samples are recommended to most accurately characterize OP dose in children. International evidence in PubMed supports that organic diets in children are successful interventions that decrease the urinary levels of pesticides. Several urinary pesticide studies were found throughout the world's population. However, there is a knowledge gap that is important to address (public policy), due to farming activities that are predominant in these territories.

Nano-managing silver and zinc as bio-conservational approach against pathogens of the honey bee

Herein, silver and zinc oxide Nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by using W. coagulant fruit extract as reducing agent and capping agent. The green synthesized NP with distinct properties were used for novel application against fungal and bacterial pathogen of honey bee (A. mellifera). The UV-spectroscopy confirms the synthesis of silver and zinc oxide NPs at 420 nm and 350 nm respectively. Further, XRD evaluated the monoclinic structure of Ag NPs while ZnO NPs showed wurtzite hexagonalcrystlized structure. Resistant honey bee pathogens such Paenibacilluslarvae, Melissococcus plutonius and Ascosphaera apis were isolated, identified and cultured in vitro to assess the antimicrobial potentials of Ag and ZnO NPs. Additionally, different biomolecules provide access to achieve maximum and stable Ag and ZnO NPs. It was also observed that with increasing the concentration of zinc oxide NPs and sliver NPs, zone of inhibition was also increased. Thus, present findings show that plant extracts can be a useful natural resource to prepare functional nonmaterial for targeted applications especially in the field of apicultural research.

Synthetic fertilizers alter floral biophysical cues and bumblebee foraging behavior

The use of agrochemicals is increasingly recognized as interfering with pollination services due to its detrimental effects on pollinators. Compared to the relatively well-studied chemical toxicity of agrochemicals, little is known on how they influence various biophysical floral cues that are used by pollinating insects to identify floral rewards. Here, we show that widely used horticultural and agricultural synthetic fertilizers affect bumblebee foraging behavior by altering a complex set of interlinked biophysical properties of the flower. We provide empirical and model-based evidence that synthetic fertilizers recurrently alter the magnitude and dynamics of floral electrical cues, and that similar responses can be observed with the neonicotinoid pesticide imidacloprid. We show that biophysical responses interact in modifying floral electric fields and that such changes reduce bumblebee foraging, reflecting a perturbation in the sensory events experienced by bees during flower visitation. This unveils a previously unappreciated anthropogenic interference elicited by agrochemicals within the electric landscape that is likely relevant for a wide range of chemicals and organisms that rely on naturally occurring electric fields.

Role of metal-nanoparticles in farming practices: an insight

Nanotechnology introduces revolutionary approaches for agriculture in the form of nano-based pesticides, fertilizers, sensors, weed-controlling agents, enhanced seed germination materials, etc. Even though metal-nanoparticles (NPs) have shown their potential to improve crop yield, the mode of action at the cellular level and fate in the human body and the environment are not well understood yet. Several metal-nanoparticles have been studied extensively by researchers for their active role in enhancing the rate of seed germination and crop quality augmentation which may happen due to several mechanisms such as increased porosity in nano-primed seeds inducing up-regulation of the expression of aquaporin and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) genes involved in water uptake, improving the root dehydrogenase activity to enhance the water absorption capability, etc. However, researchers have also demonstrated and reported the possible toxicity of NPs in the environment due to their agricultural practices. But the fate of NPs and their environmental impact are still unclear and largely vary based on several factors such as the size of NPs, coating material, mode of discharge and locations, etc. This review thoroughly focuses on the mode of action of various NPs in seed germination and accumulation, translocation through cells, and potential environmental and health risks.

The ecology of electricity and electroreception

Electricity, the interaction between electrically charged objects, is widely known to be fundamental to the functioning of living systems. However, this appreciation has largely been restricted to the scale of atoms, molecules, and cells. By contrast, the role of electricity at the ecological scale has historically been largely neglected, characterised by punctuated islands of research infrequently connected to one another. Recently, however, an understanding of the ubiquity of electrical forces within the natural environment has begun to grow, along with a realisation of the multitude of ecological interactions that these forces may influence. Herein, we provide the first comprehensive collation and synthesis of research in this emerging field of electric ecology. This includes assessments of the role electricity plays in the natural ecology of predator-prey interactions, pollination, and animal dispersal, among many others, as well as the impact of anthropogenic activity on these systems. A detailed introduction to the ecology and physiology of electroreception - the biological detection of ecologically relevant electric fields - is also provided. Further to this, we suggest avenues for future research that show particular promise, most notably those investigating the recently discovered sense of aerial electroreception.

Bee Products: A Representation of Biodiversity, Sustainability, and Health

Biodiversity strengthens the productivity of any ecosystem (agricultural land, forest, lake, etc.). The loss of biodiversity contributes to food and energy insecurity; increases vulnerability to natural disasters, such as floods or tropical storms; and decreases the quality of both life and health. Wild and managed bees play a key role in maintaining the biodiversity and in the recovery and restoration of degraded habitats. The novelty character of this perspective is to give an updated representation of bee products’ biodiversity, sustainability, and health relationship. The role of bees as bioindicators, their importance in the conservation of biodiversity, their ecosystem services, and the variety of the bee products are described herein. An overview of the main components of bee products, their biological potentials, and health is highlighted and detailed as follows: (i) nutritional value of bee products, (ii) bioactive profile of bee products and the related beneficial properties; (iii) focus on honey and health through a literature quantitative analysis, and (iv) bee products explored through databases. Moreover, as an example of the interconnection between health, biodiversity, and sustainability, a case study, namely the “Cellulose Park”, realized in Rome (Italy), is presented here. This case study highlights how bee activities can be used to assess and track changes in the quality of agricultural ecosystems—hive products could be valid indicators of the quality and health of the surrounding environment, as well as the changes induced by the biotic and abiotic factors that impact the sustainability of agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in peri-urban areas.

Pesticides: Behavior in Agricultural Soil and Plants

This review considers potential approaches to solve an important problem concerning the impact of applied pesticides of various classes on living organisms, mainly agricultural crops used as food. We used the method of multi-residual determination of several pesticides in agricultural food products with its practical application for estimating pesticides in real products and in model experiments. The distribution of the pesticide between the components of the soil-plant system was studied with a pesticide of the sulfonylureas class, i.e., rimsulfuron. Autoradiography showed that rimsulfuron inhibits the development of plants considered as weeds. Cereals are less susceptible to the effects of pesticides such as acetamiprid, flumetsulam and florasulam, while the development of legume shoots was inhibited with subsequent plant death.

Are Honey Bees at Risk from Microplastics?

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous and persistent pollutants, and have been detected in a wide variety of media, from soils to aquatic systems. MPs, consisting primarily of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyacrylamide polymers, have recently been found in 12% of samples of honey collected in Ecuador. Recently, MPs have also been identified in honey bees collected from apiaries in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as nearby semiurban and rural areas. Given these documented exposures, assessment of their effects is critical for understanding the risks of MP exposure to honey bees. Exposure to polystyrene (PS)-MPs decreased diversity of the honey bee gut microbiota, followed by changes in gene expression related to oxidative damage, detoxification, and immunity. As a result, the aim of this perspective was to investigate whether wide-spread prevalence of MPs might have unintended negative effects on health and fitness of honey bees, as well as to draw the scientific community’s attention to the possible risks of MPs to the fitness of honey bees. Several research questions must be answered before MPs can be considered a potential threat to bees.

Thiram/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex electrospun nanofibers for a fast dissolving water-based drug delivery system

The electrospinning of thiram/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex nanofiber (thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF) was produced for establishing a quick dissolving water-based drug delivery system. As a dithiocarbamate broad-spectrum fungicide, thiram is insoluble in water. High-concentration HPβCD solutions (180 %, w/v) were applied in thiram/HPβCD systems to implement electrospinning with no extra polymer matrix added. The formation of thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction as well as nuclear magnetic resonance. Phase solubility study proved HPβCD played a huge role in the improvement in solubility of thiram, and thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF showed an excellent dissolution rate. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the configuration of surface of thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF, which exhibited that thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF was uniform and beadless. In addition, thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF exhibited better antifungal activity and thermal stability than pure thiram. In summary, thiram/HPβCD-IC-NF drug delivery system contributed to water solubility, thermal stability and antifungal activity of thiram. It could provide a new idea for the development of new formulations of rapidly dissolving green pesticides, and made efforts to promote the sustainable development of agriculture.

On a Magical Mystery Tour of Green Insecticide Research: Current Issues and Challenges

The Editorial outlines recent research advances in green insecticide research. Particular attention is devoted to studies shedding light on the modes of action and non-target toxicity of natural substances of plant origin. Research focusing on the development of new formulations (including those relating to nano-objects) to magnify the effectiveness and stability of green insecticides in the field represents key advances. Herein, a carefully reviewed selection of cutting edge articles about green pesticide development recently published in Molecules is presented. The impact of sub-lethal doses of green insecticides on insect behavioral traits is still overlooked, representing a timely challenge for further research.