Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i>
The nanoparticles of TiO<sub>2</sub> (TiO<sub>2</sub> NP) have been used as a plant-growth stimulant or catalyst in pesticide formulas. However, due to high resistance of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP to abiotic weathering, dissolved Ti is unlikely to act as an active compou...
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/11/1833 |
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| author | Martin Šebesta Lucia Nemček Martin Urík Marek Kolenčík Marek Bujdoš Ingrid Hagarová Peter Matúš |
| author_facet | Martin Šebesta Lucia Nemček Martin Urík Marek Kolenčík Marek Bujdoš Ingrid Hagarová Peter Matúš |
| author_sort | Martin Šebesta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The nanoparticles of TiO<sub>2</sub> (TiO<sub>2</sub> NP) have been used as a plant-growth stimulant or catalyst in pesticide formulas. However, due to high resistance of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP to abiotic weathering, dissolved Ti is unlikely to act as an active compound in these preparations. Even if soil is acidic, TiO<sub>2</sub> NP do not dissolve easily and preferably remain as undissolved particles. The low dissolution rates of inorganic nanoparticles in the soil environment make Ti in TiO<sub>2</sub> NP largely unavailable for plants and soil microorganisms. To characterize the behavior of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP in soil under different pH conditions, we analyzed TiO<sub>2</sub> NP-size distribution in two soil materials, an alkaline and acidic one. We also cultivated <i>Aspergillus niger</i>, a fungus ubiquitously found in soils, in the growth medium spiked with TiO<sub>2</sub> NP to assess accumulation of the nanoparticles in fungus. In soil suspensions, the dissolved Ti was present in low concentrations (up to 0.010 mg L<sup>−1</sup>). Most of the TiO<sub>2</sub> NP remained in particulate form or appeared as aggregates sized 100–450 nm. In experiment on Ti accumulation by <i>A. niger</i>, TiO<sub>2</sub> NP either settled down to the bottom of the flask with growth medium or were actually accumulated by the fungus; about 7.5% of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP were accumulated in fungal mycelia. Most of the TiO<sub>2</sub> NP remain in particulate form in soil solutions, regardless of soil pH. Filamentous fungus <i>A. niger</i> has the ability to accumulate bioavailable TiO<sub>2</sub> NP, which hints at the possibility that some soil fungi can affect spatial distribution of this type of nanoparticles in soils. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:39:46Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-3e57802f1cae42cdb3891d86fc6495442023-11-20T21:52:40ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952020-11-011011183310.3390/agronomy10111833Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i>Martin Šebesta0Lucia Nemček1Martin Urík2Marek Kolenčík3Marek Bujdoš4Ingrid Hagarová5Peter Matúš6Institute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SlovakiaDepartment of Soil Science and Geology, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Trieda A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, SlovakiaInstitute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SlovakiaInstitute of Laboratory Research on Geomaterials, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, SlovakiaThe nanoparticles of TiO<sub>2</sub> (TiO<sub>2</sub> NP) have been used as a plant-growth stimulant or catalyst in pesticide formulas. However, due to high resistance of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP to abiotic weathering, dissolved Ti is unlikely to act as an active compound in these preparations. Even if soil is acidic, TiO<sub>2</sub> NP do not dissolve easily and preferably remain as undissolved particles. The low dissolution rates of inorganic nanoparticles in the soil environment make Ti in TiO<sub>2</sub> NP largely unavailable for plants and soil microorganisms. To characterize the behavior of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP in soil under different pH conditions, we analyzed TiO<sub>2</sub> NP-size distribution in two soil materials, an alkaline and acidic one. We also cultivated <i>Aspergillus niger</i>, a fungus ubiquitously found in soils, in the growth medium spiked with TiO<sub>2</sub> NP to assess accumulation of the nanoparticles in fungus. In soil suspensions, the dissolved Ti was present in low concentrations (up to 0.010 mg L<sup>−1</sup>). Most of the TiO<sub>2</sub> NP remained in particulate form or appeared as aggregates sized 100–450 nm. In experiment on Ti accumulation by <i>A. niger</i>, TiO<sub>2</sub> NP either settled down to the bottom of the flask with growth medium or were actually accumulated by the fungus; about 7.5% of TiO<sub>2</sub> NP were accumulated in fungal mycelia. Most of the TiO<sub>2</sub> NP remain in particulate form in soil solutions, regardless of soil pH. Filamentous fungus <i>A. niger</i> has the ability to accumulate bioavailable TiO<sub>2</sub> NP, which hints at the possibility that some soil fungi can affect spatial distribution of this type of nanoparticles in soils.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/11/1833metal oxide nanoparticlesTi mobilitysoildissolutiontransformationbioavailability |
| spellingShingle | Martin Šebesta Lucia Nemček Martin Urík Marek Kolenčík Marek Bujdoš Ingrid Hagarová Peter Matúš Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i> Agronomy metal oxide nanoparticles Ti mobility soil dissolution transformation bioavailability |
| title | Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
| title_full | Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
| title_fullStr | Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
| title_short | Distribution of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles in Acidic and Alkaline Soil and Their Accumulation by <i>Aspergillus niger</i> |
| title_sort | distribution of tio sub 2 sub nanoparticles in acidic and alkaline soil and their accumulation by i aspergillus niger i |
| topic | metal oxide nanoparticles Ti mobility soil dissolution transformation bioavailability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/11/1833 |
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