Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models
Nanomaterials (NMs) are now gaining popularity to be used in agriculture as fertilisers to reduce the dose of conventional fertilisers and enhance nutrient use efficiency. Urea has found its application as a conventional nitrogenous fertiliser since long, however, the nutrient use efficiency of the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402308831X |
| _version_ | 1797429857560297472 |
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| author | Ayushi Priyam Prerna Seth Jibanananda Mishra Palash Kumar Manna Pushplata Prasad Singh |
| author_facet | Ayushi Priyam Prerna Seth Jibanananda Mishra Palash Kumar Manna Pushplata Prasad Singh |
| author_sort | Ayushi Priyam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nanomaterials (NMs) are now gaining popularity to be used in agriculture as fertilisers to reduce the dose of conventional fertilisers and enhance nutrient use efficiency. Urea has found its application as a conventional nitrogenous fertiliser since long, however, the nutrient use efficiency of the bulk form of urea is low due to issues related to ammonia volatilisation. This study proposes a biogenic synthesis route to develop urea nanoparticles that can be used as nano-fertiliser for better uptake and hence improved nutrient efficiency. Large scale production and widespread application of these nano-fertilisers to the agricultural fields will enhance the direct exposure to workers and farmers. Therefore, the occupational safety evaluation becomes critical. In this study, we report a new method for synthesis of urea nanoparticles (TNU, absolute size: 12.14 ± 7.79 nm) followed by nano-safety evaluation. Herein, the pulmonary and ocular compatibilities of TNU were investigated in vitro and in vivo respectively. The assay for cellular mitochondrial activity was carried out on human lung fibroblasts (WI-38) under varied TNU exposure concentrations up to 72 h. The acute biocompatibility effect, ocular irritation and sub-lethal effects were measured on New Zealand Rabbit. The results show that TNU do not exhibit any cytotoxicity and detrimental cell mitochondrial activity up to the highest tested concentration of 1000 μg/mL and 72 h of testing. The animal experiment results also show that neither acute nor sub-lethal toxic effects can be detected after TNU ocular instillation up to 21 days when tested up to environmentally relevant concentration of 15 μg/mL. These results suggest the occupational safety of biogenic urea nanoparticles and support its application as nanofertiliser. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:18:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-863bbed0b83b4601b3157e8536db7b55 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:18:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-863bbed0b83b4601b3157e8536db7b552023-12-02T07:03:28ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-11-01911e21623Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular modelsAyushi Priyam0Prerna Seth1Jibanananda Mishra2Palash Kumar Manna3Pushplata Prasad Singh4National Centre of Excellence for Advanced Research in Agricultural Nanotechnology, TERI - Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre, Sustainable Agriculture Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, 110003, India; IMPACT, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3217, AustraliaNational Centre of Excellence for Advanced Research in Agricultural Nanotechnology, TERI - Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre, Sustainable Agriculture Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, 110003, IndiaAAL Biosciences Research Pvt. Ltd., Panchkula, Haryana, 134109, IndiaNational Centre of Excellence for Advanced Research in Agricultural Nanotechnology, TERI - Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre, Sustainable Agriculture Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, 110003, IndiaNational Centre of Excellence for Advanced Research in Agricultural Nanotechnology, TERI - Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre, Sustainable Agriculture Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, 110003, India; IMPACT, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3217, Australia; Corresponding author. National Centre of Excellence for Advanced Research in Agricultural Nanotechnology, TERI - Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre, Sustainable Agriculture Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, 110003, India.Nanomaterials (NMs) are now gaining popularity to be used in agriculture as fertilisers to reduce the dose of conventional fertilisers and enhance nutrient use efficiency. Urea has found its application as a conventional nitrogenous fertiliser since long, however, the nutrient use efficiency of the bulk form of urea is low due to issues related to ammonia volatilisation. This study proposes a biogenic synthesis route to develop urea nanoparticles that can be used as nano-fertiliser for better uptake and hence improved nutrient efficiency. Large scale production and widespread application of these nano-fertilisers to the agricultural fields will enhance the direct exposure to workers and farmers. Therefore, the occupational safety evaluation becomes critical. In this study, we report a new method for synthesis of urea nanoparticles (TNU, absolute size: 12.14 ± 7.79 nm) followed by nano-safety evaluation. Herein, the pulmonary and ocular compatibilities of TNU were investigated in vitro and in vivo respectively. The assay for cellular mitochondrial activity was carried out on human lung fibroblasts (WI-38) under varied TNU exposure concentrations up to 72 h. The acute biocompatibility effect, ocular irritation and sub-lethal effects were measured on New Zealand Rabbit. The results show that TNU do not exhibit any cytotoxicity and detrimental cell mitochondrial activity up to the highest tested concentration of 1000 μg/mL and 72 h of testing. The animal experiment results also show that neither acute nor sub-lethal toxic effects can be detected after TNU ocular instillation up to 21 days when tested up to environmentally relevant concentration of 15 μg/mL. These results suggest the occupational safety of biogenic urea nanoparticles and support its application as nanofertiliser.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402308831XUreaNanofertilisersBiological synthesisDermal effectsPulmonary effectsOcular effects |
| spellingShingle | Ayushi Priyam Prerna Seth Jibanananda Mishra Palash Kumar Manna Pushplata Prasad Singh Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models Heliyon Urea Nanofertilisers Biological synthesis Dermal effects Pulmonary effects Ocular effects |
| title | Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models |
| title_full | Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models |
| title_fullStr | Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models |
| title_short | Occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary, and in vivo ocular models |
| title_sort | occupational safety assessment of biogenic urea nanofertilisers using in vitro pulmonary and in vivo ocular models |
| topic | Urea Nanofertilisers Biological synthesis Dermal effects Pulmonary effects Ocular effects |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402308831X |
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