Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants

Nanomaterials (NMs) comprise either inorganic particles consisting of metals, oxides, and salts that exist in nature and may be also produced in the laboratory, or organic particles originating only from the laboratory, having at least one dimension between 1 and 100 nm in size. According to shape,...

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Main Authors: Giuseppe Chichiriccò, Anna Poma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2015-05-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/5/2/851
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author Giuseppe Chichiriccò
Anna Poma
author_facet Giuseppe Chichiriccò
Anna Poma
author_sort Giuseppe Chichiriccò
collection DOAJ
description Nanomaterials (NMs) comprise either inorganic particles consisting of metals, oxides, and salts that exist in nature and may be also produced in the laboratory, or organic particles originating only from the laboratory, having at least one dimension between 1 and 100 nm in size. According to shape, size, surface area, and charge, NMs have different mechanical, chemical, electrical, and optical properties that make them suitable for technological and biomedical applications and thus they are being increasingly produced and modified. Despite their beneficial potential, their use may be hazardous to health owing to the capacity to enter the animal and plant body and interact with cells. Studies on NMs involve technologists, biologists, physicists, chemists, and ecologists, so there are numerous reports that are significantly raising the level of knowledge, especially in the field of nanotechnology; however, many aspects concerning nanobiology remain undiscovered, including the interactions with plant biomolecules. In this review we examine current knowledge on the ways in which NMs penetrate plant organs and interact with cells, with the aim of shedding light on the reactivity of NMs and toxicity to plants. These points are discussed critically to adjust the balance with regard to the risk to the health of the plants as well as providing some suggestions for new studies on this topic.
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spelling doaj.art-dfb75e24b2ef426a9c55f6cb0a5512972022-12-22T01:26:25ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912015-05-015285187310.3390/nano5020851nano5020851Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher PlantsGiuseppe Chichiriccò0Anna Poma1Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, I-67010 Coppito, L'Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, I-67010 Coppito, L'Aquila, ItalyNanomaterials (NMs) comprise either inorganic particles consisting of metals, oxides, and salts that exist in nature and may be also produced in the laboratory, or organic particles originating only from the laboratory, having at least one dimension between 1 and 100 nm in size. According to shape, size, surface area, and charge, NMs have different mechanical, chemical, electrical, and optical properties that make them suitable for technological and biomedical applications and thus they are being increasingly produced and modified. Despite their beneficial potential, their use may be hazardous to health owing to the capacity to enter the animal and plant body and interact with cells. Studies on NMs involve technologists, biologists, physicists, chemists, and ecologists, so there are numerous reports that are significantly raising the level of knowledge, especially in the field of nanotechnology; however, many aspects concerning nanobiology remain undiscovered, including the interactions with plant biomolecules. In this review we examine current knowledge on the ways in which NMs penetrate plant organs and interact with cells, with the aim of shedding light on the reactivity of NMs and toxicity to plants. These points are discussed critically to adjust the balance with regard to the risk to the health of the plants as well as providing some suggestions for new studies on this topic.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/5/2/851carbon nanomaterials (CNMs)carbon nanotubes (CNTs)cytotoxicitymulti-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)nanomaterials (NMs)nanoparticles (NPs)single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)
spellingShingle Giuseppe Chichiriccò
Anna Poma
Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants
Nanomaterials
carbon nanomaterials (CNMs)
carbon nanotubes (CNTs)
cytotoxicity
multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)
nanomaterials (NMs)
nanoparticles (NPs)
single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)
title Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants
title_full Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants
title_fullStr Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants
title_full_unstemmed Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants
title_short Penetration and Toxicity of Nanomaterials in Higher Plants
title_sort penetration and toxicity of nanomaterials in higher plants
topic carbon nanomaterials (CNMs)
carbon nanotubes (CNTs)
cytotoxicity
multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)
nanomaterials (NMs)
nanoparticles (NPs)
single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)
url http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/5/2/851
work_keys_str_mv AT giuseppechichiricco penetrationandtoxicityofnanomaterialsinhigherplants
AT annapoma penetrationandtoxicityofnanomaterialsinhigherplants