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Mohammadi S, Jabbari F, Cidonio G, Babaeipour V. Revolutionizing agriculture: Harnessing nano-innovations for sustainable farming and environmental preservation. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 198:105722. [PMID: 38225077 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The agricultural sector is currently confronted with a significant crisis stemming from the rapid changes in climate patterns, declining soil fertility, insufficient availability of essential macro and micronutrients, excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and the presence of heavy metals in soil. These numerous challenges pose a considerable threat to the agriculture industry. Furthermore, the exponential growth of the global population has led to a substantial increase in food consumption, further straining agricultural systems worldwide. Nanotechnology holds great promise in revolutionizing the food and agriculture industry, decreasing the harmful effects of agricultural practices on the environment, and improving productivity. Nanomaterials such as inorganic, lipid, and polymeric nanoparticles have been developed for increasing productivity due to their unique properties. Various strategies can enhance product quality, such as the use of nano-clays, nano zeolites, and hydrogel-based materials to regulate water absorption and release, effectively mitigating water scarcity. The production of nanoparticles can be achieved through various methods, each of which has its own unique benefits and limitations. Among these methods, chemical synthesis is widely favored due to the impact that various factors such as concentration, particle size, and shape have on product quality and efficiency. This review provides a detailed examination of the roles of nanotechnology and nanoparticles in sustainable agriculture, including their synthetic methods, and presents an analysis of their associated advantages and disadvantages. To date, there are serious concerns and awareness about healthy agriculture and the production of healthy products, therefore the development of nanotech-enabled devices that act as preventive and early warning systems to identify health issues, offering remedial measures is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Mohammadi
- Center for Life Nano & Neuro-Science (CLN(2)S), Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy; Department of Basic and Applied Science for Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Farzaneh Jabbari
- Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Department, Materials and Energy Research Center, Tehran 14155-4777, Iran
| | - Gianluca Cidonio
- Center for Life Nano & Neuro-Science (CLN(2)S), Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Valiollah Babaeipour
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Malek Ashtar University of Technology, Tehran 14155-4777, Iran.
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Janik W, Nowotarski M, Ledniowska K, Shyntum DY, Krukiewicz K, Turczyn R, Sabura E, Furgoł S, Kudła S, Dudek G. Modulation of physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of sodium alginate films through the use of chestnut extract and plasticizers. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11530. [PMID: 37460643 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38794-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the growing demand for robust and environmentally friendly antimicrobial packaging materials, biopolymers have recently become extensively investigated. Although biodegradable biopolymers usually lack mechanical properties, which makes it inevitable to blend them with plasticizers. The purpose of this study was to investigate plasticization efficiency of bio-based plasticizers introduced into sodium alginate compositions containing chestnut extract and their effect on selected film properties, including primarily mechanical and antibacterial properties. The films were prepared by the casting method and sodium alginate was cross-linked with calcium chloride. Six different plasticizers, including three commercially available ones (glycerol, epoxidized soybean oil and palm oil) and three synthesized plasticizers that are mixtures of bio-based plasticizers, were used to compare their influence on the film properties. Interactions between the polymer matrix and the plasticizers were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The morphological characteristics of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Thermal properties, tensile strength, elongation at break, hydrophilic, and barrier properties of the obtained films were also determined. To confirm the obtaining of active films through the use of chestnut extract and to study the effect of the proposed plasticizers on the antibacterial activity of the extract, the obtained films were tested against bacteria cultures. The final results showed that all of the obtained films exhibit a hydrophilic character and high barrier effect to oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor. In addition, sodium alginate films prepared with chestnut extract and the plasticizer proposed by us, showed better mechanical and antimicrobial properties than the films obtained with chestnut extract and the commercially available plasticizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weronika Janik
- Łukasiewicz Research Network-Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis "Blachownia", 47-225, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland.
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, PhD School, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland.
| | - Michał Nowotarski
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Kerstin Ledniowska
- Łukasiewicz Research Network-Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis "Blachownia", 47-225, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, PhD School, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | | | - Katarzyna Krukiewicz
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
- Centre for Organic and Nanohybrid Electronics, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Roman Turczyn
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
- Centre for Organic and Nanohybrid Electronics, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Ewa Sabura
- Łukasiewicz Research Network-Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis "Blachownia", 47-225, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland
| | - Simona Furgoł
- Łukasiewicz Research Network-Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis "Blachownia", 47-225, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland
| | - Stanisław Kudła
- Łukasiewicz Research Network-Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis "Blachownia", 47-225, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Poland
| | - Gabriela Dudek
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Technology of Polymers, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland
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