Uptake of Nanoparticles by Food Crops: Characterization, Mechanisms, and Implications

With the rapidly increasing demand for and use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in agriculture and related sectors, concerns over the risks to agricultural systems and to crop safety have been the focus of a number of investigations. Significant evidence exists for NP accumulation in soils, including potential particle transformation in the rhizosphere and within terrestrial plants, resulting in subsequent uptake by plants that can yield physiological deficits and molecular alterations that directly undermine crop quality and food safety. In this review, we document in vitro and in vivo characterization of NPs in both growth media and biological matrices; compare the NP uptake patterns, biotransformation, and underlying mechanisms of nanotoxicity; and summarize the environmental implications of NP presence in agricultural ecosystems. A clear understanding of nano-impacts (advantages and disadvantages) on crop plants will help to optimize the safe and sustainable application of nanotechnology in agricult...