Marwa Moustafa Eltarahony,Eslam Salama,Amira Sabry,Chihiro Yoshimura,Mona M. Ismail
Eutrophication and climate change increasingly contribute to the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs), threatening aquatic ecosystems and water quality. Although metal-based nanomaterials have shown antimicrobial activity, their algicidal potential against HAB-forming microalgae remains poorly explored. Here, we report a biogenic approach for synthesizing hybrid ZnCu, MnCu, and SeMn nanocomposites (NCs) using the cell-free supernatant of Candida sp. and investigate their algicidal activity against the marine microalga Chlorella marina. Physicochemical characterization (XRD, FTIR, TEM, EDX, ζ-potential, and TGA) confirmed the formation of crystalline, thermally stable nanocomposites and good colloidal stability. All NCs inhibited algal growth in a concentration-dependent manner, with 100 mg/L significantly reducing biomass and the contents of carbohydrates, proteins, and chlorophyll. In contrast, lipid and carotenoid levels increased at lower concentrations (12.5 mg/L), suggesting a protective response to nanocomposite-induced stress. NC treatment also markedly enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant-related responses, as indicated by increases in total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and total antioxidant capacity. Scanning electron microscopy revealed severe cellular deformation, membrane disruption, intracellular leakage, and biofilm disintegration. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the cooperative synergistic effects of the hybrid nanocomposites induce oxidative stress and structural damage, leading to effective algal inactivation. The synthesized biogenic nanocomposites show promise algicidal materials for HAB mitigation and could potentially be incorporated into antifouling membranes for water treatment, supporting more environmental management.
{"title":"Mycogenic fabrication of ZnCu, MnCu, and SeMn nanocomposites for algicidal applications","authors":"Marwa Moustafa Eltarahony,Eslam Salama,Amira Sabry,Chihiro Yoshimura,Mona M. Ismail","doi":"10.1039/d6en00699j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00699j","url":null,"abstract":"Eutrophication and climate change increasingly contribute to the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs), threatening aquatic ecosystems and water quality. Although metal-based nanomaterials have shown antimicrobial activity, their algicidal potential against HAB-forming microalgae remains poorly explored. Here, we report a biogenic approach for synthesizing hybrid ZnCu, MnCu, and SeMn nanocomposites (NCs) using the cell-free supernatant of Candida sp. and investigate their algicidal activity against the marine microalga Chlorella marina. Physicochemical characterization (XRD, FTIR, TEM, EDX, ζ-potential, and TGA) confirmed the formation of crystalline, thermally stable nanocomposites and good colloidal stability. All NCs inhibited algal growth in a concentration-dependent manner, with 100 mg/L significantly reducing biomass and the contents of carbohydrates, proteins, and chlorophyll. In contrast, lipid and carotenoid levels increased at lower concentrations (12.5 mg/L), suggesting a protective response to nanocomposite-induced stress. NC treatment also markedly enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant-related responses, as indicated by increases in total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and total antioxidant capacity. Scanning electron microscopy revealed severe cellular deformation, membrane disruption, intracellular leakage, and biofilm disintegration. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the cooperative synergistic effects of the hybrid nanocomposites induce oxidative stress and structural damage, leading to effective algal inactivation. The synthesized biogenic nanocomposites show promise algicidal materials for HAB mitigation and could potentially be incorporated into antifouling membranes for water treatment, supporting more environmental management.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149173141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plastic debris and metal contamination are intensifying environmental pressures on aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics and nanoplastics (M/NPs) can interact with metal ions (MIs) and metal-based nanomaterials (NMs), creating co-exposure scenarios whose effects cannot be inferred from individual stressors alone. As primary producers and sensitive bioindicators, microalgae are particularly vulnerable to these mixtures. Using a microalgae-centred conceptual Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) network, this Review organizes evidence from upstream exposure modifiers through biological key events (KEs) to adverse outcomes. Beyond previous reviews that mainly considered M/NP–metal interactions, algal toxicity or data-driven prediction separately, we integrate physical particle effects, endogenous plastic leachates and adsorbed exogenous metals within one mechanistic framework and link them to KE-related endpoints and machine-learning-ready descriptors. Single and combined exposures are compared to identify shared and stressor-specific mechanisms, with oxidative stress and photosynthetic impairment emerging as central KEs. Particle-induced shading and adhesion, ageing, aggregation, metal speciation and dissolution, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production and eco-corona formation are evaluated as processes that alter the cell-accessible dose. Enhanced toxicity is favoured when plastic particles increase local metal delivery or when co-stressors converge on oxidative and photosynthetic pathways, whereas strong sorption, heteroaggregation, sedimentation and EPS-mediated extracellular sequestration can reduce cellular metal exposure and attenuate toxicity, including antagonism where this is demonstrated against an explicit additivity model. We further assess machine-learning and deep-learning applications and map model inputs and outputs to upstream descriptors, intermediate KEs and downstream outcomes. Priorities include environmentally realistic mixture designs, quantitative exposure characterization, multi-species and trophic-level validation, and standardized datasets for AOP-aligned, ML-supported assessment of M/NP and metal co-pollution.
{"title":"Adverse Outcome Pathway Mapping of Micro/Nanoplastics, Metal Ions and Metal-based Nanomaterials in Microalgae","authors":"Haiyang Chen,Samina Irshad,Changjian Xie,Fengxia Xu,Shujing Zhang,Peng Zhang,Iseult Lynch,Zhiling Guo","doi":"10.1039/d6en00001k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00001k","url":null,"abstract":"Plastic debris and metal contamination are intensifying environmental pressures on aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics and nanoplastics (M/NPs) can interact with metal ions (MIs) and metal-based nanomaterials (NMs), creating co-exposure scenarios whose effects cannot be inferred from individual stressors alone. As primary producers and sensitive bioindicators, microalgae are particularly vulnerable to these mixtures. Using a microalgae-centred conceptual Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) network, this Review organizes evidence from upstream exposure modifiers through biological key events (KEs) to adverse outcomes. Beyond previous reviews that mainly considered M/NP–metal interactions, algal toxicity or data-driven prediction separately, we integrate physical particle effects, endogenous plastic leachates and adsorbed exogenous metals within one mechanistic framework and link them to KE-related endpoints and machine-learning-ready descriptors. Single and combined exposures are compared to identify shared and stressor-specific mechanisms, with oxidative stress and photosynthetic impairment emerging as central KEs. Particle-induced shading and adhesion, ageing, aggregation, metal speciation and dissolution, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production and eco-corona formation are evaluated as processes that alter the cell-accessible dose. Enhanced toxicity is favoured when plastic particles increase local metal delivery or when co-stressors converge on oxidative and photosynthetic pathways, whereas strong sorption, heteroaggregation, sedimentation and EPS-mediated extracellular sequestration can reduce cellular metal exposure and attenuate toxicity, including antagonism where this is demonstrated against an explicit additivity model. We further assess machine-learning and deep-learning applications and map model inputs and outputs to upstream descriptors, intermediate KEs and downstream outcomes. Priorities include environmentally realistic mixture designs, quantitative exposure characterization, multi-species and trophic-level validation, and standardized datasets for AOP-aligned, ML-supported assessment of M/NP and metal co-pollution.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149173142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RESHMA V S,Swathi Sudhakar,Mikael Ekvall,Martin Lundqvist,Tommy Cedervall,Ethayaraja Mani
Microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs, <1 μm) generated from plastic waste are emerging as a global environmental and health-related challenge affecting life in water and soil. Among the commodity plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - extensively used in single-use bottles and textiles - exhibits hydrolytic stability and mechanical resilience, making it more resistant to natural degradation but extremely problematic for long-term persistence as MPs and NPs. In this study, photocatalytic degradation of PET MPs and NPs is investigated using hematite nano-ellipsoids (~ 250 nm major axis and ~ 50 nm minor axis) as the photocatalyst under visible light illumination. For this study, commercial PET granules are converted into NPs (~100 nm) via flash nanoprecipitation (FNP). The extent and efficiency of PET degradation is systematically evaluated using PET NPs of 100 nm under visible light irradiation at neutral pH, which exhibited mean 42±0.4% mass loss over 8 hours, with a reduction in particle size from 100 nm to ~10 nm. PET MPs (~100 μm) photocatalytic degradation exhibited 32±0.4% of weight loss and an overall particle size reduction from 100 μm to 0.8 μm after 8 days. The photocatalytic degradation of PET due to reactive oxygen species is found to be faster for NPs compared to MPs due to the higher specific surface area of NPs. These results establish HNEs as a highly effective and environmentally benign photocatalyst for accelerating PET micro- and nanoplastic degradation, offering a low-complexity and scalable platform for advanced plastic remediation applications.
{"title":"Photocatalytic Remediation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Micro- and Nanoplastics using Ellipsoidal α-Fe₂O₃","authors":"RESHMA V S,Swathi Sudhakar,Mikael Ekvall,Martin Lundqvist,Tommy Cedervall,Ethayaraja Mani","doi":"10.1039/d6en00535g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00535g","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics (MPs, <5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs, <1 μm) generated from plastic waste are emerging as a global environmental and health-related challenge affecting life in water and soil. Among the commodity plastics, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) - extensively used in single-use bottles and textiles - exhibits hydrolytic stability and mechanical resilience, making it more resistant to natural degradation but extremely problematic for long-term persistence as MPs and NPs. In this study, photocatalytic degradation of PET MPs and NPs is investigated using hematite nano-ellipsoids (~ 250 nm major axis and ~ 50 nm minor axis) as the photocatalyst under visible light illumination. For this study, commercial PET granules are converted into NPs (~100 nm) via flash nanoprecipitation (FNP). The extent and efficiency of PET degradation is systematically evaluated using PET NPs of 100 nm under visible light irradiation at neutral pH, which exhibited mean 42±0.4% mass loss over 8 hours, with a reduction in particle size from 100 nm to ~10 nm. PET MPs (~100 μm) photocatalytic degradation exhibited 32±0.4% of weight loss and an overall particle size reduction from 100 μm to 0.8 μm after 8 days. The photocatalytic degradation of PET due to reactive oxygen species is found to be faster for NPs compared to MPs due to the higher specific surface area of NPs. These results establish HNEs as a highly effective and environmentally benign photocatalyst for accelerating PET micro- and nanoplastic degradation, offering a low-complexity and scalable platform for advanced plastic remediation applications.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"188 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149173143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ezequiel García-Locascio,Carlos A. Huerta-Aguilar,Jaime Dueñas-Moreno,Abrahan Mora,Arturo A. Keller,Illya A. Medina-Velo,Pabel Cervantes-Avilés
Nano-enabled agrochemicals are increasingly explored to improve crop nutrition, stress resilience, pest and disease management, and delivery of active compounds. This review critically analyzes 113 experimental studies published from 2017 to August 2026 on nanomaterials (NMs) applied to tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), emphasizing relationships among physicochemical properties, dose, delivery route, mechanisms of action, efficacy, and phytotoxicity. The evidence is organized into four functional categories: nanofertilizers and nanobiostimulants, nanopesticides and stress-mitigation agents, nanocarriers and controlled-release systems, and phytotoxicity/ecotoxicology. Beneficial responses involve nutrient delivery and ion release, improved nutrient bioavailability, photosynthetic and metabolic stimulation, direct antimicrobial activity, defense activation, and mitigation of abiotic and chemical stress. Nanocarriers can also enhance the delivery and release of nutrients, phytohormones, nucleic acids, and pesticidal compounds. However, responses strongly depend on concentration, particle size and morphology, surface chemistry, coating, dissolution behavior, exposure conditions, and environmental context. Evidence remains uneven across laboratory, greenhouse, and field studies, and environmental transformations are still poorly characterized. Safer application will require function-specific dose optimization, rigorous characterization, mechanistic validation, and greater field-scale assessment. Ultimately, the information presented herein will provide researchers with directions to address research gaps and enable the integration of nanotechnology as a tool for sustainable tomato agriculture.
{"title":"Effects of Nanoagrochemicals on Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) according to their functions and mechanisms: A Review","authors":"Ezequiel García-Locascio,Carlos A. Huerta-Aguilar,Jaime Dueñas-Moreno,Abrahan Mora,Arturo A. Keller,Illya A. Medina-Velo,Pabel Cervantes-Avilés","doi":"10.1039/d5en01072a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5en01072a","url":null,"abstract":"Nano-enabled agrochemicals are increasingly explored to improve crop nutrition, stress resilience, pest and disease management, and delivery of active compounds. This review critically analyzes 113 experimental studies published from 2017 to August 2026 on nanomaterials (NMs) applied to tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), emphasizing relationships among physicochemical properties, dose, delivery route, mechanisms of action, efficacy, and phytotoxicity. The evidence is organized into four functional categories: nanofertilizers and nanobiostimulants, nanopesticides and stress-mitigation agents, nanocarriers and controlled-release systems, and phytotoxicity/ecotoxicology. Beneficial responses involve nutrient delivery and ion release, improved nutrient bioavailability, photosynthetic and metabolic stimulation, direct antimicrobial activity, defense activation, and mitigation of abiotic and chemical stress. Nanocarriers can also enhance the delivery and release of nutrients, phytohormones, nucleic acids, and pesticidal compounds. However, responses strongly depend on concentration, particle size and morphology, surface chemistry, coating, dissolution behavior, exposure conditions, and environmental context. Evidence remains uneven across laboratory, greenhouse, and field studies, and environmental transformations are still poorly characterized. Safer application will require function-specific dose optimization, rigorous characterization, mechanistic validation, and greater field-scale assessment. Ultimately, the information presented herein will provide researchers with directions to address research gaps and enable the integration of nanotechnology as a tool for sustainable tomato agriculture.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"232 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149172434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Electrochemical water purification technologies capable of performing desalination and disinfection within a single process unit represent a transformative solution to the global challenge of freshwater scarcity. However, the rational integration of these two functions at the electrode level is fundamentally constrained by the divergent material requirements for efficient faradaic ion storage and robust electrocatalytic oxidant generation. Here, we demonstrate that sub-nanometer iron nanoclusters (Fe NCs) spatially confined within a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) via a pore-mediated vapor diffusion (PVD) strategy reconcile these competing demands within a single electrode architecture. The nanoconfinement of Fe NCs within the ZIF-67 micropores serves a dual purpose: it drastically shortens the solid-state chloride-ion diffusion pathways, enabling ultrafast faradaic charge storage with exceptional cycling stability, while simultaneously creating highly active catalytic sites for the continuous in situ electro-generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive chlorine species (RCS). Of note, the electrode operates as a “capture-and-kill” platform, wherein negatively charged bacteria are electrostatically enriched at the anode surface and subsequently eradicated by the locally generated oxidative species, with dead cells desorbing during electrode regeneration. The optimized Fe NCs@ZIF-67 electrode delivers a competitive desalination capacity of 49.3 mg g-1, an ultrafast desalination rate of 0.31 mg g-1 s-1, and nearly 100% capacity retention over 20 cycles, while achieving the efficient inactivation of Escherichia coli. This work offers a nanoconfinement-driven blueprint for designing multifunctional electrodes that bridge the longstanding divide between electrochemical desalination and water disinfection.
{"title":"ZIF-67-Confined Fe Nanoclusters for Integrated Faradaic Deionization and Water Sterilization","authors":"Jianhui Xia,Zhong Hua,Lingyu Zhang,Ziping Wang,Xuekairui Shen,Bo Xiao,Cun Liu,Xin Gu,Yong Liu,Xun Yuan","doi":"10.1039/d6en00741d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00741d","url":null,"abstract":"Electrochemical water purification technologies capable of performing desalination and disinfection within a single process unit represent a transformative solution to the global challenge of freshwater scarcity. However, the rational integration of these two functions at the electrode level is fundamentally constrained by the divergent material requirements for efficient faradaic ion storage and robust electrocatalytic oxidant generation. Here, we demonstrate that sub-nanometer iron nanoclusters (Fe NCs) spatially confined within a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) via a pore-mediated vapor diffusion (PVD) strategy reconcile these competing demands within a single electrode architecture. The nanoconfinement of Fe NCs within the ZIF-67 micropores serves a dual purpose: it drastically shortens the solid-state chloride-ion diffusion pathways, enabling ultrafast faradaic charge storage with exceptional cycling stability, while simultaneously creating highly active catalytic sites for the continuous in situ electro-generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive chlorine species (RCS). Of note, the electrode operates as a “capture-and-kill” platform, wherein negatively charged bacteria are electrostatically enriched at the anode surface and subsequently eradicated by the locally generated oxidative species, with dead cells desorbing during electrode regeneration. The optimized Fe NCs@ZIF-67 electrode delivers a competitive desalination capacity of 49.3 mg g-1, an ultrafast desalination rate of 0.31 mg g-1 s-1, and nearly 100% capacity retention over 20 cycles, while achieving the efficient inactivation of Escherichia coli. This work offers a nanoconfinement-driven blueprint for designing multifunctional electrodes that bridge the longstanding divide between electrochemical desalination and water disinfection.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149152765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbioses with plant roots that significantly enhance host nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can modulate this symbiosis; however, existing studies report highly variable outcomes, and a systematic, quantitative synthesis of the dose-response patterns and holistic interaction mechanisms is currently lacking. Here, we used a bibliometric analysis to document the paradigm shift in ENM-AMF research from early ecotoxicity assessments to nano-enabled growth promotion, followed by a quantitative meta-analysis to assess the concentration-dependent effects of ENMs on plant-AMF symbiosis. Meta-regression demonstrates dose-dependent responses of AMF-colonized plants to ENMs, with low concentrations promoting plant growth, photosynthetic traits and nutrient accumulation and high concentrations exerting inhibitory effects. At low doses, ENMs may promote plant growth by enhancing AMF colonization, increasing rhizosphere nutrient availability and recruiting beneficial microorganisms, thereby strengthening nutrient acquisition and exchange within the plant-AMF symbiosis. Furthermore, ENMs enhance plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses by promoting AMF colonization and function, activating plant defense signaling pathways, and strengthening antioxidant capacity and ion homeostasis. Crucially, this study introduces an integrated framework linking ENMs effects on AMF colonization, plant physiological responses, and rhizosphere microecological processes, addressing the limitations of previous fragmented evaluations. These findings offer both a theoretical basis and quantitative benchmarks for optimizing the combined application of nanomaterials and mycorrhizal resources based on application concentration, thereby laying a scientific foundation for green and sustainable agricultural development.
{"title":"Engineered nanomaterials modulate arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and rhizosphere functions: implications for plant growth and stress resilience","authors":"Yueyue Li,Jiabao Wu,Song Peng,Jiajia Wu,Zhemin Jia,Zhenyu Wang,Zhenggao Xiao","doi":"10.1039/d6en00669h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00669h","url":null,"abstract":"Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbioses with plant roots that significantly enhance host nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance. Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can modulate this symbiosis; however, existing studies report highly variable outcomes, and a systematic, quantitative synthesis of the dose-response patterns and holistic interaction mechanisms is currently lacking. Here, we used a bibliometric analysis to document the paradigm shift in ENM-AMF research from early ecotoxicity assessments to nano-enabled growth promotion, followed by a quantitative meta-analysis to assess the concentration-dependent effects of ENMs on plant-AMF symbiosis. Meta-regression demonstrates dose-dependent responses of AMF-colonized plants to ENMs, with low concentrations promoting plant growth, photosynthetic traits and nutrient accumulation and high concentrations exerting inhibitory effects. At low doses, ENMs may promote plant growth by enhancing AMF colonization, increasing rhizosphere nutrient availability and recruiting beneficial microorganisms, thereby strengthening nutrient acquisition and exchange within the plant-AMF symbiosis. Furthermore, ENMs enhance plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses by promoting AMF colonization and function, activating plant defense signaling pathways, and strengthening antioxidant capacity and ion homeostasis. Crucially, this study introduces an integrated framework linking ENMs effects on AMF colonization, plant physiological responses, and rhizosphere microecological processes, addressing the limitations of previous fragmented evaluations. These findings offer both a theoretical basis and quantitative benchmarks for optimizing the combined application of nanomaterials and mycorrhizal resources based on application concentration, thereby laying a scientific foundation for green and sustainable agricultural development.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149013597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yan Feng,Le Yue,Zhenggao Xiao,Chuanxi Wang,Jiayi Chen,Zhenyu Wang
Nanomaterials (NMs) have been proven effective in boosting crop yields and nutritional quality. However, the safety of crop fruits affected by NMs and their impacts on the soil environment remain unclear. This study systematically investigated the nutritional quality and storage potential using foliar-applied manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) NMs. At the optimal concentration of 50 mg L−1, MnFe2O4 NMs increased the rice yield by 99.2%. Mechanistically, the carbon allocation in leaves and nitrogen utilization in roots were synergistically optimized, improving the resource-use efficiency, which further enhanced rice grain storage quality by increasing amylose content, promoting abscisic acid synthesis, and activating antioxidant enzymes. In vitro colonic fermentation simulations demonstrated that NM-treated grains exhibited an 83.1% higher resistant starch content, which selectively promoted beneficial gut microbiota and stimulated short-chain fatty acid production by 14.7–22.4%. Furthermore, post-harvest soil analysis revealed no immediate adverse effects on nematode communities or enzyme activities, with increased bacterivorous nematode populations and upregulated urease and catalase activities observed. We acknowledge that these short-term endpoints are insufficient for a full safety assessment. Nonetheless, our results reveal significant agricultural potential, though long-term studies are still required to verify sustainability.
{"title":"Optimization of carbon–nitrogen allocation in rice by manganese ferrite nanomaterials: improved nutritional storage quality and safety evaluation","authors":"Yan Feng,Le Yue,Zhenggao Xiao,Chuanxi Wang,Jiayi Chen,Zhenyu Wang","doi":"10.1039/d6en00172f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00172f","url":null,"abstract":"Nanomaterials (NMs) have been proven effective in boosting crop yields and nutritional quality. However, the safety of crop fruits affected by NMs and their impacts on the soil environment remain unclear. This study systematically investigated the nutritional quality and storage potential using foliar-applied manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) NMs. At the optimal concentration of 50 mg L−1, MnFe2O4 NMs increased the rice yield by 99.2%. Mechanistically, the carbon allocation in leaves and nitrogen utilization in roots were synergistically optimized, improving the resource-use efficiency, which further enhanced rice grain storage quality by increasing amylose content, promoting abscisic acid synthesis, and activating antioxidant enzymes. In vitro colonic fermentation simulations demonstrated that NM-treated grains exhibited an 83.1% higher resistant starch content, which selectively promoted beneficial gut microbiota and stimulated short-chain fatty acid production by 14.7–22.4%. Furthermore, post-harvest soil analysis revealed no immediate adverse effects on nematode communities or enzyme activities, with increased bacterivorous nematode populations and upregulated urease and catalase activities observed. We acknowledge that these short-term endpoints are insufficient for a full safety assessment. Nonetheless, our results reveal significant agricultural potential, though long-term studies are still required to verify sustainability.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"61 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148980700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) has emerged as an efficient technology for brackish water desalination, operating by immobilizing ions within porous carbon electrodes under an electrical field. Porous carbon materials are considered a highly promising candidate for MCDI due to their tunable pore structures and high surface area. However, the precise relationship between their pore size distribution and MCDI performance remains unclear. Herein, we have prepared porous electrodes with varied pore size distributions via a molten salt-assisted exfoliation-evaporation strategy. This study provides direct experimental evidence that the pore size distribution is a critical determinant of MCDI efficiency, with narrow mesopores centered around 2 nm in size contributing most significantly to ion adsorption. This optimal size is attributed to efficient double-layer formation in confined spaces. By strategically tailoring the electrode’s porosity toward this favorable distribution, a remarkable salt adsorption capacity of 52.36 mg g-1 and an average desalination rate of 1.75 mg g-1 min-1 have been achieved. Optimization of the hierarchical pore structure of carbon electrodes presents a promising pathway for pushing MCDI performance closer to its thermodynamic limits.
{"title":"Optimizing Membrane Capacitive Deionization Performance through Tailored Pore Size Distribution","authors":"Yao Wang,Kuo Meng,Guorui Deng,Chengbo Kou,Zhonglei Zhu,Haojie Li,Fuming Chen,Chengding Gu,Xiaoyun Yang,Yuxiao Zhang,Lu Guo","doi":"10.1039/d6en00380j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00380j","url":null,"abstract":"Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) has emerged as an efficient technology for brackish water desalination, operating by immobilizing ions within porous carbon electrodes under an electrical field. Porous carbon materials are considered a highly promising candidate for MCDI due to their tunable pore structures and high surface area. However, the precise relationship between their pore size distribution and MCDI performance remains unclear. Herein, we have prepared porous electrodes with varied pore size distributions via a molten salt-assisted exfoliation-evaporation strategy. This study provides direct experimental evidence that the pore size distribution is a critical determinant of MCDI efficiency, with narrow mesopores centered around 2 nm in size contributing most significantly to ion adsorption. This optimal size is attributed to efficient double-layer formation in confined spaces. By strategically tailoring the electrode’s porosity toward this favorable distribution, a remarkable salt adsorption capacity of 52.36 mg g-1 and an average desalination rate of 1.75 mg g-1 min-1 have been achieved. Optimization of the hierarchical pore structure of carbon electrodes presents a promising pathway for pushing MCDI performance closer to its thermodynamic limits.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148980699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) have demonstrated promising applications in biomedicine and environmental sensing; however, their behavior and biological effects in freshwater environments remain poorly understood. This study involved the synthesis of hydrophilic, monodisperse NaYF4:18%Yb3+,2%Er3+ UCNPs via thermal co-precipitation and their evaluation in the freshwater green alga Desmodesmus communis under environmentally relevant conditions. The UCNPs were made water-dispersible by removing oleate ligands, and their effects were investigated in two different exposure media: a nutrient-rich algal growth medium (MWC) and natural Neris River water. Optical analysis revealed progressive destabilization of the UCNPs in both media over a 96 hour period; however, dispersions in river water exhibited greater homogeneity, likely due to stabilization by natural organic matter. Biological responses were more strongly influenced by the composition of the medium than by the concentration of the UCNPs. The content of pigments, such as chlorophyll a and carotenoids, was not notably affected by UCNP exposure (p > 0.05), whereas oxidative and antioxidant responses displayed clear patterns dependent on the medium. Confocal imaging revealed that the UCNPs were primarily associated with the algal cell surface, with no evidence of intracellular internalization. Multivariate analysis further differentiated response patterns, indicating that oxidative and antioxidant variables were more prominent in MWC medium, while growth-related variables were more significant in river water. Overall, these findings demonstrate that freshwater chemistry profoundly affects UCNP stability and bioavailability, underscoring that assessments based solely on artificial media may underestimate the effects of nanomaterials in natural aquatic environments.
{"title":"Environmental behavior and biological effects of rare-earth upconverting nanoparticles on freshwater green algae","authors":"Živilė Jurgelėnė,Danguolė Montvydienė,Vilius Poderys,Eglė Ežerskytė,Jūratė Karosienė,Artūras Katelnikovas,Augustas Morkvėnas,Taseer Mustafa,Lukrecija Miliūtė,Vitalijus Karabanovas,Vaidas Klimkevičius","doi":"10.1039/d6en00661b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00661b","url":null,"abstract":"Lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) have demonstrated promising applications in biomedicine and environmental sensing; however, their behavior and biological effects in freshwater environments remain poorly understood. This study involved the synthesis of hydrophilic, monodisperse NaYF4:18%Yb3+,2%Er3+ UCNPs via thermal co-precipitation and their evaluation in the freshwater green alga Desmodesmus communis under environmentally relevant conditions. The UCNPs were made water-dispersible by removing oleate ligands, and their effects were investigated in two different exposure media: a nutrient-rich algal growth medium (MWC) and natural Neris River water. Optical analysis revealed progressive destabilization of the UCNPs in both media over a 96 hour period; however, dispersions in river water exhibited greater homogeneity, likely due to stabilization by natural organic matter. Biological responses were more strongly influenced by the composition of the medium than by the concentration of the UCNPs. The content of pigments, such as chlorophyll a and carotenoids, was not notably affected by UCNP exposure (p > 0.05), whereas oxidative and antioxidant responses displayed clear patterns dependent on the medium. Confocal imaging revealed that the UCNPs were primarily associated with the algal cell surface, with no evidence of intracellular internalization. Multivariate analysis further differentiated response patterns, indicating that oxidative and antioxidant variables were more prominent in MWC medium, while growth-related variables were more significant in river water. Overall, these findings demonstrate that freshwater chemistry profoundly affects UCNP stability and bioavailability, underscoring that assessments based solely on artificial media may underestimate the effects of nanomaterials in natural aquatic environments.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148973497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amaia Green Etxabe,Rudo Verweij,Nathaniel J. Clark,Ryo Sekine,Samuel Harrison,William Bennett,Carolin Schultz,Stephen Short,Marianne Matzke,David Spurgeon,Claus Svendsen,Alex Robinson,Geert Cornelis,Sarah Thacker,Alexander G. Hunt,Hayley Guyatt,Patrick Keenan,M. Glória Pereira,Elma Lahive
Understanding the environmental risks of engineered silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) is complicated by transformation processes which occur in soil, such as dissolution and sulphidation, generating diverse Ag forms, altering bioavailability and uptake by organisms. Despite this, integrated studies linking nanoparticle speciation to plant uptake in soil systems remain limited, and gaps persist in understanding Ag transformations as a function of soil type and their consequences for bioavailability. Using complementary techniques we compared the speciation (XAS and spICP-MS), bioavailability, and uptake of three Ag forms, two Ag NPs (Ag NP, Ag2S NP) and AgNO3 (all at 10 mg kg−1), in wheat (Triticum aestivum L) grown in three different field soils over 27 days. Results showed that Ag forms were differentially bioavailable (Ag NPs >/≈ AgNO3 > Ag2S NP), and that soil type can have a pronounced influence on the extent of Ag uptake (approx. 7- to 15-fold variation for NPs across soils). Notably Ag2S NPs, though considered “less mobile”, can be more bioavailable to wheat than other Ag forms in some soil contexts. XAS speciation analysis revealed slower transformation dynamics in Woburn soil that may influence the overall pool of bioavailable Ag. While no single soil property fully explained the observed patterns, these findings indicate that intrinsic nanoparticle properties alone are not always sufficient to predict environmental behaviour in soil systems.
{"title":"Differential uptake of Ag nanoparticle forms by wheat across field soils","authors":"Amaia Green Etxabe,Rudo Verweij,Nathaniel J. Clark,Ryo Sekine,Samuel Harrison,William Bennett,Carolin Schultz,Stephen Short,Marianne Matzke,David Spurgeon,Claus Svendsen,Alex Robinson,Geert Cornelis,Sarah Thacker,Alexander G. Hunt,Hayley Guyatt,Patrick Keenan,M. Glória Pereira,Elma Lahive","doi":"10.1039/d6en00494f","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6en00494f","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding the environmental risks of engineered silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) is complicated by transformation processes which occur in soil, such as dissolution and sulphidation, generating diverse Ag forms, altering bioavailability and uptake by organisms. Despite this, integrated studies linking nanoparticle speciation to plant uptake in soil systems remain limited, and gaps persist in understanding Ag transformations as a function of soil type and their consequences for bioavailability. Using complementary techniques we compared the speciation (XAS and spICP-MS), bioavailability, and uptake of three Ag forms, two Ag NPs (Ag NP, Ag2S NP) and AgNO3 (all at 10 mg kg−1), in wheat (Triticum aestivum L) grown in three different field soils over 27 days. Results showed that Ag forms were differentially bioavailable (Ag NPs >/≈ AgNO3 > Ag2S NP), and that soil type can have a pronounced influence on the extent of Ag uptake (approx. 7- to 15-fold variation for NPs across soils). Notably Ag2S NPs, though considered “less mobile”, can be more bioavailable to wheat than other Ag forms in some soil contexts. XAS speciation analysis revealed slower transformation dynamics in Woburn soil that may influence the overall pool of bioavailable Ag. While no single soil property fully explained the observed patterns, these findings indicate that intrinsic nanoparticle properties alone are not always sufficient to predict environmental behaviour in soil systems.","PeriodicalId":73,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science: Nano","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.131,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148964364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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