Journal
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Volume 274, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER GMBH
DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127395
Keywords
Nanoparticles; Ecotoxicology; CLPP; PLFA; Zinc-oxide; Copper-oxide
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Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the emergence of precision farming, which involves the use of nanopesticides and nanoferilizers. Zinc-oxide nanoparticles serve as a source of zinc for plants, while copper-oxide nanoparticles have antifungal activity and may also provide copper ions as a micronutrient. However, excessive application of these metal-containing nanoparticles can pose a threat to non-target soil organisms. A study conducted a 60-day laboratory experiment to investigate the effects of zinc-oxide and copper-oxide nanoparticles on soil microorganisms. The results revealed significant and persistent effects exerted by copper-containing nanoparticles on non-target microbial communities, leading to detrimental rearrangements in microbial community structure and functions.
Recent advances in nanotechnology and development of nanoformulation methods, has enabled the emergence of precision farming - a novel farming method that involves nanopesticides and nanoferilizers. Zinc-oxide nanoparticles serve as a Zn source for plants, but they are also used as nanocarriers for other agents, whereas copper-oxide nanoparticles possess antifungal activity, but in some cases may also serve as a micronutrient providing Cu ions. Excessive application of metal-containing agents leads to their accumulation in soil, where they pose a threat to non-target soil organisms. In this study, soils obtained from the environment were amended with commercial zinc-oxide nanoparticles: Zn-OxNPs(10_ 30), and newly-synthesized copper-oxide nanoparticles: Cu-OxNPs(1_ 10). Nanoparticles (NPs) in 100 and 1000 mg kg-1 concentrations were added in separate set-ups, representing a soil-microorganism-nanoparticle system in a 60-day laboratory mesocosm experiment. To track environmental footprint of NPs on soil microorganisms, a Phospholipd Fatty Acid biomarker analysis was employed to study microbial community structure, whereas Community-Level Physiological Profiles of bacterial and fungal fractions were measured with Biolog Eco and FF microplates, respectively. The results revealed a prominent and persistent effects exerted by copper-containing nanoparticles on non-target microbial communities. A severe loss of Gram-positive bacteria was observed in conjunction with disturbances in bacterial and fungal CLPPs. These effects persisted till the end of a 60-day experiment, demonstrating detrimental rearrangements in microbial community structure and functions. The effects imposed by zinc-oxide NPs were less pronounced. As persistent changes were observed for newly synthesized Cu-containing NPs, this work stresses the need for obligatory testing of nanoparticle interactions with non-target microbial communities in long-term experiments, especially during the approval procedures of novel nano-substances. It also underlines the role of in-depth physical and chemical studies of NP-containing agents, which may be tweaked to mitigate the unwanted behavior of such substances in the environment and preselect their beneficial characteristics.
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