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Application of Nanotechnology for the Production of Biopesticides, Bioinsecticides, Bioherbicides, Mosquitoe Repellants and Biofungicides

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... Advanced Synthesis Techniques: Future research efforts should focus on developing advanced synthesis techniques for producing nanomaterials with tailored properties and improved scalability. Techniques such as laser ablation, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and template-assisted synthesis offer opportunities for precise control over nanoparticle size, shape, composition, and surface chemistry, enabling the synthesis of nanomaterials optimized for corrosion control applications (Larosi et al. 2022;Olorunsola et al. 2024). ...
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Corrosion presents significant challenges across industries, causing economic losses and safety risks. Traditional methods for corrosion control have limitations, prompting exploration of nanotechnology solutions. Nanomaterials offer unique properties for corrosion mitigation. This chapter reviews diverse nanomaterial types like nanoparticles, nanocoatings, and nanocomposites, elucidating their protective mechanisms. Additionally, it examines characterization techniques to assess nanomaterial structure and performance. Application areas encompass aerospace, automotive, marine, and oil and gas sectors. Future perspectives and challenges in widespread nanomaterial adoption for corrosion control are discussed. The chapter aims to offer insights into nanotechnology's role in combating corrosion, fostering further research in the domain.
... Continuous growth of core with ferromagnetic properties and shell around core with controlled morphology is a huge challenge for researchers, shell growth is complex phenomena [33,34]. In this regard advance synthesis methods for core@shell nanoparticles with controlled morphology have been used [32,35,36]. The experimental and simulation studies have shown different factors that support the strong exchange bias effect in core@shell nanoparticles [37,38]. ...
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Simple Summary Nanoscience and nanotechnology offer a new life for conventional pesticides with superior qualities by virtue of the physicochemical properties of the nanosized materials. These properties will improve bioavailability through different kinetics, mechanisms and pathways on their target organisms; enabling them to properly bypass biological and other unwanted resistances and therefore increase plant disease control efficacy. Inorganic two-dimensional (2D) layered hydroxides and layered double hydroxides were used as hosts, to act as functional nanocarriers for the delivery of various pesticides in combating various pests and diseases, in order to aid plant protection. This leads toward a new generation of more effective agrochemicals which are safe to life, humans and the environment. Abstract The rapid growth in the human population has triggered increased demand for food supply, and in turn has prompted a higher amount of agrochemical usage to meet the gaps between food production and consumption. The problem with conventional agro-nanochemicals is the reduced effectiveness of the active ingredient in reaching the target, along with leaching, evaporation, etc., which ultimately affect the environment and life, including humans. Fortunately, nanotechnology platforms offer a new life for conventional pesticides, which improves bioavailability through different kinetics, mechanisms and pathways on their target organisms, thus enabling them to suitably bypass biological and other unwanted resistances and therefore increase their efficacy. This review is intended to serve the scientific community for research, development and innovation (RDI) purposes, by providing an overview on the current status of the host–guest supramolecular chemistry of nanopesticides, focusing on only the two-dimensional (2D), brucite-like inorganic layered hydroxides, layered hydroxide salts and layered double hydroxides as the functional nanocarriers or as the hosts in smart nanodelivery systems of pesticides for plant protection. Zinc layered hydroxides and zinc/aluminum-layered double hydroxides were found to be the most popular choices of hosts, presumably due to their relative ease to prepare and cheap cost. Other hosts including Mg/Al-, Co/Cr-, Mg/Fe-, Mg/Al/Fe-, Zn/Cr- and Zn/Cu-LDHs were also used. This review also covers various pesticides which were used as the guest active agents using supramolecular host–guest chemistry to combat various pests for plant protection. This looks towards a new generation of agrochemicals, “agro-nanochemicals”, which are more effective, and friendly to life, humans and the environment.
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Malaria is one of the major infectious diseases that remains a constant challenge to human being mainly due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains of parasite and also the availability of drugs, which are non-specific for their pharmacodynamic activity and known to be associated with multiple side effects. The disease has acquired endemic proportions in tropical countries where the hygienic conditions are not satisfactory while the environmental conditions favor the proliferation of parasite and its transmission, particularly through the female anopheles. It is obvious that to square up the problems, there is a need for designing and development of more effective drugs, which can combat the drug-resistant strains of the parasite. Molecular biology of the parasite and its homing into host cellular tropics provide multiple drug targets that could judiciously be considered for engineering and designing of new generation antimalarial drugs and also drug delivery systems. Though the recent reports document that against malaria parasite the vaccine could be developed, nevertheless, due to smart mutational change overs by the parasite, it is able to bypass the immune surveillance. The developed vaccine therefore failed to assure absolute protection against the malarial infection. In the conventional mode of treatment antimalarial drugs, the dose and dosage regimen that is followed at large crops up the contraindicative manifestations, and hence compromising the effective treatment. The emerging trends and new updates in contemporary biological sciences, material sciences, and drug delivery domain have enabled us with the availability of a multitude of mode and modules which could plunge upon the nanotechnology in particular to treat this challenging infection. The nanotechnology-based option may be tuned or customized as per the requirements to mark and target i.e. the infected RBCs, for targeted drug delivery. Graphical abstract
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Nanoscience breakthroughs in almost every field of science and nanotechnologies make life easier in this era. Nanoscience and nanotechnology represent an expanding research area, which involves structures, devices, and systems with novel properties and functions due to the arrangement of their atoms on the 1–100 nm scale. The field was subject to a growing public awareness and controversy in the early 2000s, and in turn, the beginnings of commercial applications of nanotechnology. Nanotechnologies contribute to almost every field of science, including physics, materials science, chemistry, biology, computer science, and engineering. Notably, in recent years nanotechnologies have been applied to human health with promising results, especially in the field of cancer treatment. To understand the nature of nanotechnology, it is helpful to review the timeline of discoveries that brought us to the current understanding of this science. This review illustrates the progress and main principles of nanoscience and nanotechnology and represents the pre-modern as well as modern timeline era of discoveries and milestones in these fields.
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Biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles employing fungi offers advantages, including the formation of a capping from fungal biomolecules, which provides stability and can contribute to biological activity. In this work, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using Trichoderma harzianum cultivated with (AgNP-TS) and without enzymatic stimulation (AgNP-T) by the cell wall of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The nanoparticles were evaluated for the control of S. sclerotiorum. The specific activity of the T. harzianum hydrolytic enzymes were determined in the filtrates and nanoparticles. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were also evaluated. Both the nanoparticles exhibited inhibitory activity towards S. sclerotiorum, with no new sclerotia development, however AgNP-TS was more effective against mycelial growth. Both the filtrates and the nanoparticles showed specific enzymatic activity. Low levels of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were observed. This study opens perspectives for further exploration of fungal biogenic nanoparticles, indicating their use for the control of S. sclerotiorum and other agricultural pests.
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Abstract Background Norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated derivative of cantharidin (defensive toxin of blister beetles), has been reported to exhibit insecticidal activity against various types of agricultural pests. However, NCTD applications are limited by its poor water solubility and high dosage requirement. Nanoemulsions have attracted much attentions due to the transparent or translucence appearance, physical stability, high bioavailability and non-irritant in nature. In general, nanoemulsions with small droplet size can enhance the bioavailability of drugs, whereas this phenomenon is likely system dependent. In present study, NCTD nanoemulsions were developed and optimized to evaluate and improve the insecticidal activity of NCTD against Plutella xylostella (Lepidotera: Plutellidae) by a spontaneous emulsification method. Results Triacetin, Cremophor EL and butanol were selected as the constituents of NCTD nanoemulsions via solubility determination, emulsification efficiency and ternary phase diagram construction. Insecticidal activity of NCTD nanoemulsion was associated with the content of surfactant and cosurfactant: (1) Higher effective toxicity exhibited at Smix (surfactant to cosurfactant mass ratio) = 3:1 that may be associated with the changes in interfacial tension; (2) NCTD nanoemulsion at 3:7
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Malaria, the exterminator of ~1.5 to 2.7 million human lives yearly, is a notorious disease known throughout the world. The eradication of this disease is difficult and a challenge to scientists. Vector elimination and effective chemotherapy for the patients are key tactics to be used in the fight against malaria. However, drug resistance and environmental and social concerns are the main hurdles in this fight against malaria. Overcoming these limitations is the major challenge for the 21st-century malarial researchers. Adapting the principles of nano-biotechnology to both vector control and patient therapy is the only solution to the problem. Several compounds such as lipids, proteins, nucleic acid and metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have been successfully used for the control of this lethal malaria disease. Other useful natural reagents such as microbes and their products, carbohydrates, vitamins, plant extracts and biodegradable polymers, are also used to control this disease. Among these particles, the plant-based particles such as leaf, root, stem, latex, and seed give the best antagonistic response against malaria. In the present review, we describe certain efforts related to the control, prevention and treatment of malaria. We hope that this review will open new doors for malarial research.
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While nanoparticles (NPs) can be used as insecticides by themselves, they can also be carriers for insecticidal chemicals. Existing literature suggests that the smaller the NP size, the greater the toxicity and penetration into the insect’s body. Nonetheless, there is a lack of literature pertaining to the mode of action within insects. This review article summarizes the currently available entomological studies on the mechanisms of NP–insect interactions. Externally, NPs affect pigmentation and integrity of the cuticle, while internally they induce immune responses and alter gene expression leading to altered protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism along with cellular toxicity that impairs development and reproduction of the insect. Consequently, insects are incapacitated due to the disruption of the nutrient intake, production of reactive oxygen species and altered biochemical activity while some NPs can promote growth and development as well as diminish the effects of nontarget toxicity.
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It has been discovered that the production of cost-effective biofuels most especially from renewable material is the only dependable solution that could resolve climate change, transportation sector, and energy security. There are several disadvantages alluded to the utilization of petroleum diesel which include the high cost of production and the various hazards which affect our healthy environment and human health. The discovery and the production of fatty acid methyl esters microorganisms that are oleaginous in nature have been discovered as the only sustainable solution that could serve as a permanent replacement to all the adverse effects and challenges encountered during the production of petroleum. This chapter intends to provide comprehensive details about the recent trends on the production of biodiesel as a safe, eco-friendly, economical, and sustainable biofuel. Moreover, the application of biotechnology such as genetic engineering, strain improvement, recent advancement in fermentation, optimization, and production were discussed in detail. Some recent strategies used in structural biology that could led to increase in the yield of biodiesel were discussed in detail such as synthetic scaffolds, knockout/knockdown of competitive pathways, types of plasmids and its copy numbers, enhancement of ribosome binding sites, promoter engineering, modification of key enzymes, directed evolution, and codon optimization. Also, we discussed extensively on the current trends and principle that regulates the metabolomics engineering of diverse microorganisms that have the potential to produce biodiesel.
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Recently, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have become popular nanomaterials in smart delivery systems. Although research progress on the application of MSNs as pesticide carriers has been achieved, multifunctional MSNs endowed with bright luminescent centers facilitating the tracking of MSNs in biological systems and versatile structural properties possessing a high drug loading capacity and regulable release are still highly desirable. In the present work, we reported a fluorophore-free method to grant MSNs with stable fluorescence and a double-shelled hollow structure, which were prepared by a selective-etching strategy and subsequent annealing treatment. The strong and stable luminescence is found to originate from the carbon dots generated from the calcination. The well-defined morphological structure was confirmed by SEM and TEM images. These versatile silica nanoparticles served as a novel delivery system for pesticide pyraclostrobin with a loading content of 28.5%. The pyraclostrobin-loaded nanoparticles showed an initial burst, followed by subsequent sustained release behavior. The fungicidal activity of pyraclostrobin-loaded silica nanoparticles against the fungus Phomopsis asparagi (Sacc.) as well as their visual observation in the mycelium was explored. Furthermore, the effect of pyraclostrobin-loaded nanoparticles on the morphology and ultrastructure of the mycelium was investigated by SEM and TEM observations. This research seeks to develop a novel nanocarrier platform for the potential application of pesticides in sustainable plant protection.
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Nanomaterials manipulation using dielectrophoresis (DEP) is one of the major research areas that could potentially benefit the micro/nano science for diverse applications, such as microfluidics, nanomachine and biosensor. The innovation and development of basic theories, methods or applications will have a huge impact on the entire related field. Specifically, for DEP manipulation of nanomaterials, improvements in comprehensive performance of accuracy, flexibility and scale could promote broader applications in micro/nano science. Therefore, to explore the directions for future research, this paper critically provides an overview on the fundamentals, recent progress, current challenges, and potential applications of DEP manipulation of nanomaterials. This review will also act as a guide and reference for researchers to explore promising applications in relevant research. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
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In recent years, the use of substances of natural origin, such as botanical pesticides, has emerged as a preferred alternative to the use of synthetic pesticides, the excessive use of which has raised a lot of concern over safety to human/animal health and the environment. Recent developments in nanotechnology have opened up a new avenue for the development of more efficient formulations that can overcome many of the obstacles generally faced in their use in the field, such as loss of activity because of degradation, instability, volatilization, etc. This review discusses the key developments in this area, as well as the challenges in relation to nano-scale formulation of botanical pesticides. It presents an appraisal of the recent scientific research, along with an account of the products that have already reached the market. Whilst it acknowledges the great potential of nanotechnology-derived formulations of botanical pesticides for increasing agricultural productivity and reducing health and the environmental impacts, it also highlights the technological challenges that must be addressed to enable adoption of the technology for wider use in agri-food production.
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Pesticides are meant to control and destroy the pests and weeds. They are classified into different categories on the basis their origin and type of pest they target. Chemical pesticides such as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides are commonly used in agricultural fields. However, the excessive use of these agrochemicals have adverse effects on environment such as reduced population of insect pollinators, threat to endangered species and habitat of birds. Upon consumption; chemical pesticides also cause various health issues such as skin, eye and nervous system related problems and cancer upon prolonged exposure. Various techniques in the past have been developed on the basis of surface adsorption, membrane filtration and biological degradation to reduce the content of pesticides. However, slow response, less specificity and sensitivity are some of the drawbacks of such techniques. In recent times, Nanotechnology has emerged as a helping tool for the sensing and remediation of pesticides. This review focuses on the use of this technology for the detection, degradation and removal of pesticides. Nanomaterials have been classified into nanoparticles, nanotubes and nanocomposites that are commonly used for detection, degradation and removal of pesticides. The review also focuses on the chemistry behind the sensing and remediation of pesticides using nanomaterials. Different types of nanoparticles, viz. metal nanoparticles, bimetallic nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles; nanotubes such as carbon nanotubes and halloysite nanotubes have been used for the detection, degradation and removal of pesticides. Further, various enzyme-based biosensors for detection of pesticides have also been summarized.
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Pesticides are important inputs for enhancing crop productivity and preventing major biological disasters. However, more than 90% of pesticides run off into the environment and residue in agricultural products in process of application, due to the disadvantages of conventional pesticide formulation such as use of harmful solvent, poor dispersion, dust drift, etc. In recent years, using nanotechnology to create novel formulations has shown great potential in improving the efficacy and safety of pesticides. The development of nano-based pesticide formulation aims at precise release of necessary and sufficient amounts of their active ingredients, in responding to environmental triggers and biological demands through controlled release mechanisms. This paper discusses several scientific issues and strategies regarding development of nano-based pesticide formulations: (i) Construction of water-based dispersion pesticide nanoformulation; (ii) Mechanism on leaf-targeted deposition and dose transfer of pesticide nano-delivery system; (iii) Mechanism on increased bioavailability of nano-based pesticide formulation; and (iv) Impacts of nanoformulation on natural degradation and bio-safety of pesticide residues.
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Nanotechnology has the potential to make a beneficial impact on several agricultural, forestry, and environmental challenges, such as urbanization, energy constraints, and sustainable use of resources. However, new environmental and human health hazards may emerge from nano-enhanced applications. This raises concerns for agricultural workers who may become primarily exposed to such xenobiotics during their job tasks. The aim of this review is to discuss promising solutions that nanotechnology may provide in agricultural activities, with a specific focus on critical aspects, challenging issues, and research needs for occupational risk assessment and management in this emerging field. Eco-toxicological aspects were not the focus of the review. Nano-fertilizers, (nano-sized nutrients, nano-coated fertilizers, or engineered metal-oxide or carbon-based nanomaterials per se), and nano-pesticides, (nano-formulations of traditional active ingredients or inorganic nanomaterials), may provide a targeted/controlled release of agrochemicals, aimed to obtain their fullest biological efficacy without over-dosage. Nano-sensors and nano-remediation methods may detect and remove environmental contaminants. However, limited knowledge concerning nanomaterial biosafety, adverse effects, fate, and acquired biological reactivity once dispersed into the environment, requires further scientific efforts to assess possible nano-agricultural risks. In this perspective, toxicological research should be aimed to define nanomaterial hazards and levels of exposure along the life-cycle of nano-enabled products, and to assess those physico-chemical features affecting nanomaterial toxicity, possible interactions with agro-system co-formulants, and stressors. Overall, this review highlights the importance to define adequate risk management strategies for workers, occupational safety practices and policies, as well as to develop a responsible regulatory consensus on nanotechnology in agriculture.
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Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases, which has become a great public health problem all over the world. Ineffectiveness of available antimalarial treatment is the main reason behind its menace. The failure of current treatment strategies is due to emergence of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and drug toxicity in human beings. Therefore, the development of novel and effective antimalarial drugs is the need of the hour. Considering the huge biomedical applications of nanotechnology, it can be potentially used for the malarial treatment. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have demonstrated significant activity against malarial parasite (P. falciparum) and vector (female Anopheles mosquito). It is believed that AgNPs will be a solution for the control of malaria. This review emphasizes the pros- and cons of existing antimalarial treatments and in depth discussion on application of AgNPs for treatment of malaria. The role of nanoparticles for site specific drug delivery and toxicological issues have also been discussed.