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Review
. 2021 Jun 4;9(6):131.
doi: 10.3390/toxics9060131.

Nanopesticides in Agriculture: Benefits and Challenge in Agricultural Productivity, Toxicological Risks to Human Health and Environment

Marco Chaud  1   2 , Eliana B Souto  3   4 , Aleksandra Zielinska  5 , Patricia Severino  6 , Fernando Batain  1 , Jose Oliveira-Junior  2   7 , Thais Alves  1
Affiliations
Review

Nanopesticides in Agriculture: Benefits and Challenge in Agricultural Productivity, Toxicological Risks to Human Health and Environment

Marco Chaud et al. Toxics. .

Abstract

Nanopesticides are nanostructures with two to three dimensions between 1 to 200 nm, used to carry agrochemical ingredients (AcI). Because of their unique properties, the loading of AcI into nanoparticles offers benefits when compared to free pesticides. However, with the fast development of new engineered nanoparticles for pests' control, a new type of environmental waste is being produced. This paper describes the nanopesticides sources, the harmful environmental and health effects arising from pesticide exposure. The potential ameliorative impact of nanoparticles on agricultural productivity and ecosystem challenges are extensively discussed. Strategies for controlled release and stimuli-responsive systems for slow, sustained, and targeted AcI and genetic material delivery are reported. Special attention to different nanoparticles source, the environmental behavior of nanopesticides in the crop setting, and the most recent advancements and nanopesticides representative research from experimental results are revised. This review also addresses some issues and concerns in developing, formulating and toxicity pesticide products for environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: agricultural productivity; agrochemical ingredients; controlled release; environmental risk; nanopesticides; pesticides; stimuli-responsive nanoparticles; toxicological risk.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic illustration of light-responsive system for modified pesticide release.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic illustration for dual stimuli-responsive and diffusion release profile.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic illustration of self-assembly reaction between cationic copolymer and dsRNA (double-stranded RNA) to prepare a cationic polyplex system as pesticide reservoir pH-sensitive.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic illustration of the sol-gel interaction pH-responsive and anchoring the 3-(triethoxysilyl) propane-1-Amine (3-TEP-1A) molecule on the inner pore surface of the modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Structural form and composition of the micelle, nanoemulsion droplet and liposome formulations. The tail of the surfactant forms the hydrophobic core of the micelle. Nanoemulsion water-in-oil stabilized by surfactant surround lipid core. Liposome lipid bilayer and aqueous core.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Structural form of Pickering emulsion and release mechanisms passive and stimuli-responsive.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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