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Applications of Nanotechnology in Agriculture: An Overview

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13 Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2, pp. (2015)

16
Applications of Nanotechnology in Agriculture:
An Overview

Shaimaa* H. Abd-Elrahman and M.A.M. Mostafa

Soil Sci. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., Cairo, Egypt.

A GRICULTURE provides food for humans, directly and indirectly.

….. Given the increasing world population, it is necessary to use the
modern technologies such as nanotechnology in agricultural
sciences. Nanotechnology has been defined as relating to materials,
systems and processes which operate at a scale of 100 nanometers
(nm) or less. Nanotechnology has many applications in all stages of
production, processing, storing, packaging and transport of
agricultural products. Nanotechnology will revolutionize agriculture
and food industry by innovation new techniques such as: precision
farming techniques, enhancing the ability of plants to absorb
nutrients, more efficient and targeted use of inputs, disease detection
and control diseases, withstand environmental pressures and
effective systems for processing, storage and packaging. Increase the
efficiency of applied fertilizer with the help of nano clays and
zeolites and restoration of soil fertility by releasing fixed nutrients.
Research on smart seeds programmed to germinate under favourable
conditions with nanopolymer coating are encouraging.
Nanoherbicides are being developed to address the problems in
perennial weed management and exhausting weed seed bank.
Efficiency of medicine increases by use of nano particle in animal
sciences. Silver and iron nano particle are used in the treatment and
disinfection of livestock and poultry. Levels of environment
pollution can be evaluation quickly by nano smart dust and gas
sensors.

Keywords: Nanotechnology, Agriculture, Food, Quality, Nanofertilizers,

Nanoherbicides, Nanopesticides, Nanopolymers, Smart seeds,
Biosensors, Environment, Climate Change.

Growth of the agricultural sector as a context for development objectives is seen

as essential in developing countries. Now, after years of green revolution and
decline in the agricultural products ratio to world population growth, it is
obvious the necessity of employing new technologies in the agriculture industry
more than ever. Modern technologies such as bio and nanotechnologies can play
an important role in increasing production and improving the quality of food
produced by farmers.

*
Corresponding authoress: e-mail, [email protected]
Phone, +202 01227024043
2 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

Many believe that modern technologies will secure growing world food
needs as well as deliver a huge range of environmental, health and economic
advantages (Wheeler, 2005). Food security has always been the biggest concern
of the mankind. Nations, communities and governments have been struggling
with the issue since long. Recent decades have seen even bigger challenges on
this front. The future looks even bleaker with food shortage issue looming large.
The challenge is how to fee d the growing population by producing more on a
stagnant or shrinking landscape; with lesser input costs and with lesser hazards
to the eco-system (Anonymous, 2009).

Nanotechnology as a powerful technology allows us to have a look at the

atomic and molecular level, and able to create nanometer-scale structures.
Nanotechnology in agriculture and food production, causing the agricultural
land returned to its normal position, greenhouse construction with high
performance and productivity, prevent extinction and destruction of plants and
animals species, and overall nanotechnology provides the efficiency of the
agriculture for higher population. In the agricultural sector, nanotechnology
research and development is likely to facilitate and frame the next stage of
development of genetically modified crops, animal production inputs, chemical
pesticides and precision farming techniques (Mousavi and Rezaei, 2011).

In recent decades, agricultural land and soil pollution with hazardous

elements and compounds present in industrial and urban wastewater are the
most important factors limiting crop and food production in the world. Nano
structured catalysts are able to eliminate the harmful components of agricultural
ecosystems as a safe. This topic is important in point of view of physiological
plant diseases; eliminate food poisoning, organic products and finally
production of healthier products. This nanotechnology application will help to
reduce pollution and to make agriculture more environmentally friendly with
use of nano filters for industrial waste water treatment, nano powders for gas
pollutants treatment, and nano tubes for storage clean hydrogen fuel
(Anonymous, 2009). The relationship between nanotechnology and agricultural
sciences can be investigated in the following fields.
What is nanotechnology science?
Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that has been entered in different
range of applied sciences such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine and
engineering. Targeted research and development, for understand, manipulate and
measure at the materials with atomic, molecular and super molecules dimensions
is called nanotechnology. In other words, nanotechnology is the manipulation or
self-assembly of individual atoms, molecules, or molecular clusters into
structures to create materials and devices with new or vastly different
properties. Nanotechnology can work from the top down (which means
reducing the size of the smallest structures to the nanoscale e.g. photonics
applications in nano electronics and nano engineering) or the bottom up (which
involves manipulating individual atoms and molecules into nanostructures and
more closely resembles chemistry or biology).
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 3

A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Overall nano refers to a size scale

between 1 nanometer (nm) and 100 nm in at least one dimension, and involves
developing or modifying materials or devices within that size. In more technical
terms, the word “nano” means 10-9, or one billionth of something. For
comparison, the wavelength of visible light is between 400 nm and 700 nm. A
leukocyte has the size of 10000 nm, a bacteria 1000-10000 nm, virus 75-100
nm, protein 5-50 nm, glucose 1nm, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ~2 nm
(width), and an atom ~0.1 nm, see Fig (1). In this scale, physical, biological and
chemical characteristics of materials are fundamentally different from each
other and often unexpected actions are seen from them. Nanotechnology
considers the topics with viruses and other pathogens scale. So has high
potential to identify and eliminate pathogens (Prasanna, 2007 and Predicala,
2009). Recently, nano molecules obtained by nanotechnology; there is
possibility manipulation on nano scale level, regulate and catalyzed on chemical
reactions by these structures. Nano materials are composed of components with
very small size, and these components have impacts on the properties of
materials at the macro level. Nano particles can serve as „magic bullets‟,
containing herbicides, chemicals, or genes, which target particular plant parts to
release their content. Nano capsules can enable effective penetration of
herbicides through cuticles and tissues, allowing slow and constant release of
the active substances. This convergence of technology with biology at the nano
level is called nano biotechnology (Perea-de-Lugue and Rubiales, 2009).

Fig. 1. Nanoscale science and engineering for agriculture and food systems.

Applications of nanotechnology in agriculture

Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural and food
industry with new tools for the molecular treatment of diseases, rapid disease
detection, enhancing the ability of plants to absorb nutrients, etc. Smart sensors
and smart delivery systems will help the agricultural industry combat viruses
and other crop pathogens. In the near future nano structured catalysts will be
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
4 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

available which will increase the efficiency of pesticides and herbicides,

allowing lower doses to be used. Nanotechnology will also protect the
environment indirectly through the use of alternative (renewable) energy
supplies, and filters or catalysts to reduce pollution and clean-up existing
pollutants. An agricultural methodology widely used in the USA, Europe and
Japan, which efficiently utilizes modern technology for crop management, is
called Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). CEA is an advanced and
intensive form of hydroponically-based agriculture. Plants are grown within a
controlled environment so that horticultural practices can be optimized. The
computerized system monitors and regulates localized environments such as
fields of crops. CEA technology, as it exists today, provides an excellent
platform for the introduction of nanotechnology to agriculture. With many of
the monitoring and control systems already in place, nanotechnological devices
for CEA that provide “scouting” capabilities could tremendously improve the
grower‟s ability to determine the best time of harvest for the crop, the vitality of
the crop, and food security issues, such as microbial or chemical contamination
(Allah Ditta, 2012).

1- Precision Farming
Precision farming has been a long-desired goal to maximize output (i.e. crop
yields) while minimizing input (i.e. fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc)
through monitoring environmental variables and applying targeted action.
Precision farming makes use of computers, global satellite positioning systems,
and remote sensing devices to measure highly localized environmental
conditions thus determining whether crops are growing at maximum efficiency
or precisely identifying the nature and location of problems. By using
centralized data to determine soil conditions and plant development, seeding,
fertilizer, chemical and water use can be fine-tuned to lower production costs
and potentially increase production- all benefiting the farmer.

Precision farming can also help to reduce agricultural waste and thus keep
environmental pollution to a minimum. Although not fully implemented yet,
tiny sensors and monitoring systems enabled by nanotechnology will have a
large impact on future precision farming methodologies. One of the major roles
for nanotechnology-enabled devices will be the increased use of autonomous
sensors linked into a global positioning system (GPS) for real-time monitoring.
These nano sensors could be distributed throughout the field where they can
monitor soil conditions and crop growth. The union of biotechnology and
nanotechnology in sensors will create equipment of increased sensitivity,
allowing an earlier response to environmental changes, For example:

• Nano sensors utilizing carbon nano tubes or nano-cantilevers are small enough
to trap and measure individual proteins or even small molecules.
• Nano particles or nano surfaces can be engineered to trigger an electrical or
chemical signal in the presence of a contaminant such as bacteria.

Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)

 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 5

• Other nano sensors work by triggering an enzymatic reaction or by using nano

engineered branching molecules called dendrites as probes to bind to target
chemical sand proteins (Tiju and Morrison, 2006).
Ultimately, precision farming, with the help of smart sensors, will allow
enhanced productivity in agriculture by providing accurate information, thus
helping farmers to make better decisions.

2-Applications of nanotechnology in agronomy

As mentioned before, precision agriculture is a new attitude in farm
management. With use of nano sensors will be determined every small part of a
farm how much needs to fertilizer and chemical pesticides. Therefore, use of
inputs will be optimal and safe products and economic efficiency is increased.
Nano sensors help to farmers in maintaining farm with precise control and
report timely needs of plants. Nano sensors and nano-based smart delivery
systems could help in the efficient use of agricultural natural resources like
water, nutrients and chemicals through precision farming. Through the use of
nano materials and global positioning system (GPS) with satellite imaging of
fields, farm managers could remotely detect crop pests or evidence of stress
such as drought. Once pest or drought is detected, there would be automatic
adjustment of pesticide applications or irrigation levels. Nano sensors dispersed
in the field can also detect the presence of plant viruses and the level of soil
nutrients. Nano fertilizers will be absorbed by plants rapidly and completely.
Nano encapsulated slow release fertilizers have also become a trend to save
fertilizer consumption and to minimize environmental pollution. Slow-release
fertilizers are excellent alternatives to soluble fertilizers. Nutrients are released
at a slower rate throughout the crop growth; plants are able to take up most of
the nutrients without waste by leaching. Slow release of nutrients in the
environments could be achieved by using zeolites that are a group of naturally
occurring minerals having a honeycomb-like layered crystal structure. Its
network of interconnected tunnels and cages can be loaded with nitrogen and
potassium, combined with other slowly dissolving ingredients containing
phosphorous, calcium and a complete suite of minor and trace nutrients.
Coating and cementing of nano and subnano-composites are capable of
regulating the release of nutrients from the fertilizer capsule (Liu et al. 2006). A
patented nano-composite consists of N, P, K, micronutrients and amino acids
that increase the uptake and utilization of nutrients by grain crops has been
reported (Jinghua, 2004). Research on the controlled release pattern of 22
nutrients using clay nano particle is now undertaken. Super water adsorbents
made by nanotechnology, has an important role in storage and protecting water
in arid and semiarid regions. Nanotechnology has many applications in the field
of agricultural machinery such as: application in machines structure and
agriculture tools to increase their resistance against wear and corrosion and
ultraviolet rays; producing strong mechanical components with use of nano
coating and use of bio sensors in smart machines for mechanical-chemical weed
control; production nano cover for bearings to reduce friction, and use of
nanotechnology in production of alternative fuels and reduce environmental
pollution. Nanotechnology has also shown its ability in modifying the genetic
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
6 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

constitution of the crop plants thereby helping in further improvement of crop

plants (Jones, 2006 and DeRosa et al. 2010).

Seeds can also be imbibed with nano-encapsulations with specific bacterial

strain termed as Smart Seed. It will thus reduce seed rate, ensure right field
stand and improved crop performance. A Smart Seed can be programmed to
germinate when adequate moisture is available that can be dispersed over a
mountain range for reforestation (Natarajan and Sivasubramaniam, 2007).
Coating seeds with nano membrane, which senses the availability of water and
allow seeds to imbibe only when time is right for germination, aerial
broadcasting of seeds embedded with magnetic particle, detecting the moisture
content during storage to take appropriate measure to reduce the damage and
use of bio analytical nano sensors to determine ageing of seeds are some
possible thrust areas of research. Siddiqui and Al-Whaibi (2013) reported that
application of nanosilicon dioxide (nSiO2: size 12 nm) significantly enhanced
the characteristics of tomato seed germination.

3-Applications of nanotechnology in pests and plant diseases management

Today use of chemicals such as pesticides, fungicides and herbicides is the
fastest and cheapest way to control pests and diseases. Uncontrolled use of
pesticides has caused many problems such as: adverse effects on human health,
adverse effects on pollinating insects and domestic animals, and entering this
material into the soil and water and its direct and indirect effect on ecosystems.
Intelligent use of chemicals on the nano scale can be a suitable solution for this
problem. These materials are used into the part of plant that was attacked by
disease or pest. Also, these carriers in nano scale has self-regulation, this means
that the medication on the required amount only be delivered into plant tissue.
Using nano particles and nano capsules of pesticides is more effective and
environmentally friendly; and production of nano crystals to increase the
efficiency of pesticides for application with lower dose. Nano particles for
delivery of active ingredients or drug molecules will be at its helm in near future
for therapy of all pathological sufferings of plants. There are myriad of nano
materials including polymeric nano particles, iron oxide nano particles and gold
nano particles which can be easily synthesized and exploited as pesticide or
drug delivery piggybacks (Sharon et al. 2010). Rouhani et al. (2012) studied the
effect of Ag and Ag-Zn nano particles as insecticides with different
concentrations on APhis nerii. The result showed that Ag nano particles can be
used as a valuable tool in pest management programs of A. nerii. Additionally,
the study showed that imidacloprid at 1 μL mL -1 and nano particles at 700 mg
mL-1 had the highest insect mortality effect. Bhagat et al. (2013) prepared a
nanogel from a pheromone, methyl eugenol (ME) using a low-molecular mass
gelator. It has a significant potential for crop protection, long lasting residual
activity, excellent efficacy, favorable safety profiles and well-suited for pest
management in a variety of crops. Rao and Paria (2013) used sulfur nano
particles (SNPs) as a green pesticide on Fusarium solani and Venturia
inaequalis phytopathogens. It has been found that small sized particles of SNP
(~35 nm) are very effective in preventing the fungal growth and can be useful
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 7

for the protection of important crops such as tomato, potato, apple, grape etc.,
from different diseases, mainly for „„organic‟‟ farming.

In rainfed areas, application of herbicides with insufficient soil moisture may

lead to loss as vapour. Still we are unable to predict the rainfall very preciously;
herbicides cannot be applied in advance anticipating rainfall. The controlled
release of encapsulated herbicides is expected to take care of the competing
weeds with crops, see Fig (2), (Chinnamuthu and Murugesa Boopathi, 2009).

Fig. 2. Smart delivery of nanoencapsulated herbicide in the crop-weed environment.

Diseases are one of the major factors limiting crop productivity. The
problem with the disease management lies with the detection of the exact stage
of prevention. Most of the times pesticides are applied as a precautionary
manner leading to the residual toxicity and environmental hazards and on the
other hand application of pesticides after the appearance of disease leads to
some amount of crop losses. Among the different diseases, the viral diseases are
the most difficult to control, as one has to stop the spread of the disease by the
vectors. But, once it starts showing its symptoms, pesticide application would
not be of much use. Therefore, detection of exact stage such as stage of viral
DNA replication or the production of initial viral protein is the key to the
success of control of diseases particularly viral diseases. Nano-based viral
diagnostics, including multiplexed diagnostic kit development, have taken
momentum in order to detect the exact strain of virus and stage of application of
some therapeutic to stop the disease. Detection and utilization of biomarkers
that accurately indicate disease stages is also a new area of research. Measuring
differential protein production in both healthy and diseased states leads to the
identification of the development of several proteins during the infection cycle.
These nano-based diagnostic kits not only increase the speed of detection but
also increase the power of the detection (Prasanna, 2007). In the future, nano
scale devices with novel properties could be used to make agricultural systems
“smart”. For example, devices could be used to identify plant health issues
before these become visible to the farmer. Such devices may be capable of
responding to different situations by taking appropriate remedial action. If not,
they will alert the farmer to the problem. In this way, smart devices will act as
both a preventive and an early warning system. Such devices could be used to

Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)

8 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

deliver chemicals in a controlled and targeted manner in the same way as nano
medicine has implications for drug delivery in humans. Nano medicine
developments are now beginning to allow us to treat different diseases such as
cancer in animals with high precision, and targeted delivery (to specific tissues
and organs) has become highly successful (Joseph and Morrison, 2006).

4-Applications of nanotechnology in food industry

Oxygen is a problematic factor in food packaging, because it can cause food
spoilage and discoloration. One of the applications of nanotechnology in the
food industry is developing new plastic for food packaging industry. The nano
particles are used in the production of these plastics. Nano particles have been
found to zigzag in the new plastic, and preventing the penetration of oxygen as
a barrier. In other words, the oxygen for entry into package should during
longer route, and hence with the long route for oxygen molecules, food can be
spoiled later. Polymer-silicate nano composites have also been reported to have
improved gas barrier properties, mechanical strength, and thermal stability.
Nanoclay-nylon coatings and silicon oxide barriers for glass bottles are used to
impede gas diffusion. Recently, nano-coatings are produced for fruit that
covering the fruits completely, and prevent of fruit weight loss and shrinkage.
(Predicala, 2009). Developing smart packaging to optimize product shelf-life
has been the goal of many companies. Such packaging systems would be able to
repair small holes/tears, respond to environmental conditions (e.g. temperature
and moisture changes), and alert the customer if the food is contaminated.
Nanotechnology can provide solutions for these, for example modifying the
permeation behavior of foils, increasing barrier properties (mechanical, thermal,
chemical, and microbial), improving mechanical and heat-resistance properties,
developing active antimicrobic and antifungal surfaces, and sensing as well as
signaling microbiological and biochemical changes (Moraru et al. 2003 and
Joseph and Morrison, 2006).
Duncan (2011) reviewed that silver nano particles could be used as potent
antimicrobial agents, and nano sensors and nano material-based assays for the
detection of food relevant analytes (gasses, small organic molecules and food-
borne pathogens). In addition, with coated the enzymes by nanotechnology, we
can keep them away of environment and prevent of working them. Thus, the
nutrients corruption will be postponed and their longevity increases. Ethylene
absorbent is the most important material that is produced by nanotechnology.
Absorbent ethylene nano materials, absorbs ethylene gas that is produced by
fruits (fruit decay increases by ethylene gas) and increases persistence of fruit
for long periods. Nano barcodes and nano processing could also be used to
monitor the quality of agricultural produce. Biosensor is composed of a
biological component, such as a cell, enzyme or antibody, linked to a tiny
transducer, a device powered by one system that then supplies power (usually in
another form) to a second system. The biosensors detect changes in cells and
molecules that are then used to measure and identify the test substance, even if
there is a very low concentration of the tested material. When the substance
binds with the biological component, the transducer produces a signal
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 9

proportional to the quantity of the substance. So if there is a large concentration

of bacteria in a particular food, the biosensor will produce a strong signal
indicating that the food is unsafe to eat. With this technology, mass amounts of
food can be readily checked for their safety of consumption (Johnson, 2005).

In food and beverage industry, attempts have been made to add

micronutrients and antioxidants to food substances. But these antioxidants
degrade during manufacturing and food storage. Nano cochleae delivery system
protects these substances from degradation. Bio Delivery Sciences International
have developed nano cochleae, which are 50 nm coiled nano particles and can
be used to deliver nutrients such as vitamins, lycopene and omega 3 fatty acids
more efficiently to cells, without affecting the colour or taste of food. The
delivery vehicle is made of soyphosphatidylserine which is 100% safe and
provides a protective coat for range of nutrient additives (Chinnamuthu and
Murugesa Boopathi, 2009).

5-Applications of nanotechnology in animal science

Nanotechnology will have a potential and ability on future approaches in
veterinary and treatment of domesticated animals. Nanotechnology has the
ability to provide appropriate solutions for providing food items, veterinary care
and prescription medicines and vaccines for domesticated animals. Use of nano
capsules for cap and protect of some particular enzymes and proteins would be
effective in the livestock and poultry food rations in order to increase yield and
effectiveness in the specific context. Taking certain medications such as
antibiotics, vaccines, and probiotics, would be more effective in the treating
infections, nutritional and metabolic disorders, when use in the nano level.
Medicine use is in the nano level has multilateral properties to remove
biological barriers for increase efficiency of medicine. Appropriate timing for
the release of drug, self-regulatory capabilities and capacity planned are the
main advantages use of nanotechnology in the drug treatment. Silver nano
particles have been considered as a strong antiseptic (antibacterial and
antimicrobial), and it's widely used for disinfection in the livestock and poultry
places. In the cancer treatment, nano particles are connected to the membrane
receptors cancer cells, and cancer cells are destroyed with increasing their
temperature to 55 °C by infrared waves generated by the nano particles. Also
iron nano particles destroy cancer cells by creating magnetic radiation. Breeding
suitable time and cross management in livestock, requires to cost and long time
in dairy cattle farms. Use of nano-tubes inside the skin of the livestock shows
peak real-time of estrus and estrogen hormone, and the exact and actual time
insemination (Scott, 2005; Patil et al. 2009 and Chakravarthi and Balaji, 2010).

6- Nano-particles for environmental remediation

Nanoscience and nanotechnology have the potential to produce major
impacts on the environment. Nano scale particles represent a new generation of
environmental remediation technologies that could provide cost-effective
solution to some of the most challenging environmental cleanup problems.
Nano scale iron particles have large surface areas and high surface reactivity.
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
10 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

Equally important, they provide enormous flexibility for in situ applications.

The environmental chemistry of metallic or zero-valent iron has been
extensively documented. Recent research has suggested that as a remediation
technique, nano scale iron particles have several advantages: (1) effective for
transformation of a large variety of environmental contaminants, (2)
inexpensive, and (3) nontoxic. Al-Zawi et al. (2013) reported that
nanotechnology offers a number of emerging techniques much more effective
and less costly that could work to immobilize contaminants. They used nano
particles; nano scale zero valent iron “nZVI”, nZVI-bentonite, nano-alginite,
nano-carbon, bentonite and dendrimers; to eliminate Cd and Pb from polluted
soil. The prepared nano particles proved to have very small size (less than 70
nm), high surface area and cation exchange capacity ranged from 155-257m2g-1,
and 30.3-60.7 Cmolckg-1, respectively. Also, the prepared nano particles proved
high adsorption capacity for Pb and Cd, and high retention for adsorbed metal.
The maximum adsorption capacity of nano particles ranged from 3954-25974
and 1598-93458mgkg-1 for Pb and Cd, respectively. That is beside; only small
quantities (9.3-20% and 0.4-23%) were released from the previously adsorbed
ones.
Recent laboratory research has largely established nano scale iron particles
as effective reductants and catalysts for a wide variety of common
environmental contaminants including chlorinated organic compounds and
metal ions. Rapid and complete de-chlorination of all chlorinated contaminants
can be achieved within the water and soil-water slurries. For example, with a
nano scale Pd/Fe particle dose at 6.25 gL-1, all chlorinated compounds were
reduced to below detectable limits. Ethane was the major product in all tests.
Greater than 99% removal was achieved with nano scale iron particle in 24 h.
Some pesticides that are persistent in aerobic environments are more readily
degraded under reducing conditions. One application of this technique uses
zero-valent iron (ZVI) as a chemical reductant. Under aerobic conditions,
oxygen is the usual electron acceptor, while in anaerobic environment; electron
release from the reaction of ZVI with water can be coupled to the reaction of
chlorinated and nitro-aromatic compounds. Utilization of "magnetic" bacteria
seems useful for metallic ion and heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions
(e.g. Ag, Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn, Sb, Mn, Fe, As, Ni, Al, Pt, Pd and Ru). In the
presence of magnetic ions such as iron sulphide, heavy metal precipitates onto
bacterial cell walls, making the bacteria sufficiently magnetized for removal
from suspension by magnetic separation procedure. Research has shown that
certain bacteria could produce iron sulfonide, which would act as an adsorbent
for several metallic ions. A novel concept was proposed to synthesize
mesoporous magnetic nano composite particles. These particles could be used
for the removal of harmful agents present in the environment. This new method
employs molecular templates to coat nano particles of magnetite with
mesoporous silica. Also, nano smart dust and gas sensors are used in
determining the amount of pollutants and dust in the air. It is possible evaluation
the presence of pollutants in the environment by the sensors (that are made by
nano technology) in the few minutes (Scott and Chen, 2003).
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 11

Nano-fibers: When hydrophobic organic pollutants are enters to the soil

through water, easily absorbed by the water insoluble solids. Porous nano-
polymers have a very similar to the pollutants molecules, and considered the
most suitable means for separating organic pollutants of soil and water. Similar
nano fiber-based fabrics are being used as a detection technology platform to
capture and isolate pathogens. The nano fibers in this fabric are embedded with
antibodies against specific pathogens. The fabric can be wiped across a surface
and tested to determine whether the pathogens are present, perhaps indicating
their presence by a change in colour (Hager, 2011).

Nano-filtration: Due to big demand for freshwater in the world, developing

new methods is essential for producing freshwater. The use of nano particles
and nano-filtration provides possibility of refining and improving water with
speed and accuracy. Also, nano-filter has a widespread application in eliminate
microbial contaminants of water. In the new method for water desalination, hot
saltwater are pass on thin sheets of carbon nano tube membranes, that have
small holes (nano-holes). Only the steam passes through of this holes and liquid
of water, salts and other minerals remain in the membrane. Cold water
containers are located in the other side of membrane, that steam is converted to
liquid again with passing through it. The most important features of carbon
nano tubes can be include: smaller and denser holes; allowing high flow rate
passing each hole (Thorsen and Flogstad, 2006). In the processing of dairy
products are also used of nano-filters. Nano-filters, provides a selective passing
particles. Also nano-filtration is used to detect metabolites quality control in
food industry and pathogenic factors, and is a major change in food packaging
and storage (Yacubowicz and Yacubowicz, 2007). Bunani et al. (2013) studied
the application of nano-filtration for reuse of municipal wastewater and quality
analysis of product water, and Oatley-Radcliffe et al. (2013) studied the practice
of nano-filtration modelling strategies for seawater desalination and further
insights on dielectric exclusion.

Nanotechnology solutions to climate change

Climate Change has emerged as one of the most serious environmental
concerns of our times. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, it could
be observed from the increases in global average air and ocean temperatures,
widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global mean sea level. Most of
the warming that has occurred over the last 50 years is very likely to have been
caused by human activities. Besides climate forcing, human 28 activities like
burning of fossil fuels, agriculture and land-use changes like deforestation,
animal agriculture, ozone depletion due to aerosols and cement manufacture are
of major cause, act separately and in conjunction with other factors (Steinfeld et
al. 2006). To bring climate change to a halt, global greenhouse gas emissions
must be reduced significantly. Seldom single sector or technology can address
the entire mitigation challenge. All sectors including buildings, industry, energy
production, agriculture, transport, forestry, and waste management could
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
12 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

contribute to the overall mitigation efforts, for instance through greater energy
efficiency. Many technologies and processes which emit less greenhouse gases
are already commercially available or will be in the coming decades (EUROPA,
2009).

One among the new approaches to combat the climate change is the
Nanotechnology. Possible areas identified to intervene through nanotechnology
to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions are: a) the development of
hydrogen powered vehicles; b) enhanced and cheaper photovoltaics or solar
power technology; c) new generation of batteries and super capacitors; d)
improved insulation of buildings; and e) fuel additives to enhance the energy
efficiency of motor vehicles (Oakdene Hollins, 2007). These technologies are
being developed elsewhere in the world contemporarily to reduce the
dependence on fossil fuels and consequently begin the process of decoupling
carbon dioxide emissions from energy. In addition, these technologies are likely
to have a positive impact in reducing the concentrations of NOx and SOx in the
atmosphere by reducing the quantity of fossil fuels used in the generation of
electricity. For electricity generation, hydrogen fuel cell is an efficient, non
polluting source (Anonymous, 2009). Besides hydrogen fuel cell, yet another
technology which converts solar energy, renewable, unlimited source of
emission free, to electricity is photovoltaic technologies. Nanotechnology is
widely used in current R&D in photovoltaics. Some of the main areas of
research include: nano particle silicon systems; use of non-silicon materials
such as calcopyrites to develop thin film technology; molecular organic solar
cells; organic polymer photovoltaic systems and III-V nitride solar cells
(Oakdene Hollins, 2007). Several different types of photovoltaic panels
available in the market are highly expensive and have limited period of life
time. Attempts are being made to circumvent this problem through nano
technological approach. One such approach attracted considerable attention is
the so called Crystalline Silicon on Glass and use of alternate materials such as
cadmium telluride. Next important area which could alleviate the climate
change is energy storage. The next generation batteries, more relevant to
climate change will be more suitable for use in electric cars and other vehicles,
is being attempted using nanotechnology. The next generation batteries like
lithium ion and nickel metal hydride batteries having more capacity of those
already used in hybrid electric vehicles (Autobloggreen, 2007).
One such approach is insulation of building located in the extreme weather
conditions. Cavity and loft insulation are cheap and effective, however, there
are no easy methods for insulating solid walled buildings. Nanotechnology may
provide a solution which, if an effective insulation could be found with similar
properties to standard cavity insulation. Improving wellbeing in buildings, in
relation to energy conservation, represents a great challenge. In countries like
Southern Italy a basic problem is that of keeping buildings cool in the summer
months. This problem affects not only newly erected buildings, but also the
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 13

large number of existing buildings, some of which are of historical importance.

Nanotechnology represents an excellent opportunity to harness the salvage of
existing buildings to the living requirements of contemporary society. The use
of nano structured materials like paintings, cement, tiles, floorings, etc., in
newly-erected buildings will lead to improved performance and a considerable
saving of energy (Zdenìk Bittnar et al. 2009). Hence, there are possibilities to
reduce the green gas emission through nanotechnology solutions to the tune of
18-20 per cent by 2050.

Now, the most important environmental issue is to reduce green house gases
in order to prevent the climate changes, where carbon dioxide (CO2) is the major
contributor. In this regards, CO2 capture and utilization using solid adsorbents, in
large scales, attain greater attention among the scientific community.
Tamilarasan and Ramaprabhu (2012) developed polyaniline/ magnetite nano
capsules (PANI/MNCs) nano composite for CO 2 capture at high pressures.
PANI/MNCs nano composite shows fast sorption kinetics (∼42 mmol/g within
90 min at 28 ◦C) along with a high sorption capacity (47.5 mmol/g with 12 bar
pressure at 28 ◦C) as a consequence of physical and chemical interaction with
CO2 molecules.

Perceived risks and benefits of nanotechnology

Siegrist et al. (2008) reported that to avoid some of the problems GM
technology was faced with, it will be important to take public views of
nanotechnology foods into account at an early stage of product development. It
is the goal of this study to identify food applications that are more likely, and
food applications that are less likely, to be accepted by the public. An additional
goal is to examine general factors that may be important for public acceptance
of nanotechnology foods, (Table 1).

The risks could be practically zero or they could be significant, depending

on the properties of a particular product and exposure levels. For the most part,
no one knows. Few risk assessments have been done that allow one to predict
what happens when these very small materials, some designed to be biologically
active, enter the human body or are dispersed in the environment. A recent
analysis of nanotechnology-related environmental, health, and safety research,
done by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, could find no research on
the impact of nano-materials on the gastrointestinal tract, though this will be of
primary concern for food applications (Kuzma and VerHage, 2006).

It is important to recognize, however, that as new particles and applications

are developed, and as more information becomes available on fate and behavior,
routes of uptake and entry into the atmosphere, these predictions may change.
Moreover, the nano materials once entered in the environment have the
potential to accumulate in the environmental organisms.

Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)

14 SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA

TABLE 1 Percived risks and benefits (mean and S.D.)

Note: The question was ‘‘How beneficial (risky) do you consider each of the
following applications to be for Swiss society as a whole?’’ The endpoints of the 5-
point scales were labelled ‘‘very low’’ (1) and ‘‘very high’’ (5), Siegrist et al. (2008).

In accordance with the exposure routes resulting from production,

processing and use, the fate of the starting products of nano scale substances
and their transformation products must be followed (life-cycle analyses,
exposure scenarios) and measured in the target compartments. Several steps
must be followed: identification of the nano particles that are persistent and
accumulate in the environment through suitable measurement methods for the
identification in water, soil and sediment; analysis of the behavior of the nano
materials after use, during disposal, land filling, incineration or reutilization;
testing of ecotoxicity during the entire life. A crucial factor for the
determination of a risk of exposure to nano materials is the stability of these
nano particles; in particular it should therefore be examined how stable and
long-lived these forms are, whether and under which conditions undergo
modifications, upon entry into the environment (Bradley et al., 2011; Silvestre
et al., 2011 and Cushen et al., 2012).

Future applications:
 2011-2015 – nanobiomaterials, microprocessors, new catalysts, portable
energy cells, solar cells, tissue/organ regeneration, smart implants.
 2016 and beyond – molecular circuitry, quantum computing, new materials,
fast chemical analyses.

Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)

 APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE 15

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( Received 10 / 9 / 2014;
accepted 18 / 10 / 2014)
Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015)
 ‫‪18‬‬ ‫‪SHAIMAA H. ABD-ELRAHMAN AND M.A.M. MOSTAFA‬‬

‫تطبيقاث تقنيت النانو فى الزراعت ‪ .‬نظرة عامت‬

‫شيماء حسن عبد الرحمن و محمد أحمد محمود مصطفى‬

‫لظى األراضى‪ ،‬كهٍت انشراعت‪ ،‬جبيعت عٍٍ شًض ‪ -‬شبزا انخًٍت – انمبهزة –‬
‫يظز‬

‫انشراعت حىفزانغذاء نإلَظبٌ بظىرة يببشزة وغٍز يببشزة و َظزا نشٌبدة عذد‬
‫طكبٌ انعبنى‪ ،‬فًٍ انضزوري اطخخذاو انخمٍُبث انحذٌثت يثم حكُىنىجٍب انُبَى فً‬
‫انعهىو انشراعٍت ‪ .‬ولذ حى حعزٌف حمٍُت انُبَى بأَهب حخعهك ببنًىاد وانُظى وانعًهٍبث‬
‫انخً حعًم عهى يمٍبص يٍ ‪َ 100‬بَىيخز (‪ )nm‬أو ألم ‪ .‬حكُىنىجٍب انُبَى نذٌهب‬
‫انعذٌذ يٍ انخطبٍمبث فً جًٍع يزاحم اإلَخبج وانخظٍُع وانخخشٌٍ وانخعبئت وانُمم‬
‫نهًُخجبث انشراعٍت ‪ .‬وطىف ححذد ثىرة حكُىنىجٍب انُبَى فى انشراعت وانظُبعبث‬
‫انغذائٍت عٍ طزٌك إبخكبر حمٍُبث جذٌذة يثم ‪ :‬حمٍُبث انشراعت انذلٍمت وحعشٌش لذرة‬
‫انُببحبث عهى ايخض اص انعُبطز انغذائٍت واطخخذايهب بكفبءة عبنٍت واطخهذاف‬
‫انًذخالث وانكشف عٍ انًزع وانظٍطزة عهى األيزاع ويمبويت انضغىط‬
‫‪ .‬وسٌبدة كفبءة‬ ‫انبٍئٍت ونذٌهب أَظًت فعبنت نهخجهٍش وانخخشٌٍ وانخعبئت وانخغهٍف‬
‫األطًذة انًضبفت بًظبعذة انطٍٍ انُبَى وانشٌىالٌج‪ ،‬واطخعبدة خظىبت ا نخزبت عٍ‬
‫طزٌك إَطالق انًىاد انغذائٍت انًثبخت ‪ .‬انبحىد عهى انبذور انذكٍت انًبزيجت نكى‬
‫‪ .‬وٌجزي حبنٍب‬ ‫حُبج فً ظزوف يىاحٍت يع انُبَى بىنًٍز انًغهفت يشجعت‬
‫‪ .‬أيب‬ ‫حطىٌزيبٍذاث أعشبة انُبَى نًعبنجت انًشبكم فً إدارة انحشبئش انًعًزة‬
‫كفبءة انذواء فإَهب حشداد يٍ خالل اطخخ داو انُبَى فً عهىو انحٍىاٌ ‪ .‬وحظخخذو‬
‫جظًٍبث انفضت وانحذٌذ انُبَى فً عالج وحطهٍز انًىاشً وانذواجٍ ‪ .‬وًٌكٍ حمٍٍى‬
‫بظزعت يظخىٌبث حهىد انبٍئت يٍ خالل اجهشة اطخشعبر انغببر وانغبس انُبَى‬
‫انذكٍت‪.‬‬

‫)‪Egypt. J. Soil Sci. 55, No. 2 (2015‬‬

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