Co-exposure to tire wear particles and nickel inhibits mung bean yield by reducing nutrient uptake.

Soil and terrestrial contamination with microplastics and nanoplastics has been discussed extensively, while tire wear particles (TWPs) have been largely overlooked. We investigated the root-surface interactions and growth response of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) plants exposed to tire wear particles (TWPs) (0.05, 0.1, and 0.25% w/w) and nickel sulfate (50 and 100 mg kg-1 NiSO4) alone and in co-exposure scenarios for the full life cycle (105 days) under soil conditions. The results show that TWPs adhered to the root surface and reduced the water and nutrient uptake by the plant, particularly at higher concentrations of TWPs (0.25% w/w), without any observed organic contaminant accumulation in the root tissue. TWPs alone at 0.01, 0.1, and 0.25% (w/w) decreased mung bean yield by 11, 28, and 52%, respectively. Co-exposure to TWPs at 0.01, 0.1 and 0.25% w/w with 100 mg kg-1 NiSO4 decreased yield by 73, 79 and 88%, respectively. However, co-exposure to TWPs at 0.01 and 0.1% w/w with 50 mg kg-1 NiSO4 enhanced the yield by 32% and 7%, respectively. These changes in yield and nutritional aspects appear to be linked to Ni's regulatory influence on mineral homeostasis. Moreover, exposure to NiSO4 at 100 mg kg-1 increased Ni uptake in the root, shoot, and grain by 9, 26, and 20-fold, respectively as compared to the unamended control; this corresponded to increased antioxidant enzyme activity (10-127%) as compared to the control. TWPs caused blockages, significantly reducing plant yield and altering nutrient dynamics, highlighting emerging risks to plant health.

Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles Improve Soybean Yield and Enhance Nitrogen Assimilation.

Nickel (Ni) is a trace element beneficial for plant growth and development and could improve crop yield by stimulating urea decomposition and nitrogen-fixing enzyme activity. A full life cycle study was conducted to compare the long-term effects of soil-applied NiO nanoparticles (n-NiO), NiO bulk (b-NiO), and NiSO4 at 10-200 mg kg-1 on plant growth and nutritional content of soybean. n-NiO at 50 mg kg-1 significantly promoted the seed yield by 39%. Only 50 mg kg-1 n-NiO promoted total fatty acid content and starch content by 28 and 19%, respectively. The increased yield and nutrition could be attributed to the regulatory effects of n-NiO, including photosynthesis, mineral homeostasis, phytohormone, and nitrogen metabolism. Furthermore, n-NiO maintained a Ni2+ supply for more extended periods than NiSO4, reducing potential phytotoxicity concerns. Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS) for the first time confirmed that the majority of the Ni in seeds is in ionic form, with only 28-34% as n-NiO. These findings deepen our understanding of the potential of nanoscale and non-nanoscale Ni to accumulate and translocate in soybean, as well as the long-term fate of these materials in agricultural soils as a strategy for nanoenabled agriculture.

Iron-based nanomaterials reduce cadmium toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by modulating phytohormones, phytochelatin, cadmium transport genes and iron plaque formation.

Rice is known to accumulate cadmium (Cd) in its grains, causing a severe threat to billions of people worldwide. The possible phytotoxicity and mechanism of 50-200 mg/L hydroxyapatite NPs (nHA), iron oxide NPs (nFe2O3) or nano zero valent iron (nZVI) co-exposed with Cd (100 µM) in rice seedlings were investigated. Three types of nanoparticles significantly reduced the bioaccumulation of Cd in rice shoots by 16-63%, with nZVI showing the greatest effect, followed by nHA and nFe2O3. A decrease in Cd content in the roots was observed only in the nZVI treatment, with values ranging from 8 to 19%. Correspondingly, nZVI showed the best results in promoting plant growth, increasing rice plant height, shoot and root biomass by 13%, 29% and 42%. In vitro studies showed that nZVI reduced the content of Cd in the solution by 20-52% through adsorption, which might have contributed to the immobilization of Cd in root. Importantly, the nZVI treatment resulted in 267% more iron plaques on the root surface, which acted as a barrier to hinder the entry of Cd. Moreover, all three nanoparticles significantly reduced the oxidative stress induced by Cd by regulating phytohormones, phytochelatin, inorganic homeostasis and the expression of genes associated with Cd uptake and transport. Overall, this study elucidates for the first time the multiple complementing mechanisms for some nanoparticles to reduce Cd uptake and transport in rice and provides theoretical basis for applying nanoparticles for reducing Cd accumulation in edible plants.

Insight into the formation and biological effects of natural organic matter corona on silver nanoparticles in water environment using biased cyclical electrical field-flow fractionation.

Natural organic matter (NOM) readily interacts with nanoparticles, leading to the formation of NOM corona structures on their surface. NOM corona formation is closely related to the surface coatings and bioavailability of nanoparticles. However, the mechanism underlying NOM corona formation on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) remains largely unknown due to the lack of effective analytical methods for identifying the changes in the AgNP surface. Herein, the separation ability of biased cyclical electrical field-flow fractionation (BCyElFFF) for same-sized polyvinyl pyrrolidone-coated and poly(ethylene glycol)-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with different electrophoretic mobilities was evaluated under various electrical conditions. Then, the mechanism behind the NOM corona formation on these AgNP surfaces was elucidated based on the changes in the elution time and off-line characterization of the collected fractions during their elution time in a BCyElFFF run. Finally, the survival rates of E. coli exposed to polyvinyl pyrrolidone-coated and poly(ethylene glycol)-coated AgNPs with or without NOM collected during repeated BCyElFFF runs were observed to increase with increasing NOM concentration, clearly demonstrating the negative effect of NOM corona structures on the bioavailability of AgNPs. These findings highlight the powerful separation and isolation ability of BCyElFFF in studying the transformation and fate of nanoparticles in aqueous environments.

Nano-Pesticides and Fertilizers: Solutions for Global Food Security.

Nanotechnology emerges as an important way to safeguard global food security amid the escalating challenges posed by the expansion of the global population and the impacts of climate change. The perfect fusion of this breakthrough technology with traditional agriculture promises to revolutionize the way agriculture is traditionally practiced and provide effective solutions to the myriad of challenges in agriculture. Particularly noteworthy are the applications of nano-fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture, which have become milestones in sustainable agriculture and offer lasting alternatives to traditional methods. This review meticulously explores the key role of nano-fertilizers and pesticides in advancing sustainable agriculture. By focusing on the dynamic development of nanotechnology in the field of sustainable agriculture and its ability to address the overarching issue of global food security, this review aims to shed light on the transformative potential of nanotechnology to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable future for agriculture.

Engineered Zn-based nano-pesticides as an opportunity for treatment of phytopathogens in agriculture.

People's desire for food has never slowed, despite the deterioration of the global agricultural environment and the threat to food security. People rely on agrochemicals to ensure normal crop growth and to relieve the existing demand pressure. Phytopathogens have acquired resistance to traditional pesticides as a result of pesticdes' abuse. Compared with traditional formulations, nano-pesticides have superior antimicrobial performance and are environmentally friendly. Zn-based nanoparticles (NPs) have shown their potential as strong antipathogen activity. However, their full potential has not been demonstrated yet. Here, we analyzed the prerequisites for the use of Zn-based NPs as nano-pesticides in agriculture including both intrinsic properties of the materials and environmental conditions. We also summarized the mechanisms of Zn-based NPs against phytopathogens including direct and indirect strategies to alleviate plant disease stress. Finally, the current challenges and future directions are highlighted to advance our understanding of this field and guide future studies.

Exposure of cherry radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. Radculus Pers) to iron-based nanoparticles enhances its nutritional quality by trigging the essential elements.

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a pervasive nutritional disorder, and producing vegetables enriched with Fe as a dietary source is imperative. Herein, Fe3O4, FeO(OH), α-Fe2O3, ß-Fe2O3, γ-Fe3O4, and nZVI nanoparticles (NPs) were applied in soil as fertilizer to enhance the Fe nutrition in cherry radish. The highest enhancement of Fe content (58%) was observed in Fe3O4 treatment at 100 mg kg-1, followed by FeO(OH) (49%), α-Fe2O3 (24%), nZVI (14%), ß-Fe2O3 (13%) and γ-Fe3O4 (4%). The daily intake of Fe was 97-104% and 77-91% with Fe3O4 and FeO(OH) at 100-200 mg kg-1, respectively. Moreover, the zinc, vitamin C and crude protein contents were also increased by 37, 48 and 67% under Fe3O4 treatment as compared to control. Fe3O4 at 100 mg kg-1 also increased the essential amino acids (phenylalanine, leucine and isoleucine) contents by 11-14%. These data suggest that Fe3O4 and FeO(OH) NPs could be effective nanofertilizers to enhance Fe nutrition in plants.

Absorption of Carbon-13 Labelled Fullerene (C60) on Rice Seedlings and Effect of Phytohormones on Growth.

This study explores the effects of nanomaterials in rice seedlings using carbon 13 (13C)-labelled fullerene (C60). The experiment consisted of three groups, one CK and two nano particle groups with C60: 100 mg L-1 and 20 mg L-1. Mass spectrometry indicated higher 13C abundances in the nano particle groups compared with the CK. The 13C abundances of the 20 mg L-1 group, 100 mg L-1 group and CK were 1.0718%, 1.0715% and 1.0704%, respectively. We analyzed phytohormone concentrations in the rice at harvest time. Decreases in the concentrations of dihydrozeatin riboside (23% and 18% for the 20 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1 group, respectively), zeatin riboside (23% and 18%, respectively), abscisic acid (11.1% and 12.7%, respectively), brassinolide (12.9% and 13.1%, respectively) and gibberellic acid 4 (12.9% and 13.1%, respectively) were observed compared with the CK. The gibberellic acid 3 concentrations in the 20 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1 group increased by 12% and 7% compared with the CK, respectively. The methyl jasmonate concentration in the 100 mg L-1 group increased by 19.4% compared with the CK. The concentration of indole-3-acetic acid in the 100 mg L-1 group decreased by 13.5% compared with the CK. There was no change on isopentenyl adenosine concentration. This study indicates that C60 can be absorbed by rice and its effect on the growth of rice via phytohormones, including ABA, IAA, IPA, BR, GA3, GA4, DHZR, ZR and JA-ME. The results showed that, under the treatments of C60 NMs, the contents of some phytohormone in rice were decreased in comparison with CK.

Review on Recent Progress in Magnetic Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Diverse Applications.

Diverse applications of nanoparticles (NPs) have revolutionized various sectors in society. In the recent decade, particularly magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have gained enormous interest owing to their applications in specialized areas such as medicine, cancer theranostics, biosensing, catalysis, agriculture, and the environment. Controlled surface engineering for the design of multi-functional MNPs is vital for achieving desired application. The MNPs have demonstrated great efficacy as thermoelectric materials, imaging agents, drug delivery vehicles, and biosensors. In the present review, first we have briefly discussed main synthetic methods of MNPs, followed by their characterizations and composition. Then we have discussed the potential applications of MNPs in different with representative examples. At the end, we gave an overview on the current challenges and future prospects of MNPs. This comprehensive review not only provides the mechanistic insight into the synthesis, functionalization, and application of MNPs but also outlines the limits and potential prospects.

Graphitic Carbon Nitride (C3N4) Reduces Cadmium and Arsenic Phytotoxicity and Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The present study investigated the role of graphitic carbon nitride (C3N4) in alleviating cadmium (Cd)- and arsenic (As)-induced phytotoxicity to rice (Oryza sativa L.). A high-temperature pyrolysis was used to synthesize the C3N4, which was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Rice seedlings were exposed to C3N4 at 50 and 250 mg/L in half-strength Hoagland's solution amended with or without 10 mg/L Cd or As for 14 days. Both Cd and As alone resulted in 26-38% and 49-56% decreases in rice root and shoot biomass, respectively. Exposure to 250 mg/L C3N4 alone increased the root and shoot fresh biomass by 17.5% and 25.9%, respectively. Upon coexposure, Cd + C3N4 and As + C3N4 alleviated the heavy metal-induced phytotoxicity and increased the fresh weight by 26-38% and 49-56%, respectively. Further, the addition of C3N4 decreased Cd and As accumulation in the roots by 32% and 25%, respectively, whereas the metal contents in the shoots were 30% lower in the presence of C3N4. Both As and Cd also significantly altered the macronutrient (K, P, Ca, S, and Mg) and micronutrient (Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn) contents in rice, but these alterations were not evident in plants coexposed to C3N4. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis suggests that Cd significantly altered the genomic DNA of rice roots, while no difference was found in shoots. The presence of C3N4 controlled Cd and As uptake in rice by regulating transport-related genes. For example, the relative expression of the Cd transporter OsIRT1 in roots was upregulated by approximately threefold with metal exposure, but C3N4 coamendment lowered the expression. Similar results were evident in the expression of the As transporter OsNIP1;1 in roots. Overall, these findings facilitate the understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which carbon-based nanomaterials alleviate contaminant-induced phyto- and genotoxicity and may provide a new strategy for the reduction of heavy metal contamination in agriculture.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) alleviates cadmium-induced phytotoxicity to rice (Oryza sativa L.).

In the present study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was synthesized in a tube furnace and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Different concentrations (0-200 mg/L) of g-C3N4 were prepared in nutrient solution amended with or without 20 mg/L CdCl2 for the greenhouse study. Rice seedlings were exposed to g-C3N4 and Cd for 20 days. Our results suggest that 200 mg/L g-C3N4 significantly increased the fresh weight and root and shoot length as compared with the control, and notably alleviated Cd-induced toxicity. The addition of 200 mg/L g-C3N4 significantly reduced the root and shoot Cd content by approximately 14% and 23%, respectively. In addition, 200 mg/L g-C3N4 significantly elevated the nitrogen content and decreased C/N ration in rice shoots; most importantly, it alleviated Cd-induced nitrogen reduction. Our findings demonstrated the potential of g-C3N4 in regulating plant growth and minimizing the Cd-induced phytotoxicity, and shed light on providing a new strategy to maintain heavy metal contamination in agriculture using a low-cost and environmental friendly NMs.

Physiological impacts of zero valent iron, Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 nanoparticles in rice plants and their potential as Fe fertilizers.

Fe-based nanoparticles (Fe-based NPs) have great potential as a substitute for traditional Fe-fertilizer; however, their environmental risk and impact on plant growth are not fully understood. In this study, we compared the physiological impacts of three different Fe-based NP formulations: zero-valent iron (ZVI), Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 NPs, on hydroponic rice after root exposure for 2 weeks. Fe-normal (Fe(+)) and Fe-deficiency (Fe(-)) conditions were compared. Results showed that low dose (50 mg L-1) of ZVI and Fe3O4 NPs improved the rice growth under Fe(-) condition, while Fe2O3 NPs did not improve plant growth and caused phytotoxicity at high concentration (500 mg L-1). Under Fe(+) conditions, none of the Fe-based NPs exhibited positive effects on the rice plants with plant growth actually being inhibited at 500 mg L-1 evidenced by reduced root volume and leaf biomass and enhanced oxidative stress in plant. Under Fe(-) condition, low dose (50 mg L-1) of ZVI NPs and Fe3O4 NPs increased the chlorophyll content by 30.7% and 26.9%, respectively. They also alleviated plant stress demonstrated by the reduced oxidative stress and decreased concentrations of stress related phytohormones such as gibberellin and indole-3-acetic acid. Low dose of ZVI and Fe3O4 NPs treatments resulted in higher Fe accumulation in plants compared to Fe2O3 NPs treatment, by down-regulating the expression of IRT1 and YSL15. This study provides significant insights into the physiological impacts of Fe-based NPs in rice plants and their potential application in agriculture. ZVI and Fe3O4 NPs can be used as Fe-fertilizers to improve rice growth under Fe-deficient condition, which exist in many rice-growing regions of the world. However, dose should be carefully chosen as high dose (500 mg L-1 in this study) of the Fe-based NPs can impair rice growth.

Carbon-based nanomaterials suppress tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection and induce resistance in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Although nanomaterials (NMs) may inhibit viral pathogens, the mechanisms governing plant-virus-nanomaterial interactions remain unknown. Nicotiana benthamiana plants were treated with nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silver (Ag), C60 fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at 100, 200 and 500 mg L-1 for a 21-day foliar exposure before inoculation with GFP-tagged tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Plants treated with CNTs and C60 (200 mg L-1) exhibited normal phenotype and viral symptomology was not evident at 5 days post-infection. TiO2 and Ag failed to suppress viral infection. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that viral coat protein transcript abundance and GFP mRNA expression were reduced 74-81% upon CNTs and C60 treatment. TEM revealed that the chloroplast ultrastructure in carbon NM-treated plants was unaffected by TMV infection. Fluorescence measurement of CNTs and C60 (200 mg L-1) treated plants indicated photosynthesis equivalent to healthy controls. CNTs and C60 induced upregulation of the defense-related phytohormones abscisic acid and salicylic acid by 33-52%; the transcription of genes responsible for phytohormone biosynthesis was elevated by 94-104% in treated plants. Our findings demonstrate the protective role of carbon-based NMs, with suppression of TMV symptoms via hindered physical movement and viral replication. Given the lack of viral phytopathogen treatment options, this work represents a novel area of nano-enabled agriculture.

Exposure to nickel oxide nanoparticles insinuates physiological, ultrastructural and oxidative damage: A life cycle study on Eisenia fetida.

Although, health and environmental hazards of Ni are ironclad; however, that of Nickle oxide nanoparticles (NiO-NPs) are still obscure. Therefore, impact of NiO-NPs exposure (0, 5, 50, 200, 500 and 1000 mg kg-1 soil) on the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) survival (at 28th day), reproduction (at 56th day), histopathology, ultrastructures, antioxidant enzymes and oxidative DNA damage was appraised in full life cycle study. Lower concentrations of NiO-NPs (5, 50 and 200) did not influence the survival, reproduction and growth rate of adult worms significantly. However, reproduction reduced by 40-50% with 500 and 1000 mg kg-1 exposure, which also induced oxidative stress leading to DNA damage in earthworms. Ultrastructural observation and histology of earthworms exposed to higher NiO-NPs concentrations revealed abnormalities in epithelium layer, microvilli and mitochondria with underlying pathologies of epidermis and muscles, as well as adverse effects on the gut barrier. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study unveiling the adverse effects of NiO-NPs on a soil invertebrate (Eisenia fetida). Our findings clue towards looking extensively into the risks of NiO-NPs on soil organisms bearing agricultural and environmental significance.

Effects of cerium oxide on rice seedlings as affected by co-exposure of cadmium and salt.

Effects of CeO2 NPs (200 mg.L-1) on rice (Oryza sativa L.) alone or co-exposure with cadmium (Cd) and salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) were investigated in hydroponic systems for two weeks. Physiological results show that rice biomass was significantly inhibited when NaCl or CdCl2 added alone or in co-exposure treatment. CeO2 NPs significantly relieve the chlorophyll damage under CdCl2 environmental stress. The presence of CeO2 NPs alleviated both stressors induced damages to rice as indicated by the reduced proline level. Additionally, CeO2 NPs triggered the antioxidant defense systems to counteract the oxidative stress caused by NaCl and CdCl2. The level of 8-OHdG, one of the most important indicators for genotoxicity, in rice suggest that the presence of CeO2 NPs reduced the DNA damage in NaCl treated rice. Elemental analysis indicated that co-exposure to NaCl and CdCl2 slightly decreased the Cd content as compared to the one in the CdCl2 alone treatment, and this co-exposure also significantly reduced the Na content when comparing with the NaCl alone treatment. Taken together, our findings suggest that CeO2 NPs could alleviate the CdCl2 and NaCl stresses, but could not completely change the phenotype of both contaminants treated rice.

Effect of metal oxide nanoparticles on amino acids in wheat grains (Triticum aestivum) in a life cycle study.

Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are now used as additives in pesticides and fungicides and as novel fertilizers in agriculture so there is an urgent need to explore their effects on crop yield and quality in a full life cycle study. In the present study, three widely used NPs (TiO2, Fe2O3 and CuO NPs applied at doses of 50 and 500 mg/kg) were selected to investigate their long-term impact on wheat growth. TiO2 NPs did not affect the growth and development of wheat, but Fe2O3 NPs promoted wheat precocity and CuO NPs inhibited the growth and development of the wheat grains. The Cu content in grains treated with CuO NP increased by 18.84%-30.45% compared with the control. However, the contents of Fe and Zn were both significantly lower in the CuO NP treatments. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the effect of different NPs on the composition of amino acids in wheat grains. Exposure to TiO2 NPs at dose of 500 mg/kg increased the overall amino acid nutrition in the edible portion of wheat. Fe2O3 NPs at both doses increased the contents of cysteine (Cys) and tyrosine (Tyr). The addition of CuO NPs reduced the level of some essential amino acids in wheat grains, isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), threonine (Thr) and histidine (His). Overall, evaluation of the potential impacts of metal-based NPs on the nutritional quality of wheat grains could provide important information for their safe use when incorporated into agrichemicals in sustainable agriculture.

Natural and synthetic estrogens in leafy vegetable and their risk associated to human health.

Since the inception of global industrialization, the growth of steroid estrogens becomes a matter of emerging serious concern for the rapid population. Steroidal estrogens are potent endocrine-upsetting chemicals that are excreted naturally by vertebrates (e.g., humans and fish) and can enter natural waters through the discharge of treated and raw sewage. Steroidal estrogens in plants may enter the food web and become a serious threat to human health. We evaluated the uptake and accumulation of ethinylestradiol (EE2) and 17ß-estradiol (17ß-E2) in lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa) grown under controlled environmental condition over 21 days growth period. An effective analytical method based on ultrasonic liquid extraction (ULE) for solid samples and solid phase extraction (SPE) for liquid samples with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been developed to determine the steroid estrogens in lettuce plants. The extent of uptake and accumulation was observed in a dose-dependent manner and roots were major organs for estrogen deposition. Unlike the 17ß-E2, EE2 was less accumulated and translocated from root to leaves. For 17ß-E2, the distribution in lettuce was primarily to roots after the second week (13%), whereas in leaves it was (10%) over the entire study period. The distribution of EE2 at 2000 µg L-1 in roots and leaves was very low (3.07% and 0.54%) during the first week and then was highest (12% in roots and 8% in leaves) in last week. Bioaccumulation factor values of 17ß-E2 and EE2 in roots were 0.33 and 0.29 at 50 µg L-1 concentration as maximum values were found at 50 µg L-1 rather than 500 and 2000 in all observed plant tissues. Similar trend was noticed in roots than leaves for bioconcentration factor as the highest bioconcentration values were observed at 50 µg L-1 concentration instead of 500 and 2000 µg L-1 spiked concentration. These findings mainly indicate the potential for uptake and bioaccumulation of estrogens in lettuce plants. Overall, the estrogen contents in lettuce were compared to the FAO/WHO recommended toxic level and were found to be higher than the toxic level which is of serious concern to the public health. This analytical procedure may aid in future studies on risks associated with uptake of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in lettuce plants.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Potential Iron Fertilizer for Peanut (Arachis hypogaea).

Nanomaterials are used in practically every aspect of modern life, including agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) as a fertilizer to replace traditional Fe fertilizers, which have various shortcomings. The effects of the Fe2O3 NPs and a chelated-Fe fertilizer (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-Fe; EDTA-Fe) fertilizer on the growth and development of peanut (Arachis hypogaea), a crop that is very sensitive to Fe deficiency, were studied in a pot experiment. The results showed that Fe2O3 NPs increased root length, plant height, biomass, and SPAD values of peanut plants. The Fe2O3 NPs promoted the growth of peanut by regulating phytohormone contents and antioxidant enzyme activity. The Fe contents in peanut plants with Fe2O3 NPs and EDTA-Fe treatments were higher than the control group. We used energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to quantitatively analyze Fe in the soil. Peanut is usually cultivated in sandy soil, which is readily leached of fertilizers. However, the Fe2O3 NPs adsorbed onto sandy soil and improved the availability of Fe to the plants. Together, these results show that Fe2O3 NPs can replace traditional Fe fertilizers in the cultivation of peanut plants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research on the Fe2O3 NPs as the iron fertilizer.

[Application of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence to investigating the distribution of trace elements in different organs of greenhouse rape].

The trace elements distribution in the root and leaf of greenhouse rape was determined with synchrotron radiation XRF, and many essential elements for human health were found, including Co, Mn, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn, K and Ca, among which the contents of Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn are especially higher than the other elements. The results proved that the contents of different elements in different parts of leaves and roots were inequable. Generally, the contents of K, Ca and Mg in the roots are significantly higher than those in leaves, while the contents of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn in the leaves are apparently higher than those in roots. And the contents of all the elements in lateral roots are much lower. The contents of K, Ca and Co in the central section of leaf were higher than those in the edge, and the contents are gradually increasing from the edge to center; the contents of Cu, Mn, Fe and Ni in the tip of leaf were higher than those in base, and it increases gradually from the base to the tip of leaf; the content of Zn in the leaf is absolutely uniform; all the elements in the middle of root were higher than those in two ends, and the contents in the base of root are commonly higher than those in the tip of root.

[Application of ICP-MS to the detection of 22 elements in transgenic soybean oil].

With the rapid development of transgenic food, more and more transgenic food has been pouring into the market, and much attention has been paid to the edible safety of transgenic food. Transgenic soybean oils were studied by ICP-MS to detect 22 kinds of elements. The results showed that the contents of 7 kinds of macroelements range from 0. 13 to 12.52 microg x g(-1) in transgenic soybean oils, the range of the rest 15 kinds of microelements is from 0.15 ng x g(-1) to 7)0.00 ng x g(-1). The sequence of macroelement concentration is Ca>Na>K>Mg>Al>P>Si. There are 5 kinds of micoelements whose concentrations were higher than 200 ng x g(-1), including Zn>Ba>Cr>Fe>Ti, especially Zn, Ba, Cr and Fe.