Silver nanoparticles strengthen Zea mays against toxic metal-related phytotoxicity via enhanced metal phytostabilization and improved antioxidant responses.

Enhanced phytoremediation strategies, which use nanoparticles to boost and facilitate the phytoremediation capacity of plants, are being recommended due to the limitations of traditional phytoremediation employing hyperaccumulating plants alone. Nanoparticles enhance phytoremediation potentials by directly reducing phytoavailable pollutants and promoting plant growth. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are recognized as possessing the ability to enhance the phytoremediation of heavy metals HMs by converting them to a less toxic form and immobilizing the remaining phytoavailable HMs. This is in addition to their potential to modify plant biochemical and physiological properties to counteract HM toxicity.