Metal based nanoparticles in agricultural system: behavior, transport, and interaction with plants

With the fast-developing nanotechnology, metal based nanoparticles (NPs) production and application are increased significantly. These metal based NPs can enter agricultural land through both direct and indirect pathways. This review presents an overview of the fate and transport of metal based NPs and their interactions with plants in agricultural ecosystem system. The physical chemical properties of both metal based NPs (e.g. size, surface charge, surface coating) and soil matrix (e.g. pH, ionic strength, mineral composition, dissolved organic matter) all play important roles in determining the mobility, transformation and potential risks of metal based NPs in plant and soil system. NPs can be accumulated to plant roots and translocated to other parts of the plants. The properties of both plant and metal based NPs are playing critical roles to this process. Systematic research of metal based NPs in environmentally relevant concentrations and conditions is needed for the future study.