Understanding the implications of nanofertilizers and nanopesticides on health and environment

The advent of nanotechnology has rapidly transformed the landscape of modern agriculture. At the forefront of this transformation are nanofertilizers and nanopesticides, which promise significant improvements in agricultural productivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. These nanoformulations, ranging from metal- and carbon-based non-biodegradable materials to biodegradable organic carriers and hybrid nanosystems, either act as active agents or as carriers to enhance delivery and efficacy. Despite their potential benefits, these innovations also present new challenges and questions regarding their safety profiles and long-term environmental effects.

Current research highlights several emerging concerns about the use of nano-enabled agricultural inputs. As these inputs approach large-scale deployment, understanding their uptake, transfer, and potential bioaccumulation within crops, and subsequent entry into human and animal food chains, becomes crucial. Studies have started to investigate the short-term and long-term risks associated with human exposure via dietary intake and occupational routes. Moreover, the ecological fate and unintended environmental impacts, such as persistence and toxicity of nanomaterials, along with their interaction with non-target organisms, remain subjects of ongoing investigation. Significant efforts are required to fill these knowledge gaps and address the debates concerning their safe use.

This Research Topic aims to provide a platform for rigorous assessment of the health and environmental effects of nanofertilizers and nanopesticides. It calls for contributions that delve into toxicological studies of these materials, examining mechanisms of action, bioavailability, transformation pathways, and residue analyses. Ecotoxicity assessments are needed to understand risks to soil, water, and organisms, alongside modeling the environmental transport and persistence of these nanosystems. Furthermore, research addressing the human and animal health impacts from exposure through food chains or occupational settings, as well as advancements in analytical methods for quantification and detection of nanomaterials in agricultural matrices, is encouraged.

To gather further insights in determining the safety and efficacy of these nano-enabled agri-inputs, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Toxicological analysis of nanofertilizers and nanopesticides;

o Ecotoxicity and environmental risk assessment;

o Human and animal health impact evaluation;

o Development of analytical detection methods;

o Recommendations for safe use and regulatory guidelines.


These insights will be critical in identifying a balance between the revolutionary benefits and potential risks associated with nanotechnology in agriculture, ensuring both innovation and the safeguarding of human and ecological well-being.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: nanopesticides, nanofertilizers, toxicology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.