Study Questions Safety of Nanoparticles in Food Crops

EL PASO, TexasA new article appearing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reveals there is a large knowledge gap about the effects of nanoparticles on corn, tomatoes, rice and other food crops.

Nanoparticles, which are 1/50,000th the width of a human hair, are used in products ranging from medicines to cosmetics; however, researchers from the University of Texas at El Paso are concerned the particles also could end up in the environment, settling in the soil, especially as fertilizers, growth enhancers and other nanoagricultural products. Some plants can accumulate nanoparticles; however, it is  unclear whether it poses a problem for plants or for the animals (like humans) that eat them.

The researchers analyzed nearly 100 scientific articles on the effects of different types of nanoparticles on edible plants. They found that the uptake and buildup of nanoparticles varies, and the factors largely depend on the type of plant and the size and chemical composition of the nanoparticles.

"This literature review has confirmed that knowledge on plant toxicity of [nanomaterials] is at the foundation stage," the article stated, noting the emerging field of nanoecotoxicology is starting to tackle this topic.