The nanotechnology among us: are metal nanoparticles a nano or mega risk for soil microbial communities?

JAVIERA PARADA; OLGA RUBILAR; MARTÍN A. FERNÁNDEZ BALDO; FRANCO A. BERTOLINO; NELSON DURÁN; AMEDEA B. SEABRA ; GONZALO R. TORTELLA

CRITICAL REVIEWS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019 vol. 39 p. 157 - 172

0738-8551

Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have been widely included in a great diversity of products and industrial applications, so they are already part of our everyday life. According to estimative studies, their production is expected to increase exponentially in the next years. Consequently, the soil has been suggested as the main sink of MNPs once they are deliberately or accidentally released into the environment. The potential negative perturbations that may be produced on soil microbial communities and ecological processes are raising concerns. Several nano-toxicological studies of MNPs reported so far have been focused on aquatic organisms, animals and soil invertebrates. However, during the last years, the studies have been oriented to understand the effect of MNPs on microbial communities and their interaction with soil components. The studies have suggested that MNPs are one of the most toxic to soil biota, among different types of nanomaterials. This may threaten the soil health and fertility, since microbial communities are known to support important biological processes and ecosystem services such as the nutrient cycling, whereby their protection against environmental pollution is imperative. Therefore, in this review we try to summarize the actual knowledge available from the last five years (2018-2013) and gaps about the potential negative, positive or neutral effects produced on soil by different classes of MNPs, with a particular emphasis on soil microorganisms and biological processes associated. Finally, perspectives about future research are discussed.