Chapter 16 - Physicochemical Perturbation of Plants on Exposure to Metal Oxide Nanoparticle

Abstract

The last decade has seen a stunning rise in the application of nanoparticles (NPs), nanomaterials, and nanocomposites, where the fundamental purpose has been to use the extremely small dimension of these particles to attain favorable endpoints. The ever-expanding scope of application of these nanomaterials in various fields of trade and commerce has galvanized the scientific and research community to produce or “engineer” novel nanoscale products at a burgeoning rate. These nanoscale products find application in a bevy of flourishing industries, including consumer products, agriculture, electronics and electrical goods, textiles, building, transport, energy, and oil, as well as in many other fields like drug delivery, pharmaceutical aids, surgical aids, and imaging techniques, to name a few. The hype regarding the positives of these engineered nanomaterials is so high that many scientists have heralded them as the nostrum for all the ills of industrial pollution and degradation, as well as for remediation of the pollutants. As the use of NPs escalated, many of them found their way into our environment, and a body of work began to emerge highlighting the intricate relationship of these engineered metal/metallic NPs with living organisms. Though initially researchers focused on human interactions only, soon organisms spanning different trophic levels were considered for such studies as well, when it was realized that these stable NPs could be carried unaltered through the food web, and a thorough knowledge of the model organisms made these studies more feasible.