Nanobot Plant Sensors:
- Chloroplasts host all of the machinery needed for photosynthesis, which occurs in two stages. During the first stage, pigments such as chlorophyll absorb light, which excites electrons that flow through the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast. The plant captures this electrical energy and uses it to power the second stage of photosynthesis — building sugars.
- Chloroplasts can still perform these reactions when removed from plants, but after a few hours, they start to break down because light and oxygen damage the photosynthetic proteins. Usually plants can completely repair this kind of damage, but extracted chloroplasts can’t do it on their own.
- With carbon nanotubes appearing to act as a “prosthetic photoabsorber,” photosynthetic activity — measured by the rate of electron flow through the thylakoid membranes — was 49 percent greater than that in isolated chloroplasts without embedded nanotubes. When nanoceria and carbon nanotubes were delivered together, the chloroplasts remained active for a few extra hours.
- Since the toxicity of a given concentration of heavy metal present in natural water depends on speciation, the proposed method will stay controlled for metal speciation using pH, the amount of dissolved and suspended nanoparticles, and applied potential.
- development of a small-scale nanosensor, novel nanomaterials, and a new method for detecting toxic metals in the environmen
- The materials will allow the fabrication of nanochips for metals sensing. These chips may work as personal metal monitors for field workers, thus protecting these workers and allowing immediate decisions on remediation efforts
- capable of detecting pollutants could be created, thus providing us with the ability to plan ahead against greater potential problems. Same happens with bioremediation, a discipline dedicated to recover soils that have been altered by diverse unfavourable environmental conditions, which could find invaluable help in nanobionic, genetically modified plants.
- YThe presence of a network of CNTs stabilizes the response of cells at high temperatures without decreasing the activation energy of the material. CNTs also increase the background conductivity, making these materials suitable elements for thermal and distance sensors.
The role Nanotech plays in fertilizers:
- compared with amounts of nitrogen applied to soil, the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by crops is very low
- Between 50 and 70% of the nitrogen applied using conventional fertilizers — plant nutrient formulations with dimensions greater than 100 nm — is lost owing to leaching in the form of water soluble nitrates, emissionof gaseous ammonia and nitrogen oxides, and long-term incorporation of mineral nitrogen into soil organic matter by soil microorganisms
- Carbon nanotubes were recently shown to penetrate tomato seeds2, and zinc oxide nanoparticles were shown to enter the root tissue of ryegrass
- This suggests that new nutrient delivery systems that exploit the nanoscale porous domains on plant surfaces can be developed.
- Nanofertilizer can deliver crops to nutrients in one of three ways
- The nutrient can be encapsulated inside nanomaterials such as nanotubes or nanoporous materials, coated with a thin protective polymer film, or delivered as particles or emulsions of nanoscale dimensions.
- Owing to a high surface area to volume ratio, the effectiveness of nanofertilizers may surpass the most innovative polymer-coated conventional fertilizers
- nanotechnology could provide devices and mechanisms to synchronize the release of nitrogen (from fertilizers) with its uptake by crops; the nanofertilizers should release the nutrients on-demand while preventing them from prematurely converting into chemical/gaseous forms that cannot be absorbed by plants.
- Problem: they lack mechanisms that can recognize and respond to the needs of the plant and changes in nitrogen levels in the soil.
- This can be achieved by preventing nutrients from interacting with soil, water and microorganisms, and releasing nutrients only when they can be directly internalized by the plant
- Zinc–aluminium- layered double-hydroxide nanocomposites have been used for the controlled release of chemical compounds that regulate plant growth5.
- Improved yields have been claimed for fertilizers that are incorporated into cochleate nanotubes (rolled-up lipid bilayer sheets)6.
- owing to its photocatalytic property, nanosize titanium dioxide has been incorporated into fertilizers as a bactericidal additive.
- titanium dioxide may also lead to improved crop yield through the photoreduction of nitrogen gas9
- nanosilica particles absorbed by roots have been shown to form lms at the cell walls, which can enhance the plant’s resistance to stress and lead to improved yields1
- Problems: reduced research funding and the lack of clear regulations and innovation policies.
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/41405470_Nanotechnology_in_fertilizers_Nat_Nanotechnol_591 ^
1. Drought resistant crops
2. Auto injecting fertilizers
3.Enhanced Formulas
Nanotechnology in soil improvement:
- Stops/slows Water/liquid retention
- Nanomaterials, e.g. zeolites and nano-clays, for water or liquid agrochemicals retention in the soil for their slow release to the plants
- Example : Soil-enhancer product, based on a nano-clay component, for water retention and release (Geohumus-Frankfurt, DE)
- The Application of Nanotechnology for Micronutrients in Soil-Plant Systems (VFRC Report 2015/3):The application of nanotechnology in agriculture is nascent. However, NMs (Nanomaterials) and NPs(NanopartiNPs(Nanoparticles) can provide the basis of constructs and macroassemblies for developing new tools and technological platforms for the study and transformation of MNs in soil-plant systems. As stated earlier, NMs and NPs may become part of intelligent technological systems to efficiently apply production inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides for specific temporal and spatial scales. Accordingly, the main aim of this section is to provide information on the potential effects and interactions of NMs and NPs in soil and plants and provide insights on how NMs, NPs and nanotechnology may be used to enhance the amounts of nutritious food, while reducing the environmental footprint of MN fertilization practices associated with crop production
- Work as growth promoters and micronutrient sources, http://www.vfrc.org/getdoc/c6057065-b0c2-4be2-b0a4-e0d093a0abe0/vfrc_report_2015-3.pdf Page 18 for data
- Micronutrient supply: It’s a well-established fact that micronutrients like manganese, copper, boron, iron, molybdenum, zinc etc. are important for the growth and development. A substantial increase of crop yields with the green revolution and new farming practices has progressively decreased the micronutrients of soil like zinc, iron and molybdenum [77]. Foliar application of micronutrients can enhance uptake by the leaves [78]. Nanotechnology can be used to make the availability of micronutrients to plants. Nano formulations of micronutrients can be sprayed on plants or can be supplied to soil for uptake by roots to enhance soil health and vigor [79]. The release of behavior of 1-naphthylacetic acid (an important plant growth hormone) from chitosan nanoparticles has been tested at different pH’s and temperature. The formulation was found to have potential for the slow release of agrochemicals such as hormones [80]. Different nanoparticles have been tested to provide appropriate level of micronutrients in plants. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454086/ 3.2 for data
- Spraying iron oxide nanoparticles reduces iron deficiency, and improves yield and quality https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454086/ 3.2 for data
- However, small sized nanoparticles may cause phytotoxicity even at lower concentration owing to its easy uptake by the plants and their further translocation inside plant system
- However, on other side, phytotoxicity of nanoparticles is largely regulated by their size, concentration and plant growth system. Here, the important point is to mitigate these risk assessment factors for alleviating the subsequent toxicity of nanoparticles.
- Soil Stability: Random molecular movements are of higher significance at the nanoscale. Soils that contain nanoparticles with intraparticle voids usually exhibit higher liquid and plastic limits because of the following three reasons: (a) a higher specific surface leads to a larger amount of water encompassing the outer surface of particles; (b) the presence of nanopores causes water accumulation in these pores, hence resulting in an increase of the available water capacity in soil; (c) the nanostructure of soil particles is another factor for the increase in water accumulation capacity. The existence of nanofibers in soil usually enhances the thixotropic property of soil and increases its shear strength A Review of Stabilization of Soils by using Nanomaterials (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249964262_A_Review_of_Stabilization_of_Soils_by_using_Nanomaterials [accessed Sep 5, 2017].
- The existence of even a minute amount of these nanoparticles can result in extraordinary effects on the engineering properties soil
How Nanotubes can monitor environmental conditions:
- Nanosensors can be used for determination of microbes, contaminants, pollutants and food freshness
- nanosensor can be defined as an extremely small device than can bind to whatever is wanted to be detected and send back a signal.
- Nanosensors for monitoring soil conditions (e.g. moisture, soil pH), a wide variety of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides, pathogens and crop growth as wel
- Nanosensors for detection of food-borne contaminants or for monitoring environmental conditions at the farm
- Nanosensors and nano- based smart delivery systems for efficient use of agricultural natural resources (e.g. water), nutrients and chemicals through precision farming
- Nanoparticles to deliver growth hormones or DNA to plants in controlled manner
- Aptasensors for determination of pesticides and insecticides (e.g. phorate, acetamiprid, isocarbophosmart nanosensors for early warning of changing conditions that are able to respond to different conditions
- Aptasensors for determination of heavy metals (e.g. Hg2+, As3+, Cu2+)
- Nanoparticles used as smart nanosensors for early warning of changing conditions that are able to respond to different conditions
- http://www.pmf.unsa.ba/hemija/glasnik/files/Issue%2047/5-59-70-Omanovic.pdf ^
- Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure. Over the years, new discoveries have led to new applications, often taking advantage of their unique electrical properties, extraordinary strength and efficiency in heat conduction
- CO2 sources and sinks are still not well understood and therefore more monitoring instruments are needed to quantify the CO2 dynamics and help to predict climate change . Since the past decade, there has been significant increase in the applications using multi-sensor array to detect and quantify gases in the atmosphere.
- In order to visualise how nanotubes are built up, we start with graphite, which is the most stable form of crystalline carbon. As shown in Figure 1(a) [15], graphite consists of layers of carbon atoms. Within the layers, the atoms are arranged at the corners of hexagons which fill the whole plane.
- CNT gas sensors can offer important advantages over metal oxides and conducting polymer sensors in terms of higher sensitivity, small sizes for miniaturised sensors, fabrication of massive nanosensor arrays, lower power consumption for wireless
- http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17458080.2011.561453 ^
Growing nanoparticles in plants
- Recently, nanosized lignocellulosic materials have been obtained from crops and trees which had opened a new market for innovative and value-added nano-sized materials and products, e.g. nano-sized cellulosic crystals have been used as lightweight reinforcement in polymeric matrix [8, 9].
- These can be applied in food and other packaging, construction, and transportation vehicle body structures.
- Cellulosic nano-whisker production technology from wheat straw has been developed by Michigan Biotechnology Incorporate (MBI) International, and is expected to make biocomposites that could substitute for fiberglass and plastics in many applications, including automotive parts [10]. For the commercialization of this technology, North Dakota State University (NDSU) is currently engaged in a project.
- http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2043-6262/3/3/033002/pdf^
- It has long been known that plants are able to reduce metal ions both on their surface and in various organs and tissues remote from the ion penetration site. In this regard, plants (especially those which have very strong metal ion hyperaccumulating and reductive capacity) have been used for extracting precious metals from land which would be economically unjustifiable to mine; an approach known as phytomining.
- The metals accumulated by the plants can be recovered after harvesting via sintering and smelting methods. Interestingly, study of the metal bioaccumulation process in plants has revealed that metals are usually deposited in the form of nanoparticles.
- For example, Brassica juncea (mustard greens) and Medicago sativa (alfalfa) accumulate 50 nm silver nanoparticles to a high level (13.6% of their own weight) when grown on silver nitrate as a substrate [22]. In addition, gold icosahedra of 4 nm in size were detected in M. sativa [23], and semi-spherical copper particles with a size of 2 nm were observed in Iris pseudacorus (yellow iris) [24] grown on substrates containing salts of the respective metals. Whole plants can obviously be used to produce metal nanoparticles.
- Using FTIR spectroscopy of nanoparticles synthesized in plants/plant extracts, it has been demonstrated that terpenoids are often associated with nanoparticles. Terpenoids are a class of diverse organic polymers synthesized in plants from five-carbon isoprene units, which display strong antioxidant activity. Shankar et al. [29] initially suggested that terpenoids play a key role in the transformation of silver ions into nanoparticles in reactions using extracts from geranium leaves. Eugenol, the main terpenoid of Cinnamomum zeylanisum (cinnamon) extracts, was found to play the principal role in the bioreduction of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 to nanoparticles [36]. Based on the FTIR spectroscopy data, it was suggested [36] that dissociation of a proton of the eugenol OH-group results in the formation of resonance structures capable of further oxidation. This process is accompanied by the active reduction of metal ions, followed by nanoparticle formation.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3999464/^
- Nanofibres from wheat straw and soy hulls for bio-nanocomposite production (Canadian Universities and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, CA)
- https://academiapublishing.org/journals/ajsr/pdf/2017/Jul/AlFadul%20et%20al.pdf
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0981942816302972#sec2
Nanotech Sensors in Plants
Chloroplasts are the food machine of the plant. Present in the leaf this is where photosynthesis takes place.Chloroplasts can even now play out these responses when expelled from plants, yet following a couple of hours, they begin to separate since light and oxygen harm the photosynthetic proteins. Normally plants can totally repair this sort of harm, yet extricated chloroplasts can't do it all alone.With carbon Nanotubes seeming to go about as a "Prosthetic Photoabsorber," photosynthetic action — measured by the rate of electron move through the Thylakoid layers .
These sensors can work on the automatic deploying of fertilizers. Pesticides and insecticides can be injected when their concentrations are low...detected by these sensors. These sensors work in the following ways:
Small gas particles are enough to trigger the electrical impulse change of carbon nano tubes and so these can be implemented in gas and nitrogen sensors.These can be used to effectively stabilize the nitrogen concentrations in the plants.
One of the boosters in this system are carbon nanotubes. Both single and double layered nanotubes are able to be used as sensors for carbon nanotubes can act as sensors for proteins and DNA. The single layered sensors are able to to have different orientations and thus depending on this they are able to exhibit various properties. This allows us to grow CNTs in different situations and then control them. Synchrotron X-radiation and nuclear resonance have revealed atomic structures of complex molecules. Various nanotube-based gas sensors have been depicted in the previous couple of years. Scientists have built up a scaled down gas ionization locator in view of CNTs . The sensor could be utilized for gas chromatography. Titania nanotube hydrogen sensors have been joined in a remote sensor system to distinguish hydrogen fixations in the air. Furthermore, researchers have built up a concoction sensor for vaporous particles, for example, NO2 and NH3 that depends on nanotube atomic wires .Other than this, these sensors are able to detect pollutants and infections allowing us to prepare in advance. Bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella can be detected by these sensors which can lead to substantial advances in health care and disease prevention. Researchers at Fu Jen Catholic university used the following method to detect these bacteria For E.Coli in milk,an expendable Immunosensing strip containing antibodies for aberrant sandwich catalyst, connected to Immunoassay was manufactured by connecting 13-nm GNPs onto screen-printed carbon
terminals (SPCEs) . The cathode was combined with the E. coli O157:H7-particular immunizer, E. coli O157:H7 in place cells and the second E. coli O157:H7-particular counter acting agent conjugatwith horseradish. The hydrogen peroxide and ferrocenedicarboxylic
corrosive were utilized as a substrate.
These sensors open up an enigma of knowledge and progress. The future holds great promise if we go at our pace. The Golden Age of humanity is not far away.Nanotechnology is a generally youthful train contrasted with traditional building, and it is inalienably interdisciplinary. It appears that in many fields we are in reality quite recently starting to wander into these new measurements. Difficulties remain, be that as it may, in all parts of nanotechnology. We have to enhance imaging execution by empowering speediercope of bigger surfaces, in the end down to the sub-atomic scale. We likewise need to culminate nanopatterning techniques to enhance determination, overlay and throughput abilities. Future nanomanufacturing will in all probability depend on blends of best down building and base up self-get together. To wrap things up, we have to discover routes for the common combination of various length-scale gadgets (nano/miniaturized scale/full scale) with the goal that we can program a 'nano-usefulness' into a microsystem precisely where it is required. Such changes will at last prompt enhanced sensors and contribute not exclusively to upgrades in our personal satisfaction yet in addition to building vitality sparing frameworks that can be created with low-squander fabricating techniquestechniques.
Nanotech Sensors to Monitor Environmental conditions
Nanotechnology holds great promise for future developments in Geology and Environmental Management. Nano bots are capable of being used a mini sensor for food quality control and bacterial and microbial infections that assail our surroundings. These sensors can bind to the target and transmit all that is being recorded, being undetectable to the naked eye these are suitable in houses and building to trace gas leaks. Apart from this these sensors are really beneficial for food production. Being useful for monitoring soil conditions and helping with controlling Ph and fertilizer concentrations. Nano sensors can be used for efficient and smart delivery of agricultural natural resources such as water nutrients and other essential chemicals. Taking into account the ongoing plethora of natural disasters Nanoparticals used as smart nano sensors can warn us of any climatic abnormality. CO2 levels are constantly changing and their sinks can only be detected by multi sensors array. Something that is needed to control global warming.
Specialized sensors open an enigma of possibility: Aptasensors can be used for determination of pesticides and insecticides (e.g. phorate, acetamiprid). Other than this isocarbophosmart nanosensors are good for predicting changing conditions that in soil.
Aptasensors alone are very interesting. Apart from detection of pesticides they can also detect heavy metal e.g.( Hg2+, As3+, Cu2+) effectively reducing metal poisoning in plants and animals.
Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs) are unique allotropes of carbon that consist of a round nanostrcuture. This structure gives them extraordinary strength and electrical conductivity making them useful for detecting short circuits or any electrical disasters CNT sensors are more efficient then metal oxides and polymer sensors in making nanosensor arrays.