Role of nanomaterials for alleviating heavy metal(oid) toxicity in plants

Abstract

Nanoparticles as a functionalized technique to reduce different kinds of adverse environmental effects have been opened up to the scientific community with the advancement of technology in recent years. Thanks to their distinct physicochemical properties (e.g., small size and form), nanoparticles can be valuable candidates for adsorbing and eliminating environmental metal(oid) ions. Since heavy metal(oid) (HMs) excess in agricultural soils and water sources has evolved into a severe ecological threat, which could also threaten plant biochemical processes and, ultimately, the food web over time, the level of HMs toxicity in vegetation might be reduced by nanoparticles. This book chapter focuses on various nanoparticles, the classification of nanoparticle structures, and their potential impact on lowering stress in plants exposed to HMs toxicity by establishing the involved physiological processes. In addition, we explore the effect of metal and nonmetal nanoparticles in plants under HMs toxicity. To summarize, we are intrigued by whether nano-remediation can decrease environmental and plant HMs contamination. In this context, we attempted to examine phytoremediation and nano bioremediation in stressed plants.