Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have aroused extensive interest in agricultural, industrial, and medical applications. The integration of ENMs into the agricultural systems aligns with the principles of United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs), circular economy (CE) and bio-economy (BE) principles. This approach offers excellent opportunities to enhance productivity and address global climate change challenges. The revelation of the adverse effects of nanomaterials (NMs) on various organisms and ecosystems, however, has fueled the debate on 'Nano-paradox' leading to emergence of a new research domain 'Nanotoxicology'. ENMs have shown different interactions with biological and environmental systems as compared to their bulk counterparts. They bioaccumulate in organisms, soils, and other environmental matrices, move through food chains and reach higher trophic levels including humans ultimately resulting in oxidative stress and cellular damage. Understanding nano-bio interactions, the mechanism of gene- and cytotoxicity, and associated potential hazards, is therefore, essential to mitigate their toxicological outputs. This review comprehensively examines the cyto- and genotoxicity mechanisms of ENMs in biological systems, covering aspects such as their entry, uptake, cellular responses, dynamic interactions in biological environments their long-term effects and environmental risk assessment (ERA). It also discusses toxicological assessment methods, regulatory policies, strategies for toxicity management/mitigation and future research directions in nanotechnology, all within the context of SDGs, CE, promoting resource efficiency and sustainability. Navigating the nano-paradox involves balancing the benefits of nanomaterials with concerns about nanotoxicity. Prioritizing thorough research on above facets can ensure sustainability and safety, enabling responsible harnessing of nanotechnology's transformative potential in various applications including mitigating global climate change and enhancing agricultural productivity.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an abundance of plastic face masks has been consumed and disposed of in the environment. In addition, substantial amounts of plastic mulch film have been used in intensive agriculture with low recovery. Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and TiO2 nanomaterials (nTiO2) are widely applied in plastic products, leading to the inevitable release of BBP and nTiO2 into the soil system. However, the impact of coexposure of BBP and nTiO2 at low concentrations on earthworms remains understudied. In the present study, transcriptomics was applied to reveal the effects of individual BBP and nTiO2 exposures at a concentration of 1 mg kg -1, along with the combined exposure of BBP and nTiO2 (1 mg kg -1 BBP + 1 mg kg -1 nTiO2 (anatase)) on Metaphire guillelmi. The result showed that BBP and nTiO2 exposures have the potential to induce neurodegeneration through glutamate accumulation, tau protein, and oxidative stress in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, as well as metabolism dysfunction. The present study contributes to our understanding of the toxic mechanisms of emerging contaminants at environmentally relevant levels and prompts consideration of the management of BBP and nTiO2 within the soil ecosystems.

The use of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) as novel antimicrobial agents has garnered significant attention in agriculture. The antimicrobial properties of 5 mg/kg metal oxide (copper oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles, CuO and ZnO NPs)- and carbon (reduced graphene oxide and multiwalled carbon nanotubes, rGO and MWCNT)-based NMs on two soil-borne fungal pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lactucae (F.o.lact) and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (F.o.lyco), were evaluated over a 21-day incubation period. Both metal- and carbon-based NMs reduced the dehydrogenase activity (DHA) in Fusarium-infested soil by more than 40% relative to the infested controls; the efficacy of antifungal efficacy was CuO NPs > ZnO NPs > rGO > MWCNT. Similar decreases in the soil activities of urease (UE), sucrase (SC), acid phosphatase (ACP), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) suggest that NMs could effectively inhibit Fusarium growth in soil over time. The total available metal fractions, including acid extractable fraction, Fe/Mn oxidation state, and the fraction bound to organic matter, were increased by 5.99-7.29% with metal-based NM compared to the infested controls. The Shannon index of microbial communities in the infested soils with metal-based NMs was increased by 12.2-23.5% relative to infested controls. Similarly, carbon-based NMs increased the Shannon index of the fungal community by 10.18-29.86%. Importantly, the relative abundance of Fusarium was decreased with both metal- and carbon-based NMs. These NMs also increased the relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms in infested soil, such as Pseudomonas, which was increased by 29.7-96.2% with metal-based NMs relative to the untreated controls. These findings demonstrate that NMs at appropriate doses could inhibit the Fusarium abundance and subsequent crop damage while simultaneously fostering the development of beneficial microorganisms in soil.