Toxicity and Challenges of Nanomaterials and Their Impact on the Environment

Abstract

Nanomaterials (NMs) are those tiny materials that range from 1-100 nm. These materials show different characteristics in their physical and chemical forms in comparison to their bulk form. The use of nanomaterials is increasing day by day because of their enormous capabilities in the health sector as well as in other industries. There are currently few, if any, actual protocols for the disposal and characterization of these nanomaterials, which results in environmental toxicity. Heavy use of chemicals in the testing of nanomaterials has resulted in polluting our entire ecosystem. Inconsistent results of nanomaterial show that it is challenging to reduce the toxicity generated by it. In this review, we discuss the administration and use of nanomaterials in the agribusiness sector, in food, and, most importantly, in the environment, for purposes of protecting our plants and crops, dealing with incurable diseases, developing new tastes and textures in the food sector, sensations, identifying pathogenic organisms, and distribution systems where these minute particles can wreak havoc. Despite the potential benefits of nanomaterials, their unintentional harm to the environment and, in some cases, our health is making further development difficult. This article discusses the toxicity of nanomaterials and how they damage our environment, as well as the obstacles that come with overcoming them.

Keywords

• nanomaterials, toxicity, environmental impacts, potential risk