Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous and constitute a global hazard to the environment because of their robustness, resilience, and long-term presence in the ecosystem. For now, the majority of research has primarily focused on marine and freshwater ecosystems, with just a small amount of attention towards the terrestrial ecosystems. Although terrestrial ecosystems are recognized as the origins and routes for MPs to reach the sea, there is a paucity of knowledge about these ecological compartments, which is necessary for conducting effective ecological risk assessments. Moreover, because of their high persistence and widespread usage in agriculture, agribusiness, and allied sectors, the presence of MPs in arable soils is undoubtedly an undeniable and severe concern. Consequently, in the recent decade, the potential risk of MPs in food production, as well as their impact on plant growth and development, has received a great deal of interest. Thus, a thorough understanding of the fate and risks MPs, as well as prospective removal procedures for safe and viable agricultural operations in real-world circumstances, are urgently needed. Therefore, the current review is proposed to highlight the potential sources and interactions of MPs with agroecosystems and plants, along with their remediation strategies.
1 January 2019 in Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine
Regulation of using pesticides and agrochemicals application in agriculture is one of the important problem now, as also the problem of storage of mineral fertilizers and their improper using, which have negative influence on the chemical and the food security of the country. This paper discusses the features and benefits of monodisperse aerosols of pesticides in plant protection after a long-term research. A new line of development of science, engineering, industrial and innovative technologies - the author’s project “Monodisperse Anthropogenic Aerosols” is proposed. The measures for its implementation are presented.
Although nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for agricultural production, its overuse is associated with environmental pollution, increased concentration of greenhouse gases, and several human and animal health implications. These implications are greatly affected by biochemical transformations and losses of N such as volatilization, leaching, runoff, and denitrification. Half of the globally produced N fertilizers are used to grow three major cereals—rice, wheat, and maize—and their current level of N recovery is approximately 30–50%. The continuously increasing application of N fertilizers, despite lower recovery of cereals, can further intensify the environmental and health implications of leftover N. To address these implications, the improvement in N use efficiency (NUE) by adopting efficient agronomic practices and modern breeding and biotechnological tools for developing N efficient cultivars requires immediate attention. Conventional and marker-assisted selection methods can be used to map quantitative trait loci, and their introgression in elite germplasm leads to the creation of cultivars with better NUE. Moreover, gene-editing technology gives the opportunity to develop high-yielding cultivars with improved N utilization capacity. The most reliable and cheap methods include agronomic practices such as site-specific N management, enhanced use efficiency fertilizers, resource conservation practices, precision farming, and nano-fertilizers that can help farmers to reduce the environmental losses of N from the soil–plant system, thus improving NUE. Our review illuminates insights into recent advances in local and scientific soil and crop management technologies, along with conventional and modern breeding technologies on how to increase NUE that can help reduce linked N pollution and health implications.
This article represents the results of research on improvement of the Shanghai micro-district with the use of selected eco-friendly architectural and planning solutions and identification of the main ways to solve the problem of eco-urban development in Shanghai which are the following: land management, population management, clean energy sources and “green” consumption. Research is based on analysis and calculations on main trends of the theory and practical experience of construction of eco-cities in China and in the world.
Visible light is a necessary condition for the existence of life on the Earth. The food and oxygen consumed by humans, directly or mediately, are products of photosynthesis: conversion of light energy into the energy of chemical bonding in organic matter. Visible light not only provides photosynthesis in plants; it is also involved in the regulation of many reactions (from molecular to behavioral) in the animal world. This review is devoted to the questions concerning the role of light in the life of biological objects and the physical mechanisms of interaction of visible light with matter. The effect of light on the molecular and physiological reactions of a human and its microflora is analyzed. The existing methods and the application potential of light effects in diagnostics and therapy are considered.