Tomato fruit is rich in antioxidant compounds such as lycopene and β-carotene. The beneficial effects of the bioactive compounds of tomato fruit have been documented as anticancer activities. The objective of this research was to determine whether arsenic (As) causes changes in the content of antioxidant compounds in tomato fruits and whether Silicon nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) positively influence them. The effects on fruit quality and non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds were determined. The results showed that As decreased the oxide-reduction potential (ORP), while lycopene and β-carotene were increased by exposure to As at a low dose (0.2 mg L⁻¹), and proteins and vitamin C decreased due to high doses of As in the interaction with SiO₂ NPs. A dose of 250 mg L⁻¹ of SiO₂ NPs increased glutathione and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and phenols decreased with low doses of As and when they interacted with the NPs. As for the flavonoids, they increased with exposure to As and SiO₂ NPs. The total antioxidant capacity, determined by the ABTS (2,2´-azino-bis[3-ethylbenzthiazolin-6-sulfonic acid]) test, showed an increase with the highest dose of As in the interaction with SiO₂ NPs. The application of As at low doses induced a greater accumulation of bioactive compounds in tomato fruit; however, these compounds decreased in high doses as well as via interaction with SiO₂ NPs, indicating that there was an oxidative burst.

In the environment arsenic (As) can be found mainly as arsenite (As^III) and arsenate (As^V), which are highly toxic and threaten food security. Currently, there is great attention on the effects of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) on plant development, and their ability to restrict As uptake. The results show that the two forms of As negatively impacted aerial dry biomass and fruit yield. Silicon content is lower in roots than in leaves. It is observed that As^III is the form that accumulates the most in the root; in addition, the SiO₂ NPs reduce the translocation of As^V. The data show that As^III induced a negative effect on the uptake of Ca, P, Mg, and Cu, while SiO₂ NPs enhances the accumulation of Fe and Zn when exposed to As^III. The two forms of As do not impact chlorophyll content but increases when interacting with SiO₂ NPs. Antioxidant enzymes APX, CAT, and SOD are higher in roots than in leaves. Phenols, flavonoids, and glutathione increased when SiO₂ NPs interacted with As^III in roots. H₂O₂ increases in roots and leaves by exposure to As^V and As^III, and its interactions with SiO₂ NPs, while in the fruit, H₂O₂ production decreases. As for the total antioxidant capacity ABTS is observed to increase by As^III + SiO₂ NPs only in roots. The bioactive compounds of the tomato fruits are modified by the treatments and the addition of SiO₂ NPs alone increase in lycopene content. Therefore, our results reveal the negative impacts of As^III, and that SiO₂ NPs can at least partially mitigate As toxicity and reduce As^V translocation in tomatoes.

Heavy metals are inorganic contaminants derived from natural and anthropogenic sources that cause damage to ecosystems. Various environmental technologies, both chemical and biological, have been used to remediate soils impacted by these pollutants. Currently the use of nanotechnology through carbon nanomaterials has attracted attention for its ability to immobilize heavy metals in soil. The objective of this review was to explore the potential of carbon-based nanomaterials as an innovative technology for the remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. In this review, we used major scientific databases as our source of scientific literature and selected recent articles on heavy metals, soil remediation, carbon nanomaterials, and their applications in nanoremediation. We found that heavy metals are toxic to soil microorganisms and plants, can damage metabolic processes, leading to cell death. These contaminants can easily enter the food chain through food produced in agricultural fields, posing a risk to human health. We have found that carbon-based nanomaterials can immobilize and reduce the translocation of heavy metals and have potential as remediators of soil contamination. Furthermore, based on available data, there are few scientific reports on the use of carbon-based nanomaterials for the remediation of heavy metal soils. While every environmental technology for the remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals has its advantages and disadvantages, the development of carbon nanomaterials offers a novel alternative as a control and remediation measure for heavy metals that has a great future in environmental protection.

La nanotecnología está revolucionando la agricultura moderna al ofrecer soluciones innovadoras a desafíos como el crecimiento demográfico, el cambio climático y la necesidad de mejorar la eficiencia en la producción de alimentos. Este artículo explora cómo la manipulación de materiales a escala nanométrica aplicados a la agricultura puede mejorar la productividad, la calidad de los cultivos y gestionar de manera sostenible los recursos naturales. Además, se destacan aplicaciones prometedoras como los nanosensores para la vigilancia de cultivos y el control de plagas, subrayando su potencial para modernizar y sostener el sector agrícola, con numerosos beneficios para la producción de alimentos y la seguridad alimentaria global.