Antibiotic resistance is one of the current threats to human health, forcing the use of drugs that are more noxious, costlier, and with low efficiency. There are several causes behind antibiotic resistance, including over-prescription of antibiotics in both humans and livestock. In this scenario, researchers are shifting to new alternatives to fight back this concerning situation. Nanoparticles have emerged as new tools that can be used to combat deadly bacterial infections directly or indirectly to overcome antibiotic resistance. Although nanoparticles are being used in the pharmaceutical industry, there is a constant concern about their toxicity toward human health because of the involvement of well-known toxic chemicals (i.e., sodium/potassium borohydride) making their use very risky for eukaryotic cells. Multiple nanoparticle-based approaches to counter bacterial infections, providing crucial insight into the design of elements that play critical roles in the creation of antimicrobial nanotherapeutic drugs, are currently underway. In this context, plant-based nanoparticles will be less toxic than many other forms, which constitute promising candidates to avoid widespread damage to the microbiome associated with current practices. This article aims to review the actual knowledge on plant-based nanoparticle products for antibiotic resistance and the possible replacement of antibiotics to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.

The presence of honey bee in the environment has a significant impact on global agricultural production. While searching for pollen and nectar, the bee is often exposed to several contaminants such as plant protection products. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of selected pesticides from various groups (fungicides, herbicides, insecticides) on the way the bees harvested food as well as on their behavior, survival rate and the concentration of certain elements in the organisms of bee. The concentration possibly similar to this applied in agriculture and recommended by the manufacturers, were used. The research material was analyzed in terms of the presence of trace elements (manganese, copper, iron, nickel, zinc, lead, cadmium) of different toxicity. The study clearly indicates that selected pesticides used for the purpose of plant protection and plant cultivation may adversely on bees’ behavior and accumulation of trace elements in their body. Among the tested pesticides particular attention should be paid to fungicides that are not commonly tested for their effects on the honey organ. In own studies showed, their effect significantly changed the content of copper and negatively affected the survival of the bees.

River damming causes a decrease in water current velocity which leads to an increase in richness and abundance of organisms atypical for running waters. Zooplankton is a representative example of such organisms. The influx of zooplankton from carp ponds is an additional factor that increases richness and abundance of zooplankton in rivers. We hypothesized that zooplankton dispersing from the carp ponds colonize the impoundments in river and the richness of zooplankton increase in impoundments by development of new species, not observed in the upstream. The zooplankton was collected monthly from April to September of 2013 and 2014. Sampling sites were located in the Barycz river (in the lotic sections and in the dam impoundments), as well as in its tributaries, which are the outlets of carp ponds. The most changes in zooplankton richness and abundance were observed at sites located within the dam impoundments, especially in relation to the lower values of the current velocity. Since the abundance of pelagic rotifers, cladocerans and copepods in the carp pond outlets was similar to that at lower sites in the Barycz, the influence of the carp pond outlets on the abundance in the dam and lotic sections was significant. The river itself in its impounded sections provides advantageous conditions for retention and colonization by a high abundance of zooplankton dispersing from the carp ponds, and for the development of species not occurred in the upstream, which, in turn, increases richness.

The reduced zooplankton abundance at the outlet sections of lakes depends on the occurrence of preying fry. Therefore, light conditions can play a major role in the drift of zooplankton along river outlets. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of diurnal light conditions on the decline of zooplankton densities at lake outlets. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) levels were measured to determine their effect on the rate of reduced zooplankton abundance. Cladocerans and copepods showed a significantly greater reduction in abundance than rotifers and nauplii. A significant positive relationship was observed between the PAR levels and the reduced abundance of Asplanchna sp., small cladocerans, large cladocerans and Copepoda at the lake outlets. Among the rotifers, small pelagic rotifers drifted the farthest at all hours of the day. Large crustaceans, especially the large cladocerans and copepodites and adult copepods, had the lowest chance of dispersing over a wide area. Our results indicate that light conditions play an important role in the reduction of zooplankton abundance at lake outlets and have an indirect influence on the downstream food web.