Project information
Nanopesticides in the environment – understanding their fate, bioavailability, effects and risks in soil and water

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Project Identification
GA18-19324S
Project Period
1/2018 - 12/2020
Investor / Pogramme / Project type
Czech Science Foundation
MU Faculty or unit
Faculty of Science
Keywords
nanopesticides; pesticides; nanoparticles; nanomaterials; nanocarriers; nanocapsules; nanospheres; polymers; lipids; soil; water; environment; contamination; risk; environmental fate; bioavailability; toxicity; ecotoxicity

Intensive pesticide use in agriculture can pose a serious danger to the ecosystem or human health. Novel pesticide formulations, nanopesticides, have been developed recently as a possible solution (pesticide dosage reduction, higher and more specific efficacy for pests, lower risks, etc.). Does this solve the problems with pesticides or does it add a new risk related to nanoparticles? To reply, fundamental knowledge concerning their environmental fate and effects is needed, but still lacking. Their nanocharacter also brings methodological challenges: analytical procedures, bioavailability tools, toxicity bioassays and other methods must be adapted to distinguish solute vs particle chemistry, bound vs free pesticides, and loaded vs free nanocarriers. With optimization of methods, the project aims to study the behaviour of several organic-carrier-based nanopesticides in aquatic and soil matrices. Detailed mechanisms of their fate and bioavailability will be elucidated. Changes to pesticide toxicity caused by nanoformulation will be investigated on non-target organisms.

Publications

Total number of publications: 8


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