resumo
Nanoagrochemicals have the potential to revolutionize agriculture towards a precision farming system, able to reduce application rates and consequently their environmental footprint, while keeping efficacy. Several nanoagrochemicals (including nanopesticides (Npes) and nanofertilizers (Nfer)) are already commercialized but the environmental risk assessment of these advanced materials is often lacking. In the present study, we studied the commercial fertilizer WELGRO & REG; Cu + Zn and assessed its ecotoxicity to the soil invertebrate species Enchytraeus crypticus (Oligochaeta), further comparing it to its individual active substances CuO and ZnO. To get a comprehensive picture of possible effects, we used four types of highly relevant tests in LUFA 2.2 soil: 1) avoidance behaviour (2 days), 2) reproduction (OECD standard, 28 d), 3) its extension (56 d), and 4) the full life cycle (FLC) (46 d) - this high level of hazard screening allows for increased interpretation. The results confirmed the nano-features of WELGRO & REG; and a higher toxicity than the mixture of the individual components CuO + ZnO. E. crypticus avoided the soil spiked with WELGRO & REG; and CuO + ZnO, this being the most sensitive endpoint avoidance behaviour. Both WELGRO & REG; and the active substances were little to non-toxic based on the OECD standard test. However, the toxicity dramatically increased in the tests focussing on longer-term sustainability measures, i.e., 56 days, ca. 170 for WELGRO & REG;. This seems related to the nano-features of WELGRO & REG;, e.g., slow release of ions from the nanoparticles throughout time. The FLCt results showed WELGRO & REG; affected hatching and juveniles' survival, being these the most sensitive life stages. Hence, under actual real world field usage scenarios, i.e., based on the recommended application rates, nanoenabled WELGRO & REG; can affect oligochaete populations like enchytraeids, both via the immediate avoidance behaviour and also via prolonged exposure periods.
palavras-chave
FULL LIFE-CYCLE; AVOIDANCE-BEHAVIOR; ZNO NANOPARTICLES; TOXICITY; SOIL; EARTHWORM; REPRODUCTION; NANOMATERIALS; COPPER; OXIDE
categoria
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
autores
Gomes, SIL; Chidiamassamba, SB; Trindade, T; Scott-Fordsmand, JJ; Amorim, MJB
nossos autores
Tito Trindade
Professor CatedráticoProjectos
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)
Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)
agradecimentos
This study was supported by BEAUTY (PTDC/CTA-AMB/3970/2020) and further supported by CESAM [UIDB/50017/2020 + UIDP/50017/2020 + LA/P/0094/2020] , and also CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 & amp; LA/P/0006/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) -Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) /Ministerio da Educacao e Ciencia (MEC) and the co-funding by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020. S. Gomes is funded by FCT, I.P. via a research contract under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Individual Call (CEEC Individual) -2021.02867. CEECIND/CP1659/CT0004 and S.B. Chidiamassamba by a PhD grant ref. 2021.06753. BD. Further support from the European Commission within NANORIGO (H2020-NMBP-13-2018, GA No. 814530) .r via a research contract under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-In-dividual Call (CEEC Individual) -2021.02867. CEECIND/CP1659/CT0004 and S.B. Chidiamassamba by a PhD grant ref. 2021.06753. BD. Further support from the European Commission within NANORIGO (H2020-NMBP-13-2018, GA No. 814530) .