Plant-nanoceria interaction: Toxicity, accumulation, translocation and biotransformation

Abstract

The fast development and use of cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) in the medical, consumer and industrial products have raised concerns among the world scientific community regarding risk linked with the discharge of nanoceria in the environment. The interactions between nanoceria and crop plants are of serious concern, as crop plants closely interact with the components of biosphere and represent one of the major routes of exposure for human beings. In the toxicity examination of plant–nanoceria interaction, the most vital need is to assemble relations between the shape, size, concentration and morphology of nanoceria with phytotoxicity. This article reviewed the recent studies on the uptake, translocation and biotransformation of nanoceria and their effects on biophysical and various biochemical parameters of plants. The accumulation, biotransformation, biomagnification and toxicity of nanoceria at higher trophic levels need to be addressed in further studies.