A recent study from the University of California, Riverside reveals that nanoparticles, which are emitted from both natural and human activities, can significantly harm plants by interfering with photosynthesis.

Molecular simulations conducted in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University demonstrated that lipid molecules form a sticky layer around nanoparticles, enhancing their binding to RuBisCO.

The study emphasizes that it is the transformation of nanoparticles within plant cells, rather than their initial charge, that leads to their detrimental effects on photosynthesis.

While engineered nanoparticles hold potential benefits in agriculture, such as precise nutrient delivery and environmental stress protection, their transformation inside plants can undermine their effectiveness.

Researchers stress the importance of designing nanoparticles that are biocompatible and biodegradable to ensure they provide environmental benefits.

Future research will focus on creating nanoparticle coatings that remain inert inside plant cells or steering them away from critical binding sites to enhance crop health and sustainability.

These findings highlight the necessity for a deeper understanding of how nanoparticles interact with biological systems to develop safer applications in agriculture and biotechnology.

Juan Pablo Giraldo, the senior author of the study, pointed out the inefficiencies in current agricultural practices, noting that a significant portion of fertilizers and pesticides fail to reach their intended targets.

Despite the identified harmful effects, researchers believe that with redesign, nanoparticles can still be beneficial, paving the way for safer agricultural applications.

The research indicates that once inside plant cells, nanoparticles pick up a greasy coating that causes them to bind tightly to RuBisCO, the enzyme crucial for photosynthesis, ultimately reducing the plant's carbon dioxide intake.

Internal testing showed that the presence of nanoparticles can cause the efficiency of RuBisCO to drop to one-third of its normal function, severely impacting the plant's energy production.

Using Arabidopsis plants, researchers investigated how positively charged nanoparticles navigate through plant cell walls and membranes, affecting chloroplasts where photosynthesis occurs.