Wilkinson, Kevin (Université de Montréal)

Purpose

Although engineered nanomaterials have the potential to increase sustainable food production, there are still knowledge gaps and inherent risks associated with their use. One particular impact that has been neglected to-date is the effects of the nanomaterials on the mobility and bioavailability of contaminants (and nutrients) that are already present. This study is designed to develop a better quantitative understanding of the interactions, transport and fate of nanomaterials in agricultural soils. A major focus of the work will be to increase our understanding of nanocarriers that are used to improve the transport and targeting of pesticides in agricultural soils. Furthermore, we will determine the potential of NP to interact with contaminants that may be present in soil, potentially increasing their mobilisation, concentrations and bioavailability in the surrounding soils and groundwaters. By better understanding the important interactions of NP with agricultural soils, it will be possible: (i) to better target pesticide applications to improve agricultural sustainability; (ii) to provide some important insight into the risk of engineered NP to the food chain; (iii) to determine whether the addition of NP (through their direct or incidental application, i.e. biosolids) are likely to mobilize other environmental contaminants; (iv) to evaluate multiple stressor effects on simple measurements of soil productivity (i.e. soil enzyme activities) and bioavailability (i.e. biouptake to earthworms).