Nanocomposites and nanomaterials

Nanocomposites on the base of biosolid for plant development
Kalinichenko K.V.1, Nikovskaya G.N.1
1 Colloidal Technologies of the Natural Systems Department, F.D. Ovcharenko Institute of Biocolloidal Chemistry, Natl. Acad. of Sci. of Ukraine. Vernadsky Blvd, 42, Kiev-03680, Ukraine.
E-mail: KirKa_@bigmir.net

On the field of life sciences nanothechnology offers an expanding investigations such as conversion of municipal food and agricultural wastes to energy and other useful products, such as nanocides, water cleaning and nanofertilizer for land application, medicinal for cosmetology and medicine etc. Much recent researches are focused on metal nanoparticles (NPs) and their interactions with ecosystems. It is considered that metal NPs are aggregates of single metal molecules, oxides, insoluble salts (sulfides, phosphates etc.) up to 100 nm in size. As a rule individual (discrete) NPs are joined in nanocomposites at natural conditions. Forming soil, different sludges and so on.
To date majority of NPs investigations concerns their toxicity. It was shown that small size NPs (up to 10 nm) enter into pores of living cells disorder their functioning. But in particular Ag NPs with the size more than 30 nm at 40-60 ppm concentration are capable to substantially improve germination, plant growth and crop yield.
In this work we have compared these data with the effect of nanocomposite on the base of sewage sludge on the plant development. The nanocomposite was released from heavy metals (HM) excess by leaching under alkaline conditions. HMs in the form of insoluble salts were immobilized into sludge polysaccharide matrix and the concentration of the essential microelements (Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Ni) was in range from 40 to 900 ppm. Being in mobilised in nanocomposites NPs have appeared lost toxic properties.
At the concentration of sludge nanocomposite 4 % into soil plant yield was increased by 200 %. Additional advantage of sludge nanocomposite application is utilisation of sludge wastes from wastewater treatment plant. The proposed device will make an agricultural and sewage sludge “smart” in perspective.