13 Magnetic Nanoparticles for Life Sciences Applications
323
is a serious problem and is the cause of many deaths, certain pathogenic fungi have
also become resistant to antifungals, and hence, there are fewer and fewer effective treatments. This opens a wide research field, and the fact that Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology could contribute to finding solutions for their treatment and definitive elimination would represent a great benefit for the patient health In addition, the
treatment of hospital acquired infections represents one of the highest costs of the
health system and therefore, the solution to these problems would be enormously
beneficial, also from the economic point of view.
When working with nanoparticles for applications as the ones discussed here,
that involve plants and microorganisms present in our environment, it is essential
to keep in mind that particles could in principle enter the food chain of animals
and humans, with the consequent health impact. Therefore, before putting these
ideas into practice, an exhaustive assessment of the nanoparticle fate is necessary,
studying their degradability, their accumulation in fruits, seeds, roots, etc., and their
possible excretion and effects on soils. Rigorous toxicity and ecotoxicity studies,
leading to standardized nanorisk assessment protocols are mandatory. All this will
contribute to improving the public perception of these new advances, and making
people more confident about the use of new products based on nanotechnology.
Acknowledgements The author wish to thank the following colleagues: M. R. Ibarra, R.
Fernández-Pacheco, D. Serrate, Z. Cifuentes, M. J. Coronado, E. Corredor, L. Custardoy, L. De
Matteis, P. Fevereiro, J. M. de la Fuente, P. González-Melendi, C. Maycock, A. S. Miguel, A. Oliva,
A. Pérez de Luque, E. Prats, N. Rispail, M. C. Risueño, D. Rubiales, R. Santos and P. S. Testillano. Financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)
through project MAT2016-78,201-P, and from the Department of Innovation, Research and University of the Government of Aragon through the Research Groups grants program co-financed by the
FEDER Operational Program Aragón 2014–2020 “Building Europe from Aragon”, is also acknowledged. The author also thanks the following publishers and journals: Springer Nature BMC Plant
Biology (https://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/), as the original source of Fig. 13.2 published in
Corredor et al. 2009, https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-9-45; Oxford University Press Annals of
Botany (www.aob.oxfordjournals.org), as original source of Figs. 13.3, 13.4 and 13.5, published
in González-Melendi et al. 2008, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcm283; BioMed Central Journal
of Nanobiotechnology (https://jnanobiotechnology.biomedcentral.com/), as the original source of
Figs. 13.6 and 13.7, published in Cifuentes et al. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-3155-8-26;
and American Chemical Society ASC Applied Materials and Interfaces, as the original source of
Figs. 13.8, 13.9 and 13.10, published in Rispail et al. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2014, 6 (12), pp
9100–9110 https://doi.org/10.1021/am501029g.
References
1. F. Torney, B.G. Trewyn, V.S.Y. Lin, K. Wang, Nat. Nanotechnol. 2, 295 (2007)
2. S. Martin-Ortigosa, J.S. Valenstein, W. Sun, L. Moeller, N. Fang, B.G. Trewyn, V.S.Y. Lin, K.
Wang, Small 8, 413 (2012)
3. S. Martin-Ortigosa, J.S. Valenstein, V.S.Y. Lin, B.G. Trewyn, K. Wang, Adv. Func. Mater. 22,
3576 (2012)
4. S. Martin-Ortigosa, D.J. Peterson, J.S. Valenstein, V.S.Y. Lin, B.G. Trewyn, L.A. Lyznik, K.
Wang, Plant Physiol. 164, 537 (2014)
323
is a serious problem and is the cause of many deaths, certain pathogenic fungi have
also become resistant to antifungals, and hence, there are fewer and fewer effective treatments. This opens a wide research field, and the fact that Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology could contribute to finding solutions for their treatment and definitive elimination would represent a great benefit for the patient health In addition, the
treatment of hospital acquired infections represents one of the highest costs of the
health system and therefore, the solution to these problems would be enormously
beneficial, also from the economic point of view.
When working with nanoparticles for applications as the ones discussed here,
that involve plants and microorganisms present in our environment, it is essential
to keep in mind that particles could in principle enter the food chain of animals
and humans, with the consequent health impact. Therefore, before putting these
ideas into practice, an exhaustive assessment of the nanoparticle fate is necessary,
studying their degradability, their accumulation in fruits, seeds, roots, etc., and their
possible excretion and effects on soils. Rigorous toxicity and ecotoxicity studies,
leading to standardized nanorisk assessment protocols are mandatory. All this will
contribute to improving the public perception of these new advances, and making
people more confident about the use of new products based on nanotechnology.
Acknowledgements The author wish to thank the following colleagues: M. R. Ibarra, R.
Fernández-Pacheco, D. Serrate, Z. Cifuentes, M. J. Coronado, E. Corredor, L. Custardoy, L. De
Matteis, P. Fevereiro, J. M. de la Fuente, P. González-Melendi, C. Maycock, A. S. Miguel, A. Oliva,
A. Pérez de Luque, E. Prats, N. Rispail, M. C. Risueño, D. Rubiales, R. Santos and P. S. Testillano. Financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)
through project MAT2016-78,201-P, and from the Department of Innovation, Research and University of the Government of Aragon through the Research Groups grants program co-financed by the
FEDER Operational Program Aragón 2014–2020 “Building Europe from Aragon”, is also acknowledged. The author also thanks the following publishers and journals: Springer Nature BMC Plant
Biology (https://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/), as the original source of Fig. 13.2 published in
Corredor et al. 2009, https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-9-45; Oxford University Press Annals of
Botany (www.aob.oxfordjournals.org), as original source of Figs. 13.3, 13.4 and 13.5, published
in González-Melendi et al. 2008, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcm283; BioMed Central Journal
of Nanobiotechnology (https://jnanobiotechnology.biomedcentral.com/), as the original source of
Figs. 13.6 and 13.7, published in Cifuentes et al. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-3155-8-26;
and American Chemical Society ASC Applied Materials and Interfaces, as the original source of
Figs. 13.8, 13.9 and 13.10, published in Rispail et al. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2014, 6 (12), pp
9100–9110 https://doi.org/10.1021/am501029g.
References
1. F. Torney, B.G. Trewyn, V.S.Y. Lin, K. Wang, Nat. Nanotechnol. 2, 295 (2007)
2. S. Martin-Ortigosa, J.S. Valenstein, W. Sun, L. Moeller, N. Fang, B.G. Trewyn, V.S.Y. Lin, K.
Wang, Small 8, 413 (2012)
3. S. Martin-Ortigosa, J.S. Valenstein, V.S.Y. Lin, B.G. Trewyn, K. Wang, Adv. Func. Mater. 22,
3576 (2012)
4. S. Martin-Ortigosa, D.J. Peterson, J.S. Valenstein, V.S.Y. Lin, B.G. Trewyn, L.A. Lyznik, K.
Wang, Plant Physiol. 164, 537 (2014)