Nuisance nanoparticles

A nanoparticle commonly used in industry could have a damaging effect on plant life, according to a report by an environmental scientist at

(NJIT).

The report, published in a recent issue of Toxicology Letters, shows that nanoparticles of aluminium oxide slowed the growth of roots in corn, cucumber, cabbage, carrot and soybean.

Aluminium nanoparticles are commonly used in scratch-resistant transparent coatings, sunscreen lotions that provide transparent-UV protection and environmental catalysts that reduce pollution, said Daniel J. Watts, PhD, the lead author of the study.

"Before this study there was an assumption that nanoparticles had no effect on plants," said Watts, executive director of the York Center for Environmental Engineering and Science and Panasonic Chair in Sustainability at NJIT. "This study makes the observation that seedlings can interact with nanoparticles such as aluminium, which can have a harmful effect on seedlings and perhaps stunt the growth of plants. "Other nanoparticles included in the study, such as silica, did not show this effect," Watts added. He did the study with Ling Yang, a doctoral student who recently graduated from NJIT.