Noman Shakoor - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Noman Shakoor

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Lithium (Li) is gaining attention due to rapid rise of modern industries but their ultimate finge... more Lithium (Li) is gaining attention due to rapid rise of modern industries but their ultimate fingerprints on plants are not well established. Herein, we executed a meta-analysis of the existing recent literature investigating the impact of Li sources and levels on plant species under different growth conditions to understand the existing state of knowledge. Toxic effects of Li exposure in plants varies as a function of medium and interestingly, more negative responses are reported in hydroponic media as compared to soil and foliar application. Additionally, toxic effects of Li vary with Li source materials and LiCl more negatively affected plant development parameters such as plant germination (n=48) and root biomass (n=57) and recorded highly uptake in plants (n=78), while LiNO3 has more negative effects on shoot biomass. The Li at <50 mg L-1 concentrations significantly influenced the plant physiological indicators including plant germination and root biomass, while 50-500 mg L-...

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Environmental Science & Technology Letters

Crop and Pasture Science

China is the major producer of chestnut, with 1.84 million tons of chestnut production, resulting... more China is the major producer of chestnut, with 1.84 million tons of chestnut production, resulting in an enormous waste of chestnut shells. In the current study, shell biochar (SBC) was produced using the inside shell covering fruit, and the outside shell with thorns was used to produce thorn biochar (TBC). Both types of biochar were characterised through Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). These analytical results showed a more obvious smooth surface and micro-pore structure in SBC. The vibration of C=O/ C=C and CO (phenolic) showed a significant difference between the two types of biochar. Sorption experiments indicated that the adsorption capacity of the different types of biochar for cadmium (Cd) did not differ significantly, whereas the adsorption capacity of TBC for lead was better than that of SBC. In the pakchoi cultivation experiment (28 days), the application of TBC (1.5%) promoted plant shoot weight, root weight, shoot length and root length by 465%, 143%, 109% and 97% respectively. The application of biochar effectively increased soil pH and reduced the bioavailability and migration of heavy metals. Besides, membrane integrity and chlorophyll content were enhanced because of the alleviation of oxidative stress. Noticeably, application of TBC (0.1% and 1.5%) reduced the Cd concentration in the root by 40-60%, and enhanced accumulation of Pb by 75-191%. Overall, our study demonstrated that 1.5% TBC has promising potential for remediating Cd-contaminated soil. Our study has demonstrated the remediation potential of chestnut and provided a clue for sustainable management of chestnut shell waste for further development of chestnut resources.

Environmental Pollution, 2022

Global efforts are in rapid progress to tackle the emerging conundrum of climate change-induced h... more Global efforts are in rapid progress to tackle the emerging conundrum of climate change-induced heat stress in grassland ecosystems. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (n-ZnO) are known to play a crucial role in plants' abiotic stress regulation, but its response in alfalfa against heat stress has not been explored. This study aimed at assessing the effects of n-ZnO on alfalfa under heat stress by various morpho-physiological and cellular approaches. Five-week-old alfalfa seedlings were subjected to foliar application of n-ZnO as a pretreatment before the onset of heat stress (BHS) to evaluate its effect on heat tolerance, and as a post-treatment after heat stress (AHS) to evaluate recovery efficiency. In vitro studies on Zn release from n-ZnO by Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) disclosed that the particle uptake and Zn release were concentration dependent. The uptake and translocation of n-ZnO examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM) reveling showed that n-ZnO was primarily localized in the vacuoles and chloroplasts. TEM images showed that ultrastructural modifications to chloroplast, mitochondria, and cell wall were reversible by highest dose of n-ZnO applied before heat stress, and damages to these organelles were not recoverable when n-ZnO was applied after heat stress. The results further enlightened that 90 mg L-1 n-ZnO better prevented the heat stress-mediated membrane damage, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidant systems and enhancing osmolyte contents in both BHS and AHS. Although, application of 90 mg L-1 n-ZnO in BHS was more effective in averting heat-induced damages and maintaining better plant growth and morpho-physiological attributes compared to AHS. Conclusively, foliar application of n-ZnO can be encouraged as an effective strategy to protect alfalfa from heat stress damages while minimizing the risk of nanoparticle transmission to environmental compartments, which could happen with soil application.

Nanomaterials, 2021

Given the known presence of SARS-Cov-2 in wastewater, stemming disease spread in global regions w... more Given the known presence of SARS-Cov-2 in wastewater, stemming disease spread in global regions where untreated effluent in the environment is common will experience additional pressure. Though development and preliminary trials of a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 have been launched in several countries, rapid and effective alternative tools for the timely detection and remediation of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, especially in the developing countries, is of paramount importance. Here, we propose a promising, non-invasive technique for early prediction and targeted detection of SARS-CoV-2 to prevent current and future outbreaks. Thus, a combination of nanotechnology with wastewater-based epidemiology and artificial intelligence could be deployed for community-level wastewater virus detection and remediation.

The ubiquitous presence of nano plastics (NPx) and micro plastics (MPx) in the environment has be... more The ubiquitous presence of nano plastics (NPx) and micro plastics (MPx) in the environment has been demonstrated, and as such, the exposure scenarios, mechanisms of plant response, and ultimate risk must be determined. However, the current literature reports ambiguous outcomes and provides limited mechanistic insight into critical governing processes. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of the most recent literature investigating the effect of MPx/NPx on plant species under laboratory and field conditions so as to evaluate the current state of knowledge. Toxic effects of MPx/NPx exposure in plants varies as a function of plant species and interestingly, generally non-significant responses are reported in staple crops. NPx (<100 nm) more negatively affected plant development parameters (n=341) (n is total number of observations), photosynthetic pigments (n=80), and biochemical indicators (n=91) than did MPx (>100 nm). Surprisingly, NPx exposure yielded negligible effects on germ...

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021

Environmental Science: Nano, 2021

The accumulation of rare earth oxides (REOs) in soil beyond 50–100 mg kg−1 adversely impacts eart... more The accumulation of rare earth oxides (REOs) in soil beyond 50–100 mg kg−1 adversely impacts earthworms and soil health.

European Food Research and Technology, 2021

Castanea mollissima BL (chestnut) is a kind of food with a unique flavor and high nutrition, whic... more Castanea mollissima BL (chestnut) is a kind of food with a unique flavor and high nutrition, which people pursue worldwide. As China is the birthplace of chestnut, there are many older chestnut trees all over the country. However, the nutritional value of the fruits of these old chestnut trees is not clear now. This study first assessed the nutritional value of old chestnut fruits (10 years, 100 years, 300 years, 500 years, 700 years and 900 years) in an old chestnut garden in Huairou, Beijing, highlighting the calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, amino acids and fatty acids. The age of all chestnut trees sampled was certified by Forestry Bureau of Beijing. These findings have revealed significant differences in the nutrient components of chestnuts with different years. The 10-year and 700-year groups have higher Zn, Se, and amino acid levels. Besides, the 700-year group has relative higher level of Ca and Fe and lower ratio of saturated fatty acid/unsaturated fatty acid. We also demonstrated that 700-year-old chestnuts have the highest nutrient value. This study provided a basis for establishing product quality standards for old chestnut trees and laid the foundation for further developing and protecting old chestnut in Beijing and even in the world.

Nanomaterials, 2021

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment is an un... more The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment is an undeniable and serious concern due to their higher persistence and extensive use in agricultural production. This review highlights the sources and fate of MPs and NPs in soil and their uptake, translocation, and physiological effects in the plant system. We provide the current snapshot of the latest reported studies with the majority of literature spanning the last five years. We draw attention to the potential risk of MPs and NPs in modern agriculture and their effects on plant growth and development. We also highlight their uptake and transport pathways in roots and leaves via different exposure methods in plants. Conclusively, agricultural practices, climate changes (wet weather and heavy rainfall), and soil organisms play a major role in transporting MPs and NPs in soil. NPs are more prone to enter plant cell walls as compared to MPs. Furthermore, transpiration pull is the dominant fa...

Nanomaterials, 2021

About 45% of the world’s fruit and vegetables are wasted, resulting in postharvest losses and con... more About 45% of the world’s fruit and vegetables are wasted, resulting in postharvest losses and contributing to economic losses ranging from 10billionto10 billion to 10billionto100 billion worldwide. Soft rot disease caused by Rhizopus stolonifer leads to postharvest storage losses of sweet potatoes. Nanoscience stands as a new tool in our arsenal against these mounting challenges that will restrict efforts to achieve and maintain global food security. In this study, three nanomaterials (NMs) namely C60, CuO, and TiO2 were evaluated for their potential application in the restriction of Rhizopus soft rot disease in two cultivars of sweet potato (Y25, J26). CuO NM exhibited a better antifungal effect than C60 and TiO2 NMs. The contents of three important hormones, indolepropionic acid (IPA), gibberellic acid 3 (GA-3), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the infected J26 sweet potato treated with 50 mg/L CuO NM were significantly higher than those of the control by 14.5%, 10.8%, and 24.1%. CuO and C60 NMs pro...

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Lithium (Li) is gaining attention due to rapid rise of modern industries but their ultimate finge... more Lithium (Li) is gaining attention due to rapid rise of modern industries but their ultimate fingerprints on plants are not well established. Herein, we executed a meta-analysis of the existing recent literature investigating the impact of Li sources and levels on plant species under different growth conditions to understand the existing state of knowledge. Toxic effects of Li exposure in plants varies as a function of medium and interestingly, more negative responses are reported in hydroponic media as compared to soil and foliar application. Additionally, toxic effects of Li vary with Li source materials and LiCl more negatively affected plant development parameters such as plant germination (n=48) and root biomass (n=57) and recorded highly uptake in plants (n=78), while LiNO3 has more negative effects on shoot biomass. The Li at <50 mg L-1 concentrations significantly influenced the plant physiological indicators including plant germination and root biomass, while 50-500 mg L-...

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Environmental Science & Technology Letters

Crop and Pasture Science

China is the major producer of chestnut, with 1.84 million tons of chestnut production, resulting... more China is the major producer of chestnut, with 1.84 million tons of chestnut production, resulting in an enormous waste of chestnut shells. In the current study, shell biochar (SBC) was produced using the inside shell covering fruit, and the outside shell with thorns was used to produce thorn biochar (TBC). Both types of biochar were characterised through Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). These analytical results showed a more obvious smooth surface and micro-pore structure in SBC. The vibration of C=O/ C=C and CO (phenolic) showed a significant difference between the two types of biochar. Sorption experiments indicated that the adsorption capacity of the different types of biochar for cadmium (Cd) did not differ significantly, whereas the adsorption capacity of TBC for lead was better than that of SBC. In the pakchoi cultivation experiment (28 days), the application of TBC (1.5%) promoted plant shoot weight, root weight, shoot length and root length by 465%, 143%, 109% and 97% respectively. The application of biochar effectively increased soil pH and reduced the bioavailability and migration of heavy metals. Besides, membrane integrity and chlorophyll content were enhanced because of the alleviation of oxidative stress. Noticeably, application of TBC (0.1% and 1.5%) reduced the Cd concentration in the root by 40-60%, and enhanced accumulation of Pb by 75-191%. Overall, our study demonstrated that 1.5% TBC has promising potential for remediating Cd-contaminated soil. Our study has demonstrated the remediation potential of chestnut and provided a clue for sustainable management of chestnut shell waste for further development of chestnut resources.

Environmental Pollution, 2022

Global efforts are in rapid progress to tackle the emerging conundrum of climate change-induced h... more Global efforts are in rapid progress to tackle the emerging conundrum of climate change-induced heat stress in grassland ecosystems. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (n-ZnO) are known to play a crucial role in plants' abiotic stress regulation, but its response in alfalfa against heat stress has not been explored. This study aimed at assessing the effects of n-ZnO on alfalfa under heat stress by various morpho-physiological and cellular approaches. Five-week-old alfalfa seedlings were subjected to foliar application of n-ZnO as a pretreatment before the onset of heat stress (BHS) to evaluate its effect on heat tolerance, and as a post-treatment after heat stress (AHS) to evaluate recovery efficiency. In vitro studies on Zn release from n-ZnO by Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) disclosed that the particle uptake and Zn release were concentration dependent. The uptake and translocation of n-ZnO examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM) reveling showed that n-ZnO was primarily localized in the vacuoles and chloroplasts. TEM images showed that ultrastructural modifications to chloroplast, mitochondria, and cell wall were reversible by highest dose of n-ZnO applied before heat stress, and damages to these organelles were not recoverable when n-ZnO was applied after heat stress. The results further enlightened that 90 mg L-1 n-ZnO better prevented the heat stress-mediated membrane damage, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidant systems and enhancing osmolyte contents in both BHS and AHS. Although, application of 90 mg L-1 n-ZnO in BHS was more effective in averting heat-induced damages and maintaining better plant growth and morpho-physiological attributes compared to AHS. Conclusively, foliar application of n-ZnO can be encouraged as an effective strategy to protect alfalfa from heat stress damages while minimizing the risk of nanoparticle transmission to environmental compartments, which could happen with soil application.

Nanomaterials, 2021

Given the known presence of SARS-Cov-2 in wastewater, stemming disease spread in global regions w... more Given the known presence of SARS-Cov-2 in wastewater, stemming disease spread in global regions where untreated effluent in the environment is common will experience additional pressure. Though development and preliminary trials of a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 have been launched in several countries, rapid and effective alternative tools for the timely detection and remediation of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, especially in the developing countries, is of paramount importance. Here, we propose a promising, non-invasive technique for early prediction and targeted detection of SARS-CoV-2 to prevent current and future outbreaks. Thus, a combination of nanotechnology with wastewater-based epidemiology and artificial intelligence could be deployed for community-level wastewater virus detection and remediation.

The ubiquitous presence of nano plastics (NPx) and micro plastics (MPx) in the environment has be... more The ubiquitous presence of nano plastics (NPx) and micro plastics (MPx) in the environment has been demonstrated, and as such, the exposure scenarios, mechanisms of plant response, and ultimate risk must be determined. However, the current literature reports ambiguous outcomes and provides limited mechanistic insight into critical governing processes. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of the most recent literature investigating the effect of MPx/NPx on plant species under laboratory and field conditions so as to evaluate the current state of knowledge. Toxic effects of MPx/NPx exposure in plants varies as a function of plant species and interestingly, generally non-significant responses are reported in staple crops. NPx (<100 nm) more negatively affected plant development parameters (n=341) (n is total number of observations), photosynthetic pigments (n=80), and biochemical indicators (n=91) than did MPx (>100 nm). Surprisingly, NPx exposure yielded negligible effects on germ...

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021

Environmental Science: Nano, 2021

The accumulation of rare earth oxides (REOs) in soil beyond 50–100 mg kg−1 adversely impacts eart... more The accumulation of rare earth oxides (REOs) in soil beyond 50–100 mg kg−1 adversely impacts earthworms and soil health.

European Food Research and Technology, 2021

Castanea mollissima BL (chestnut) is a kind of food with a unique flavor and high nutrition, whic... more Castanea mollissima BL (chestnut) is a kind of food with a unique flavor and high nutrition, which people pursue worldwide. As China is the birthplace of chestnut, there are many older chestnut trees all over the country. However, the nutritional value of the fruits of these old chestnut trees is not clear now. This study first assessed the nutritional value of old chestnut fruits (10 years, 100 years, 300 years, 500 years, 700 years and 900 years) in an old chestnut garden in Huairou, Beijing, highlighting the calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, amino acids and fatty acids. The age of all chestnut trees sampled was certified by Forestry Bureau of Beijing. These findings have revealed significant differences in the nutrient components of chestnuts with different years. The 10-year and 700-year groups have higher Zn, Se, and amino acid levels. Besides, the 700-year group has relative higher level of Ca and Fe and lower ratio of saturated fatty acid/unsaturated fatty acid. We also demonstrated that 700-year-old chestnuts have the highest nutrient value. This study provided a basis for establishing product quality standards for old chestnut trees and laid the foundation for further developing and protecting old chestnut in Beijing and even in the world.

Nanomaterials, 2021

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment is an un... more The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment is an undeniable and serious concern due to their higher persistence and extensive use in agricultural production. This review highlights the sources and fate of MPs and NPs in soil and their uptake, translocation, and physiological effects in the plant system. We provide the current snapshot of the latest reported studies with the majority of literature spanning the last five years. We draw attention to the potential risk of MPs and NPs in modern agriculture and their effects on plant growth and development. We also highlight their uptake and transport pathways in roots and leaves via different exposure methods in plants. Conclusively, agricultural practices, climate changes (wet weather and heavy rainfall), and soil organisms play a major role in transporting MPs and NPs in soil. NPs are more prone to enter plant cell walls as compared to MPs. Furthermore, transpiration pull is the dominant fa...

Nanomaterials, 2021

About 45% of the world’s fruit and vegetables are wasted, resulting in postharvest losses and con... more About 45% of the world’s fruit and vegetables are wasted, resulting in postharvest losses and contributing to economic losses ranging from 10billionto10 billion to 10billionto100 billion worldwide. Soft rot disease caused by Rhizopus stolonifer leads to postharvest storage losses of sweet potatoes. Nanoscience stands as a new tool in our arsenal against these mounting challenges that will restrict efforts to achieve and maintain global food security. In this study, three nanomaterials (NMs) namely C60, CuO, and TiO2 were evaluated for their potential application in the restriction of Rhizopus soft rot disease in two cultivars of sweet potato (Y25, J26). CuO NM exhibited a better antifungal effect than C60 and TiO2 NMs. The contents of three important hormones, indolepropionic acid (IPA), gibberellic acid 3 (GA-3), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the infected J26 sweet potato treated with 50 mg/L CuO NM were significantly higher than those of the control by 14.5%, 10.8%, and 24.1%. CuO and C60 NMs pro...