Efficiency and safety of nanopesticides, it takes two to tango. An overview of the lack of data on possible effects on human health

Abstract

The use of pesticides has increased dramatically in recent decades, causing concern, particularly regarding human exposure and health effects. New strategies have been developed to limit the use of such hazardous substances. These include the development of “nanopesticides”, which consist of either nanomaterials used directly as the active ingredient or nanomaterials used as carriers to encapsulate the active ingredient. These nanoformulated pesticide offer many advantages and could be more efficient and safer than their conventional counterparts. However, little is known about their potential impact on human health. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the current studies investigating the adverse effects of nanopesticides, particularly nanoencapsulated pesticides, on human health. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Web of Science databases using the following keywords: (nano*) AND (pesticid* OR phytosanitar* OR herbicid* OR insecticid* OR fungicid* OR weedicid*) AND (toxi* OR inflam* OR oxidative stress) AND (human OR mammalian). Articles were excluded if: i) they were reviews, ii) no toxicity data were reported, iii) studies were conducted in non-mammalian models, iv) the nanomaterials were not developed for pesticide delivery, and v) the articles were not written in English. Of 2102 papers, only 27 were included, highlighting the lack of data on the potential effects of nanopesticides in mammalian models. In conclusion, although nanopesticides appear to be promising tools to limit the hazard of conventional pesticides, extensive studies are still necessary to ensure their safety, especially for human health, before their widespread application.