Awareness of the benefits and harms of the use of nanotechnology in the

farming in Colombia for the good development of this science.

Willin Stiven Fuentes Ladino Cod. 201623986

Renzo Barrera Salazar Cod 201122260
Jhon Alexander Patiño Botia Cod 201910867
Febrero 2020

Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia

Sogamoso, Boyacá
Ingles IV
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Abstract

Nanotechnology is an exciting and rapidly emerging field in agriculture and food science. The

usage of nanoscale materials in sensing and detection applications is growing quickly, providing

alternative methods to conventional techniques for detecting chemical and biological

contaminants in foods, beverages, and other products. Nanotechnology has the potential to

innovate the agricultural, feed, and food sectors (further stated as agri/feed/food). Applications

that are marketed already feature original product packaging with antimicrobial nanoparticles,

and agrochemicals and nutrients that have been nano-encapsulated. Many nano-enabled products

are presently under research and development, and may be introduced into the industry in the

future. As with any other structured product, for market sanctions, applications need to prove the

safe use of such new products without posing unwarranted safety risks to the consumer or the

environment. In this review, we summarize the uses of nanotechnology related to food and

nutraceuticals, while also identifying the outstanding challenges.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Justification.........................................................................................................1
Chapter 2 Introduction........................................................................................................2
Chapter 3 Description of the problem................................................................................3
Chapter 4 Objective..............................................................................................................4
General Objective...............................................................................................................4
Specific Objective..............................................................................................................4
Chapter 5 Theoretical framework.........................................................................................5
Nanotechnology in crop improvement.............................................................................5
Nanopaticles.....................................................................................................................5
Nanocapsules...................................................................................................................7
Microsensors....................................................................................................................9
The impact of nanotechnology........................................................................................10
State of the art......................................................................................................................13
Reference.............................................................................................................................16

Figure list

Figure 1. Nanotechnology applications in plant science.....................................................6

Figure 2.Possible use of nanoparticles in agriculture...........................................................8
 Justification

Human beings have been looking for ways to facilitate the processes of their evolution

for centuries. As time passes, evolutionary techniques are improved and new forms are

invented. Nanotechnology is a technological science that seeks to improve the quality of

life in people until they can reach eternal life.

Nanotechnology in the agricultural industry such as fruits and vegetables seeks to reduce

the oxidation process and the dehydration of fruits once they have been cut, peeled, sliced

and even packaged and ready to eat without the need to disinfect or wash them again.

This innovation would help to make these vegetables last longer in at least three more

weeks, depending on the vegetable or fruit. This would help a lot since fruits and

vegetables are one of the main export products worldwide and would keep their proteins

and carbohydrates for much longer.

Research from several universities worldwide are looking at coating these foods with

fuels loaded with functional ingredients and using them to increase the shelf life of foods.

The benefit of producing or increasing the number of antioxidants in these foods would

help contribute to improved health and reduced risk of disease.

 Introduction

Nanotechnology, a relatively new field of materials research and development based on

the creation of new classes of original molecular structures, shows rapid advances that

promise to radically change or affect many areas of science and technology. In addition,

it offers countless possibilities for human progress, through the creation of various types

of nanomaterials applicable in revolutionary medical treatments, in research and food

safety diagnostic methods, in environmental restoration procedures, energy applications

such as the coating of solar cells, even in everyday large volume such as cosmetics, dirt-

repellent fabrics and self-cleaning paint. However, it is essential and urgent to assess not

only the benefits but also the potential risks posed by the nanoparticles and agree on

effective measures through appropriate regulatory criteria

 Problem description

Considering that nanotechnology and nanomaterials , as with any other new technology,

can lead to many advances for society and benefits for the environment , and that they

can also pose new challenges for health, environmental safety and are likely to cause

some impacts on society; there is a need for a wider dissemination of this new technique ,

its functioning, application in food processing and packaging and a better understanding

of the benefits and risks that this can generate for human health and the environment.
 Objectives

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To know the new technique of restructuring food at the atomic or molecular level and its

positive or negative effects on the population and the environment.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

1. To know the applications of nanotechnology in the different areas of knowledge.

2. To know the application of nanotechnology in the food industry, what nanofoods

exist, which companies are using this technique in their products agricultural.

3. To know the pros and cons of nanotechnology in food

 Nanotechnology in crop improvement

In agriculture, this technology is being used to reduce agrochemical applications,

minimize fertilizer loss, and increase plant production through nutrient optimization. This

is possible through nanocapsules that release pesticides, fertilizers and other

agrochemicals in a more efficient and controlled manner; and nanoparticles that adhere to

the materials (e.g., proteins, lipids, hormones, etc.) that are to be released. In addition,

there are nanosensors, which can monitor crop growth conditions, and also detect insects

and plant pathogens [3,4].

Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (nanopowder to nanocrystal) have a dimension of 100 nm or less, and a

large number of atoms, which allows for a larger surface area by weight and therefore

strong adhesion with other particles [1]. To put in context what is the size of a

nanoparticle, a cell is 10 mm (micrometers) wide. The parts of the cell are even smaller,

and the proteins contained in the cell have a size of 5 nm, which is comparable to the size

of an artificially produced nanoparticle [5].

There are various forms of nanoparticles, those produced naturally by volcanic ash, ocean

spray and dust storms. But there are also nanoparticles that are artificially produced from

metals such as copper, gold, silicon, titanium and others. Depending on the application,
the nanoparticle varies in chemical composition, shape, surface characteristics and mode

of production. The use of nanoparticles in agriculture is relatively new, and is currently

focused on genetic modification and regulation of plant metabolism for better crop

production, from the release of agrochemicals to the insertion of nucleotides into the cell

(Figure 1) [6].

Figure[1] Nanotechnology applications in plant science

Figure 1. Nanotechnology applications in plant science. A. Release of agrochemicals and

bio-active molecules depending on the state of the plant. B. Release of bio-active

molecules (e.g. nucleotides, proteins and other phytoactive molecules) into plant cells. C.

Transport and release of fluorescent elements (e.g. quantum molecules or fluorescent

proteins) for intracellular tagging and microscopic imaging Modified from [6].
One of the limitations of the use of nanoparticles at the cellular level is the thickness of

the plant cell wall, which makes it difficult for some nanoparticles to enter the cell.

However, there are several studies in which, using mesoporous silica (MSN) and carbon

nanotubes, it has been possible to insert DNA molecules into tobacco and corn plants.

This has been possible because, for example, mesoporous silica is chemically coated and

serves as a container for transporting DNA molecules. The coating of MSN causes the

plant to take up particles through the cell walls where the DNA molecules are inserted

[7].

Nanocapsules

A nanocapsule is a shell made of a non-toxic polymer. Nanocapsules have various

morphological characteristics depending on their function; for example, some have

several nuclei and/or several layers. In agriculture, they are used to avoid the

indiscriminate use of conventional pesticides and to ensure safe application. The pesticide

is "nano-encapsulated", a method in which the pesticide is trapped by nanoparticles such

as solid lipids, inorganic porous nanomatter, nanoclays, double hydroxides, among

others. There are different types of nanocapsules, such as nanospheres, micelles,

nanogels, liposomes, etc. [8].

The release of particles to the plant (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) using

nanocapsules provides an efficient way to avoid repeated applications of conventional

agrochemicals and reduce adverse effects on plants and the environment (Figure 2). For

example, nanocapsules can release specific herbicides through the plant cuticle, slowly

and steadily releasing active substances to effectively kill weeds [9].

Figure[2]. Possible use of nanoparticles in agriculture. Modified from [10].

In the release of pesticides, for example, encapsulated nanoparticles have been used, as in

the case of silica mesopores, which are designed to load pesticides onto their inner core,

thus protecting the pesticide (e.g. Avermectin) from photo-degradation, while at the same

time allowing constant release of the pesticide [11]. As a bio-pesticide, silica mesopores
are absorbed by the insect at the cuticular level, resulting in protective wax damage and

subsequent death of the insect by dehydration.

Likewise, with the use of nanocapsules, nanoparticles are being used for the management

and control of the transport of nutrients such as zinc (Zn2+), phosphate hydrogen

(HPO42_), phosphate di-hydrogen (H2PO4_) and ammonium (NH4+) among others

[12].

Microsensors

Another method of applying nanotechnology to crop improvement is through

nanosensors. These are chemical or mechanical sensors that allow obtaining real-time

information on the presence of pathogens and/or chemical substances added to the plant.

They also serve to geospatially monitor plant development, environmental conditions, the

use of fertilizers and pesticides, and also irrigation conditions. Nanosensors can be

produced from silica and carbon, among others [12, 13].

For example, microsensors are being used for the regulation of hormones such as auxins,

which are responsible for root growth and plant establishment. The microsensor works by

generating an electrical signal that can be used to measure the concentration of auxin at a

specific point. The microsensor oscillates, taking readings of auxin concentration in

various areas of the root. A computerized system checks whether the auxin is absorbed or

released by the surrounding cells [14].

The impact of nanotechnology

Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize the agro-food industry with novel tools

for molecular management and rapid detection of disease, improving the ability of plants

to absorb nutrients, controlling insects with the use of bio-pesticides, and monitoring

plant environmental conditions. There are still many uses of nanotechnology in plant

science and much remains to be understood and explored, for example to design

nanoparticles that specifically activate plant defenses in response to biotic (insects,

bacteria, viruses) and abiotic (environmental) stresses.

This text will present an accumulation on nanotechnology in the field of various sciences,

specifically food, which have been devoted to research in Colombia. The research

identifies the advances and the main experimental difficulties in Colombia between 2004,

year in which according to the article 'Nanotechnology for Colombia', published in the

magazine Nano Science and Technology (2014), in the country the topic began to gain

importance in 2004 and 2019. Identifying the difficulties allows for the promotion of

future research, and the propagation of these lines of study helps the exchange of

information between local and international researchers. Nanotechnology is a science that

deals with the manipulation of matter on scales close to the atom, although it sounds like

a complex subject to understand, many of the daily items in homes are products of

nanotechnology. This is explained by Ana Elisa Casas Botero, PhD in Metallurgical

Engineering, who gives the example of deodorants, whose longer duration of

antiperspirant effect is due to this branch of science, and talking about "state of the art on

nanotechnology in the food industry" is necessary to go back in time and think about the

factors that helped stimulate studies on the subject. Research on nanotechnology in the

industry specifically in the food industry began in 2003, the year in which the

government decided that nanotechnology would be a strategic area, addressing that this

technology in Colombia would focus on scientific advances. In 2010, Colombian

universities began to introduce this science to their academic programs. Even in 2010, the

Ministry of Education and Colciencias sought to promote the training of doctors in

nanotechnology and biotechnology, through an agreement with Purdue University in the

United States. Research continued as usual until 2019 when the Universidad Pontifica

Bolivariana in Bucaramanga created an alliance with the DMDIOZ research group, a

multidisciplinary group of doctors from the Clinicas de las Américas in Medellín, San

Pablo and the Policlínico Peruano Japonés in Lima, Peru, who chose the Universidad

Javeriana to carry out the Basic Course in Nanotechnology, For doctors Luz Dareght

Rojas Castañeda, a plastic surgeon and leader of the DMDIOZ nano medicine research

group, Alberto Matsuno, a pulmonologist at the San Pablo clinic in Lima, Peru, and Juan

Diego Osorio Marín, said the incursion into this area is a challenge for which they intend

to study and understand quantum physics, pure mathematics and engineering. When the

government decided that nanotechnology would be a strategic area for the year 2019, the

Los Andes university managed to advance in these investigations in an alliance with the

research group DMDIOZ multidisciplinary group of doctors from the clinics de las

Americas in Medellin, San Pablo and Policlinic Peruano Japonés in Lima Peru, who
chose the Javeriana university to conduct the Basic Course in Nanotechnology. That is

why nanotechnology and its multiple applications in very diverse fields of industry is one

of the topics of study and analysis required in higher academic institutions. In developing

countries like ours, the implementation of industrial products based on nanotechnology

could constitute a path to development. That is why the effort that universities are

beginning to make in this sense deserves all the institutional support within each

institution and the government support, both financial and promotional, so that the

interest of the industry allows the development of new fields of application and product

innovation. The field of the food industry and its applications in nanoscience and

nanotechnology is one of the points of the forced agenda for the development of the

sector, which would benefit both the local consumer and the national economy by

allowing the country to compete at international level, with innovative food products.

One of the purposes that the present document pursues is to contribute with theoretical

ideas on nanotechnology in food. This document constitutes an opportune and complete

monographic review of much interest for teachers and students related to the area of

health, food and in general of the industry, which seek through research the elaboration of

better food products and application of cutting-edge technology, such is the case of

nanotechnology.
 State of the art

This text will present an accumulation on nanotechnology in the field of various sciences,

specifically food, which have been devoted to research in Colombia. The research

identifies the advances and the main experimental difficulties in Colombia between 2004,

year in which according to the article 'Nanotechnology for Colombia', published in the

magazine Nano Science and Technology (2014), in the country the topic began to gain

importance in 2004 and 2019. Identifying the difficulties allows for the promotion of

future research, and the propagation of these lines of study helps the exchange of

information between local and international researchers. Nanotechnology is a science that

deals with the manipulation of matter on scales close to the atom, although it sounds like

a complex subject to understand, many of the daily items in homes are products of

nanotechnology. This is explained by Ana Elisa Casas Botero, PhD in Metallurgical

Engineering, who gives the example of deodorants, whose longer duration of

antiperspirant effect is due to this branch of science, and talking about "state of the art on

nanotechnology in the food industry" is necessary to go back in time and think about the

factors that helped stimulate studies on the subject. Research on nanotechnology in the

industry specifically in the food industry began in 2003, the year in which the

government decided that nanotechnology would be a strategic area, addressing that this

technology in Colombia would focus on scientific advances. In 2010, Colombian

universities began to introduce this science to their academic programs. Even in 2010, the

Ministry of Education and Colciencias sought to promote the training of doctors in

nanotechnology and biotechnology, through an agreement with Purdue University in the

United States. Research continued as usual until 2019 when the Universidad Pontifica

Bolivariana in Bucaramanga created an alliance with the DMDIOZ research group, a

multidisciplinary group of doctors from the Americas clinics in Medellín, San Pablo and

the Policlinic Peruano Japonés in Lima, Peru, who chose the Universidad Javeriana to

carry out the Basic Course in Nanotechnology, For doctors Luz Dareght Rojas Castañeda,

a plastic surgeon and leader of the DMDIOZ nano medicine research group, Alberto

Matsuno, a pulmonologist at the San Pablo clinic in Lima, Peru, and Juan Diego Osorio

Marín, said the incursion into this area is a challenge for which they intend to study and

understand quantum physics, pure mathematics and engineering. When the government

decided that nanotechnology would be a strategic area for the year 2019, the Andes

university managed to advance in these investigations in an alliance with the research

group DMDIOZ multidisciplinary group of doctors from the Clinics de las Americas in

Medellin, San Pablo and Policlinic Peruano Japonés in Lima Peru. That is why

nanotechnology and its multiple applications in very diverse fields of industry is one of

the topics of study and analysis required in higher academic institutions. In developing

countries like ours, the implementation of industrial products based on nanotechnology

could constitute a path to development. That is why the effort that universities are

beginning to make in this sense deserves all the institutional support within each

institution and the government support, both financial and promotional, so that the

interest of the industry allows the development of new fields of application and product

innovation. The field of the food industry and its applications in nanoscience and
nanotechnology is one of the points of the forced agenda for the development of the

sector, which would benefit both the local consumer and the national economy by

allowing the country to compete at international level, with innovative food products.

One of the purposes that the present document pursues is to contribute with theoretical

ideas on nanotechnology in food. This document constitutes an opportune and complete

monographic review of much interest for teachers and students related to the area of

health, food and in general of the industry, which seek through research the elaboration of

better food products and application of cutting-edge technology, such is the case of

nanotechnology.

Reference

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[3] Sekhon B.S. 2014. Nanotechnology in agri-food production: an

overview. Nanotechnology, science and Applications. 7:31-53.
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opportunity in plant sciences. Trends in Plant Science. 21:699-712.
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nanoparticles deliver DNA and chemicals into plants. Nature nanotechnology 2, 295-300.
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Control. Pest Management Science Journal. DOI: 10.1002/ps.1732.
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