B. Tuga, T. O’Keefe, R.E. Lewis, C.-H. Huang, S. Lata, J.C. White, C. Haynes
University of Minnesota,
United States
Keywords: agriculture, PFAS, silica
Summary:
By 2050, the global human population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion; feeding this population will be a challenge. In parallel, anthropogenic pollutants such as PFAS compromise the food-growing environment as they are found ubiquitously in soil and water. This talk will focus on designing nanomaterials to interact productively with plants both to enhance crop yield and remediate PFAS. Engineered nanomaterials thoughtfully designed and synthesized from earth-abundant elements can be taken up by plants. In some cases, the nanoparticles will transform to release molecules that plants can use to enhance their immune and physical response to pest and disease, producing more and healthier food. In other cases, the nanoparticles will interact with PFAS molecules in soil or water and then be taken up by the plant to facilitate bioaccumulation for eventual removal. Combined with other exciting technologies in development, nanoparticles have great potential to ameliorate our global food crisis and pollution challenges.