Nanotechnology applications and intellectual property rights in agriculture

Nanotechnology research uses specific properties of materials at the nanoscale to develop improved materials, devices, systems and therapeutics. There is a risk of overlapping patent claims and lack of distinction between nano-based and traditional patents due to the interdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology. There is an increasing trend of granted patents. The World Intellectual Property Organization and World Health Organization, regulatory and policy bodies, are working to make a comprehensive property right regulation for nanotechnology products. The USA, the leader of nanotechnology products, has made guidelines to make patent search easier for nano-based products. The European Patent Office has also created a new classification for nano-based inventions. Here we review the status of intellectual property rights protection of nanomaterial, environmental implications and application of nanotechnology in agriculture.     

Nanotechnology innovations,industrial applications and patents

Nanotechnology can be defined as the use of nanomaterials for human benefit. Nanomaterials have unique properties due to their physical and chemical characteristics at the nanoscale (10^?9 nm). Nowadays, nanotechnology is providing new products in all industrial sectors. This article reviews innovations in fields such as biomedical, diagnosis of diseases, therapeutics, agriculture and food, nanofertilizers, oil, gas, textile and cosmeceuticals and packaging. Recent trends of patents and scholarly publications in nanotechnology are also discussed.     

Impact of biogas digestates on soil microbiota in agriculture: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The global production of biogas has increased threefold during the last decade to partly replace fossil fuels, yet biogas production by anaerobic digestion...     

森林土壤退化及其防治研究综述

介绍了土壤退化的概念；从树种生物学特性、人工林植物群落结构和栽培措施方面探讨了森林土壤退化的机理；提出了防治森林土壤退化的对策。文章最后指出，应从多学科的角度深入系统地研究地力衰退的机理，利用遥感、地理信息系统等高新技术手段构建包括计算机模拟模型、林地指南、关键决策系统、专家系统等在内的不同的预测和决策工具，同时加强天然林的进一步研究。     

Innovations in applications and prospects of bioplastics and biopolymers: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Non-biodegradable plastics are continually amassing landfills and oceans worldwide while creating severe environmental issues and hazards to animal and human...     

Use of mercury in agriculture and its relationship to environmental pollution

Linuron samples at 75mg/L concentration were photolyzed with ultraviolet lamps or with natural sunlight. Ten photoproducts were identified and yields were determined for the more significant photoproducts resulting from either sunlight or ultraviolet lamp photolysis.     

Photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin in aqueous media: a short review

The frequent detection of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin in surface and drinking waters around the world has attracted concern from various researchers. Such presence is an indication that the decontamination of water polluted by antibiotics is beyond the conventional treatment methods. However, among the different treatment methods that have been developed in the area of water purification, heterogeneous photocatalysis using semiconductor as a mediator has been rated as an efficient and a green wastewater treatment method. This is because, the process is effective in degrading and mineralizing organic pollutants, using UV or visible light. The present review paper covers a brief survey over a range of publications in the last decade, involving photocatalytic materials that have been employed in the purification of water contaminated by ciprofloxacin.     

Synthesis of nanoparticles using microorganisms and their applications: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Nanoparticles synthesis under green conditions has been performed using natural resources to diminish the use of toxic chemicals. For instance, microbial synthesis...     

Edible films and coatings for food packaging applications: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Food preservation technologies are currently facing challenges in prolonging the shelf life of perishable food products. The uses of edible films and coatings...     

Engineered nanomaterials for biomedical applications and their toxicity: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Nanotechnology has revolutionized the field of biomedical sciences with smart approaches of imaging and treatment. This transformation has led to the development...     

Nanomaterials for agriculture,food and environment: applications,toxicity and regulation

Nanotechnology is expected to have a beneficial influence on agriculture, food and environment, due to the unique properties of nanomaterials. However, little is known about their safety and potential toxicity. Here we review metal nanoparticles, nanometal oxides, carbon nanotubes, liposomes and dendrimers. We present the application of these nanomaterials in agriculture, food and environment for plant protection; disease treatment; packing materials; development of new tastes, textures and sensations; pathogen detection; and delivery systems. We discuss risk assessment of nanomaterials and toxicological impacts of nanomaterials on agriculture, food and environment. We then provide regulatory guidelines for the safer use of nanomaterials.     

大气化学污染的植物净化研究进展

大气污染是人类面临的严重环境问题之一,植物除了可以监测大气的化学污染外,在近地表大气污染物的清除中起着重要作用。利用植物净化大气化学污染是一种经济、有效、非破坏型的环境污染修复方式,植物净化污染大气的思想及其技术对城市园林绿化、环境规划和生态环境建设等具有直接的指导意义和应用价值。文章简要介绍了大气化学污染植物净化的机理,综述了近年来利用植物净化大气无机污染物和有机污染物的研究成果,并展望了今后需要进一步研究的领域。植物净化化学性大气污染的主要过程是持留和去除:持留过程涉及植物截获、吸附和滞留等,去除过程包括植物吸收、降解、转化、同化和超同化等。利用生物学、化学、农学、土壤科学和环境科学等多学科交叉,筛选高效的净化植物、研究污染物在植物体内的转化机理和影响净化效果的因素、开发联合修复技术、培育转基因净化植物等是未来研究的主要方向。     

Links between chronic exposure to outdoor air pollution and cardiovascular diseases: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Acute exposure to air pollution is associated with an increasing risk of death and cardiovascular disorders. Nonetheless, the impact of chronic exposure to air...     

水生维管束植物在水污染中的应用

随着水污染的加剧，高效低耗的水污染处理技术逐渐受到人们的重视，水生维管束植物以其特有的组织和生态功能及易于人工操纵等原因而在净化水体污染、防治富营养化方面发挥了重要的作用。文章对水生维管束植物在水质净化中的作用、影响因素、水生植物的综合利用及其在水污染监测中的作用等方面进行了系统分析，提出多种植物组合比单种植物能更好地实现对水体的净化，通过温度、水深的调控措施可以加强水生维管束植物对水质的净化效果，温度、水深、水质状况以及水生植物的经济价值等是水生植物选择的重要因素。指出了当前水生维管束植物研究中存在的一些问题，认为在人为操纵下，对于水生植物的长效管理是其在水污染应用中的一个重要内容。     

Interfacial-engineered CoTiO3-based composite for photocatalytic applications: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Photocatalysis is a green chemical process that could partly solve energy and pollution issues. Catalysts such as cobalt titanate, CoTiO3, have intrigued...     

Supported porphyrins for the photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants in water: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Porphyrins are differentiated π-conjugated compounds with unique photochemical and redox properties. The tetrapyrrole macrocycle core of porphyrins is...     

Lab-on-a-chip technologies for food safety,processing, and packaging applications: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The advent of microfluidic systems has led to significant developments in lab-on-a-chip devices integrating several functions onto a single platform. Over the...     

农业化肥污染的政策成因及对策分析

化肥污染是农村面源污染的重要组成部分,如何解决该问题已经成为中国学者热议的话题。为了定量分析国家政策对化肥过量施用的影响,基于我国1998—2007年各省市的面板数据,借助STATA软件包和化肥施用效用模型假设,对其进行了回归分析。结果表明：一是随着经济发展水平的提升,农业化肥污染仍会不断加剧。二是多年来国家给予化肥企业＂优惠＋补贴＋限价＂的化肥行业发展政策是化肥过量施用的根本政策原因,当前国家惠农政策有助于降低化肥的需求量。三是当国家取消对化肥企业的补贴政策,继续当前的惠农政策时,则农民直补政策需以农民有利于环境的施肥方式为前提。四是若国家继续当前化肥行业发展政策和惠农政策,则视国家给予化肥企业的补贴确定一个直补额度,当对农民直补小于该额度时,则直补有利于农民减少对化肥的需求;但当直补超过这一额度时,农民则会增加对化肥的需求,因此后者需以农民施肥行为有利于环境为前提。