Development of Biobased Nanomaterials for Environmental and Agricultural Applications

Abstract

The world population is expected to grow by 2.3 billion people by 2050. With the corresponding increase in demand for food and essential goods and advances in industry and agriculture, the production of goods has skyrocketed in recent decades. As an undesirable consequence, the consumption of natural resources and the number of byproducts and wastes have also increased, many of which are harmful to human health and the environment. Therefore, the full utilization of carbon-rich biomass waste plays a central role in the transition to a circular bioeconomy that limits current dependence on fossil resources and minimizes environmental and health impacts. In this context, biobased nanomaterials developed from renewable sources have attracted attention in recent years. In this thesis work, lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) from lignocellulosic biomass and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) from agricultural waste biomass (rice husk) were prepared to be used as multifunctional materials for water remediation, and carrier systems for the efficient delivery of micronutrients (Cu, Zn) in agriculture, respectively. LNPs were proven for the first time as multifunctional materials for the adsorption and the photocatalytic degradation of the dye methylene blue in water upon UV irradiation. On the other hand, the ability of the MSNPs to release Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions was studied.