Different methods of Nano-mangnesium synthesis :A future fertilizer source

Introduction

Nanotechnology will have a great impact on overall development of our country. In general nanotechnology refers to fabrication, manipulation and utilization of submicron object, particular those between 1 and 100 nm. Nanotechnology will enable making high quality products at very low cost and at very fast pace. It is commonly referred to as a generic technology that offers better- built, safer, long lasting, cheap and smart products that find application in household, communications, medicine as also agriculture and food industry amongst other. Excessive use of conventional fertilisers in modern agriculture has resulted in several serious issues such as soil degradation, loss of soil organic matter and carbon content, and increased soil compaction. To overcome this problem use of nano fertilizers would be the solutions. But among various chemical, physical and biological methods of synthesis, green methods for synthesizing nanoparticles with plant extracts is simple, convenient, environment friendly and require less reaction time. Nanomaterials prepared by eco-friendly and green methods may increase agriculture potential for improving the fertilization process. In addition, they minimize the amount of harmful chemicals that pollutes the environment. Hence, this technology helps in reducing the environmental pollutants leading to sustainable approach.

Magnesium is a key component of chlorophyll, which helps plants absorb light during photosynthesis. Magnesium is necessary for phosphate metabolism and acts as a phosphorus carrier in plants. Photosynthesis as the central process for crop production depends on the plant’s Mg status in several respect. Efficient carbohydrate formation requires high light interception by the light harvesting complexes (LHCs) attached to the photosystems I and II (PSI, PSII). Use of Nano magnesium fertilizers instead of conventional fertilizers has additional advantages because of its unique physicochemical behaviors such as outstanding refractive index, economically feasible with high surface are resulting in greater advantages. Among the Physical, chemical and biological methods of synthesis of Nano magnesium fertilizer the biological approach would be ecofriendly and easy to synthesize the particles.

Different methods of synthesis of nano magnesium fertilizer

There are mainly two different method of synthesis of nano particles mainly the bottom up approach and top down approach

A) Bottom-up Approach

· Bottom up approach refers to the buildup of a material from the bottom, atom by atom, molecule by molecule or cluster by cluster.

· Assembling nanomaterials atom-by-atom or molecule-by-molecule (self-assembling)

· These seek to arrange smaller components into more complex assemblies.

· An advantage of the bottom-up approach is the better possibilities to obtain nanostructures with less defects and more homogeneous chemical compositions.

B) Top-down Approach

Top down approach refers to slicing or successive cutting of a bulk material to get nano sized particle.

· Creating nanoscale materials by physically or chemically breaking down larger materials

· These seek to create smaller devices by using larger ones to direct their assembly

Physical method of synsthesis Nano magnesium particles

Physical methods generate magnesium nanoparticles by causing material abrasion, melting, evaporation, or condensation with mechanical pressure, high-energy radiations, thermal energy, or electrical energy. These methods are advantageous because they produce uniform monodisperse nanoparticles and are based on a top-down strategy. Different physical method of synthesis such as high energy ball milling, physical vapour deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, sputtering, laser ablation, electric arc deposition, ion implantation, etching, lithography among these few references are reported. Pradita et al., 2017 reported that synthesis of Nano magnesium can be done using spray pyrolysis using precursor as Mg(NO3)2.6H2O. Han Wang et al., 2015 reported that magnesium nanowires were prepared at 703K for 30 min in a high vacuum level of 104 Pa by physical vapor deposition method. For the preparation of nanoparticles, laser ablation in liquid has been considered an appealing technique.Tran X. Phuoc et al., 2008 studied that synthesis of Mg(OH)2, MgO, and Mg nanoparticles using laser ablation of magnesium in water and solvents and reported that particles were about 20–30 nm and particles with rod-like, triangular, and plate-like shapes were also observed.

Chemical methods of synthesis of Nano magnesium particles

Different chemical methods followed in synthesis of Mg nanoparticles such assol–gel method, microemulsion technique, hydrothermal synthesis, temeperature assisted synthesis, polyol synthesis, chemical vapour synthesis and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique are some of the most commonly used chemical methods for the synthesis of Mg nanoparticles. Archana et al., 2021 reported that Magnesium oxide nanoparticles can be synthesized by employing a simple sol-gel method using a gelating agent using magnesium nitrate [Mg (NO3)] as precursor the average size of the synthesized nanoparticles is 12 nm. Microwave-assisted synthesis of Mg nanoparticles is another chemical method which is widely used. This method promotes uniform dispersion of small molecules and is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Gajengi et al. (2017) studied microwave mediated synthesis in the presence of benzylamine, which forms an intermediated complex of Mg(OH)2 due to the reducing agent's action.Selvamet al. (2011) synthesized microwave-promoted MgO nanoparticles in the presence of urea. They also studied that microwave mediated synthesis is less energy consuming than the traditional combustion synthesis method. Pei et al., 2010 reported low temperature assisted synthesis is easy and environmentally friendly approach of synthesis of Mg nanoparticles which can be used as fertilizer sources. Furthermore, Shimpi et al. (2009) reported synthesis of Mg nanoparticles using hydrothermal method at low temperature (155ºC) is easy and synthesized particles were spherical in shape.

BIosynthesis of Nano magnesium particles

Researchers have been interested in producing Mg nanoparticles using biological methods for the past decade. The evolution and importance of this field are largely based on factors such as the use of fewer chemicals, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is more convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly process than traditional chemical or physical methods as reported by Das et al., 2017. Plants, bacteria, fungus, and algae are some of the biological substrates that are commonly used instead of chemical solvents and stabilisers to reduce the product's toxicity. In Biosynthesis approach the substrate used is either microorganism or plant extract. Plants are the most common biological substrate for Mg nanoparticles because they are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, easy to process, handle, and safer than microorganisms. Bandeira et al., 2020 reported that plant extracts acquired from various parts of the plants including root, bark, leaves, flowers, fruit pulp, peels etc. are used for synthesizing Mg nanoparticles. Singh et al., 2019 have reported that the biomolecules present in the plant extract are considered responsible for the reduction of of Mg2+ ions to Mg0 valency state.

Table 1: Review of green synthesis method of Nano magnesium particles

Substarte used	Particle size analysis(nm)	Remarks	References
Aloe barbadensis	8.6	The shape of particles were rock shaped flakes.They utilized it for antibacterial study	Ananthraman et al. (2016)
Murraya koenigii	20	The shape of particle was spherical and utilized it forphotocatalysticstudy	Kumara et al (2016)
Ocimum sanctum	70	Particle shape were in the form of flakes the utilized it for antibacterial study	Premlatha et al (2018)
Orange peel extract	20	Particle were spherical in shape. And they utilized it for antimicrobial and antibacterial study	Munjal et al. (2017)
Aspergillus niger	70	Particles were sphere shaped and utilized it for antibacterial study	Ibrahem et al. (2017)
Lactobacillius sporogenes	30	Particles were cubic in shaped and it was utilized fir anticancer study	Mohanasrinivasanet al. (2017)

Conclusion

Scientist have developed different methods of synthesis of Nano magnesium particles but to what extent that synthesized particles can be utilized as fertilizer source is matter of research. Physical and chemical method of synthesizing the particles is easy but during the synthesizing process it release various hazardous chemicals into the environment hence it is better to go with green synthesis approach. As magnesium is one of the most important micronutrient required for growth and development of plant shifting from the conventional magnesium fertilizer to Nano magnesium fertilizer can be an approach to attain potential yield.

References

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Bandeira, M., Giovanela, M., Roesch-Ely, M., Devine, D.M., Crespo, J.D.S. (2020). Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles: a review of the synthesis methodology and mechanism of formation. Sustain. Chem. Pharm. 1(3), 1-10.

Das, B., Moumita, S., Ghosh, S., Khan, M.I., Indira, D., Jayabalan, R., Tripathy, S.K., Mishra, A., Balasubramanian, P. (2018). Biosynthesis of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoflakes by using leaf extract of Bauhinia purpurea and evaluation of its antibacterial property against Staphyloc occursaureus. Mater. Sci. Eng. C 91.

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About the Authors

Akshay Kumar Kurdekar1*, B. K. Desai2, H. M. Jayadeva3, Basavanneppa M A4 and Vinay Kumar, M. I5

1*Ph.d ScholarDept. of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.

2Prof. of Agronomy and Director of Research, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka

3Prof. and Head, Dept. of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka

4The Chief Agronomist and Campus Head, Agricultural Research station, Siruguppa, Karnataka

5Ph.d Scholar Dept. of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India

Corresponding author e-mail: akshaykurdekar777@gmail.com