Nano-Enabled Biochar Modulate Arsenic Toxicity in Plants: a Step Towards Crop Safety and Health

Abstract

As global agricultural demands continue to rise amidst increasing environmental stressors, enhancing plant resilience has become a critical necessity. Heavy metals (HMs), especially arsenic (As), severely impact crop productivity and quality, threatening global food security and human health. Arsenic toxicity disrupts normal physiological, biochemical and molecular processes in food crops due to its eco-toxicological effects. Nano-enabled biochar (Nano-BC) has emerged as a promising soil amendment capable of mitigating As-induced oxidative stress in horticultural crops by modulating stress responses, enhancing detoxification pathways and improving plant resilience. This review comprehensively examines the interactions of Nano-BC with soil matrices and microbial communities, highlighting its dual role in influencing soil health and plant growth. While Nano-BC improves soil structure, increases nutrient retention and supports beneficial microbial populations, its potential long-term ecological impacts and interactions with native microbial communities require further evaluation. Furthermore, we discuss the mechanisms by which Nano-BC modulates As bioavailability, phyto-toxicity and detoxification pathways in horticultural crops. Advances in Nano-BC applications have demonstrated its potential in producing "pollution-safe" crops, yet challenges remain regarding its environmental fate and persistence. Future research should focus on optimizing Nano-BC formulations to enhance its efficiency while minimizing unintended ecological consequences. By integrating Nano-BC into sustainable agricultural practices, we can move closer to achieving food security, mitigating HM stress in crops and aligning with global sustainable development goals (SDGs).