Application of Nanochitosan in the Detection of Pesticide Residues and Degradation

Abstract

Chemicals called pesticides are used to manage pests like weeds, rodents, and insects. They are commonly used in agriculture to safeguard animals and crops from pests and illnesses. The usage of pesticides, however, can potentially have detrimental effects on the environment and public health. Pesticides can harm non-target creatures and contaminate the soil, water, and air. In addition, exposure to pesticides can result in a variety of medical issues in people, such as cancer, neurological conditions, and reproductive issues. Chitosan is a natural polymer formed from crab shells. Nanochitosan is chitosan in a nanoscale form. It has several distinctive qualities that make it a potential material for a variety of applications, including the detection and degradation of pesticides, such as large surface area, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity. There are numerous ways to detect pesticides using nanochitosan. Utilizing sensors made of nanochitosan is one typical strategy. Usually, nanochitosan is immobilized onto a substrate, like a gold electrode, or nanochitosan-based colorimetric assays are used to create these sensors. Because there is currently no environmentally benign method of pesticide remediation, scientists have looked for other ways to prevent pesticides from having a negative impact on the ecosystem. In order to degrade pesticides, nanochitosan has been used in a variety of ways. These include the usage of nanochitosan-based adsorbents, which are typically created by adding a functional group with a strong affinity for pesticides to nanochitosan. The pesticide is subsequently removed from the environment by the functional group after it attaches to it. Because nanochitosan can be impacted by environmental factors including pH and temperature, there are restrictions on its usage for bioremediation. Nanochitosan provides a number of benefits over other materials used for the detection and degradation of pesticides, notwithstanding its limits. As a result, it may be investigated to reduce the effects of pesticides on the environment.