Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: E028
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.E028
Published online: 22 April 2026
From transformation to impact: the role of ZnO nanoparticle modifications in bioavailability, plant health, and soil microbial functions
Anna Ziarkowska*, Mikołaj Feculak and Izabela Jośko
Institute of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 13 Akademicka St., 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: anna.ziarkowska@up.edu.pl
The increasing release of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) into the environment, particularly in agricultural systems, raises important questions about their transformations and subsequent ecological effects. In soil, ZnO ENPs undergo complex physicochemical and biological transformations that significantly alter their bioavailability, mobility, and interactions with plants and soil microorganisms. However, the implications of these transformed forms (trans-ZnO ENPs) for metal accumulation, plant physiological responses, and soil microbial functioning remain insufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to the effects of pristine (p-ZnO ENPs) and transformed ZnO ENPs, including sulfidized (sulph-ZnO ENPs), protein-coated (BSA@ZnO ENPs), and doubly transformed forms (BSA@sulph-ZnO ENPs) on zinc bioavailability in soil, its accumulation in edible plants (Lactuca sativa L. and Spinacia oleracea L.), plant health indicators, and soil microbial functional potential. Moreover the aim was to determine the effect of ZnO ENPs on the activity of extracellular enzymes in soil and to determine the copy numbers of bacterial genes involved in C, N, and P cycling.
Experiments were conducted using LUFA soil amended with nanoparticulate and ionic Zn at 20 and 200 mg Zn·kg−1. The results demonstrated that Zn bioavailability and accumulation strongly depend on both nanoparticle form and concentration. Pristine ZnO ENPs showed higher accumulation in plant roots but limited translocation, while ionic Zn exhibited greater mobility. Transformed ENPs displayed distinct accumulation patterns, indicating that transformation processes critically control Zn transfer within the soil–plant system. Plant physiological responses, including chlorophyll content and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, were primarily influenced by ENP type, suggesting both beneficial and stress-related effects depending on nanoparticle characteristics. Risk assessment indices (EDI, HRI, THQ) remained below threshold values, indicating no immediate threat to human health under the studied conditions.
At the soil level, ZnO ENPs significantly influenced microbial activity and functional gene abundance. Sulfidized ENPs notably increased gene copy numbers associated with denitrification, phosphorus mineralization, and metal resistance, whereas doubly transformed ENPs led to a reduction in microbial functional potential over time. Additionally, genes involved in nitrogen cycling showed dynamic responses depending on exposure duration and Zn form. Overall, this study highlights that nanoparticle transformations are a key factor determining the environmental fate and biological impact of ZnO ENPs. By linking Zn bioavailability, plant responses, and soil microbial functions, these findings provide new insights into the mechanisms governing ENP behavior in agroecosystems and contribute to improved environmental risk assessment and the development of safer nanomaterials.
Keywords: accumulation; functional genes; human diet; nanoparticles; plants; soil microbiome
How to cite
Ziarkowska A., Feculak M., Jośko I., 2026. From transformation to impact: the role of ZnO nanoparticle modifications in bioavailability, plant health, and soil microbial functions. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.E028