Phytotoxic Effects and Agricultural Potential of Nanofertilizers: A Case Study Using Zeolite, Zinc Oxide, and Titanium Dioxide Under Controlled Conditions

Nanofertilizers (NFs) and engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly used in agriculture, yet their environmental safety remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the comparative phytotoxicity of zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and clinoptilolite nanoparticles, three commercial nanofertilizers, and potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) using Lactuca sativa seeds under adapted OECD-208 protocol conditions. Seeds were exposed to varying concentrations of each xenobiotic material (0.5–3% for NFs; 10–50% for NPs), with systematic assessment of seedling survival, root and hypocotyl length, dry biomass, germination index (GI), and median effective concentration (EC50) values. Nanofertilizers demonstrated significantly greater phytotoxicity than engineered nanoparticles despite lower application concentrations. The toxicity ranking was established as NF1 > NF3 > NF2 > NM2 > NM1 > NM3, with NF1 being most toxic (EC50 = 1.2%). Nanofertilizers caused 45–78% reductions in root length and 30–65% decreases in dry biomass compared with controls. GI values dropped to ≤70% in NF1 and NF3 treatments, indicating concentration-dependent growth inhibition. While nanofertilizers offer agricultural benefits, their elevated phytotoxicity compared with conventional nanoparticles necessitates rigorous pre-application safety assessment. These findings emphasize the critical need for standardized evaluation protocols incorporating both physiological and ecotoxicological endpoints to ensure safe xenobiotic nanomaterial deployment in agricultural systems.