Investigating the remediation potential of iron oxide nanoparticles in Cu-polluted soil–plant systems: coupled geochemical, geophysical and biological approaches

). In the latter, magnNP internalization is likely hampered because of the plants' physiological responses to Cu toxicity. At the working Cu and magnNP concentrations, magnNPs neither decrease Cu accumulation in the plant tissues nor alleviate the overall growth retardation of sunflowers and certain phytotoxic effects induced by excess Cu. However, this study highlights several positive environmental aspects relative to magnNP use, including the harmless effects of magnNPs on sunflowers (1% magnNPs in soil) and the ability of magnNPs to influence Cu mobility in the soil (which could be even more pronounced at lower Cu concentration).