The Impact of CeO2 Engineered Nanomaterials on the Soil-Water Holding Properties: A Pedostructure Characterization Approach

Abstract

With the increase in the demand for food and clean water, non-conventional water reuse has taken a lot of attention recently. However, the impact of the reused water is still being researched. A widely used variety of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have been used in industry and end up in our wastewater treatment systems and therefore the environment. Studies previously conducted focused only on the implication of the nanoparticles on the plant rather than the soil. Understanding how the ENMs affect the soil aggregates will help better evaluate the soil-water holding properties, the soil health, and the soil functionality. In my research, the soil-water holding properties will be identified based on the soil aggregates structure (pedostructure approach) rather than soil texture. This research studies how a specific negatively charged engineered nanoparticle: CeO2-NPs-, can alter the hydro-structural properties of a sandy soil. The results show that CeO2-NPs- have improved the soil-water retention of the studied sandy soil and increased its available water from 0.033 (kgwater/kgsoil) to 0.100 (kgwater/kgsoil). The research outcomes will contribute to better irrigation management practices as well as soil and water conservation practices.