Authors: Basant Kumar Sahu, Lata Pradhan
Abstract: The increasing use of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) across consumer products, medicine, and industrial applications has led to their unintended release into natural ecosystems, sparking ecotoxicological concerns. Due to their small size, high surface area, and reactivity, nanoparticles interact uniquely with microorganisms in soil, water, and sediment ecosystems. These environmental microbiomes—complex networks of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and protozoa—play essential roles in nutrient cycling, decomposition, and pollutant degradation. However, exposure to nanoparticles often results in oxidative stress, disruption of cellular membranes, genotoxicity, and changes in metabolic functions. Such stress responses can reduce microbial diversity, impair ecosystem processes, and destabilize trophic networks. Despite these critical risks, traditional environmental risk assessments fail to incorporate microbial endpoints, focusing instead on higher organisms. This review explores the pathways through which nanoparticles induce stress in microbiomes, the ecological consequences of such interactions, and the current limitations in detection and regulation. Emphasis is placed on using omics tools and community-level bioindicators to assess sub-lethal effects. Addressing nanoparticle impacts at the microbial level is vital for maintaining ecological balance and sustainability. The paper concludes by recommending policy frameworks and green nanotechnologies that prioritize microbiome integrity in environmental safety assessments.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16835383