Multifunctional copper polymer-based nanocomposite for environmental and agricultural applications

Abstract The emergence of nanostructured materials, including multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs), has attracted attention because of their unique characteristics such as size, shape, and chemical reactivity. This makes them extensively used in numerous applications such as agriculture, medicine, energy, sensors, and environmental remediation. The multifunctional copper (Cu) monohybrids effectively remove various contaminants such as heavy metal ions, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, etc., from wastewater and agroecosystems. The Cu-NPs also act as micronutrients for plants that augment plant growth as well as protect against pathogens, thereby improving crop yields. However, the direct application of metal NPs has significant toxicity against plants as well as humans and is also difficult to separate from water bodies. In this context, metal NP polymer-based nanocomposites have the potential ability to resolve such issues. These metal NPs are used as nanofillers within the polymeric composite that reduce the toxicity of the metal NPs. The multifunctional metal NP polymer-based nanocomposites can enhance the effectiveness of the NPs without any toxic response. This chapter focuses on the hybrid multifunctional Cu-NPs, and their toxicological aspects. We also discuss the Cu-NP polymer-based nanocomposite materials and their applications in the environment and agriculture.