Metal nanoparticles applications and their release into surrounding: Perspectives of plant uptake and effects on phytohormones

Currently, nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in several applications, including the medical, cosmetics, food, environmental, and construction fields. Therefore, they might be released into the environment, which represents a potential source of risk to the living organisms. Plants can uptake NPs released to water, soil, landfill, or air. After their uptake, NPs can translocate within the plant and affect its physiological, morphological, biochemical, and genetic aspects. Furthermore, several studies detected the effect of metal NPs on plant hormones and studied their molecular basis, which is the focus of this chapter. It is crucial to assess the effects of metal NPs on phytohormones because they can increase, decrease, or have no effect on hormone levels in different plant species. Eventually, metal NPs can alter the growth aspects of plants and may lead to plant death.