Data of the article : Fine tuning protocols for accurate studying of nanoparticle adhesion and uptake following foliar deposition

These data are the results used in the article "Fine tuning protocols for accurate studying of nanoparticle adhesion and uptake following foliar deposition"

Abstract :

Understanding interactions between plant leaves and (nano)particles (NPs) is crucial for addressing phytochemical and environmental challenges. Recent studies show how NPs adhesion, uptake, and transformation on leaf surfaces are influenced by NPs properties, plant surface, and environmental factors. However, variability results from inconsistent protocols for leaf exposure and rinsing to determine the uptake fraction of NPs. This work explores how exposure methods affect dose reproducibility, NPs distribution on the leaf surface, and how rinsing protocols influence NPs element remobilization.

This work assessed how the methods commonly used in the literature to expose leaves to NP -drop-deposition, spraying, dipping, and brushing- compare in term of dose reproducibility and control over the exposure. The efficacy of rinsing strategies was evaluated with Au and CuO NPs which have contrasting solubility. They have been deposited on tomato leaves (var. micro-tom), and sequentially rinsed with diluted ethanol (EtOH), nitric acid (HNO3), and ultra-pure water, in various sequential order.

The results indicate that drop-deposition offers better dose reproducibility control, while spraying, dipping, and brushing cause lower reproducibility. The spatial distribution and surface agglomeration of NPs vary with the exposure methods, influencing their fate on/in leaves. Regarding rinsing, soluble NPs (CuO) are more efficiently rinsed by HNO3-2%, while EtOH-3% does not remove Cu, indicating strong attachment to the leaf. In contrast, Au NPs are better rinsed with ethanol-based solvents, possibly due to solvent lower polarity, surface tension or wax damage effect. Changing the rinsing solvent sequence helped identify different NP-leaf attachment fractions and their interaction nature. This study highlights the need for fine-tuned exposure and rinsing protocols tailored to the specific research question.