Sustainable agriculture and food security are among the most important issues in the world’s ever-growing population. Therefore, intensified attempts to sustainably increase agricultural yields are necessary to ensure food security.

The synthesis of new multifunctional materials that act as carriers, adsorbents, moisture controllers, or stabilizers of micro- and macroelements fully meets these assumptions. The project, which aims to ensure the well-being of the entire biosphere, goes beyond the anthropocentric aspect by offering a novel, holistic approach.

Our research group intends to work under the topic “Novel multifunctional nanomaterials and technologies designed to enhance sustainable human well-being”. We recognize that soil is important for all natural capital, maintaining enormous biodiversity and providing key ecosystem services, including food production, carbon storage, and water purification. Unfortunately, soil pollution worldwide is increasing not only due to excessive nutrient supply and pesticide use, but also from industrial activity. Pollution in the form of mineral oils, undisposed waste, or heavy metals is the scourge of today. All these factors affect soil fertility and health.

In this context, Advanced NanoComposites (ANCs), i.e., complexes such as biochar or silica and green synthesized nanofertilizers (magnesium, ferrous) or nanopesticides (copper-based), can be used to stimulate and protect plant growth and to improve soil fertility and health in order to achieve sustainable goals. Our group emphasizes the use of ANC, a novel approach that can bring social benefits by avoiding contamination and improving soil fertility and health, to produce enough food for a growing population and achieve one of the Sustainable Development Goals: “zero hunger”. In addition, such ANCs can be used to clean polluted natural habitats from pollutants (remediation) and in plant cultivation to mitigate the effects of a changing climate (e.g., drought or salinity).