Applications and Benefits of Dietary Nanoparticles in Aquaculture: A Review

Highlight

· Dietary NPs are useful in nutrient and vaccines delivery, water treatment among others

· Nano-delivery systems are efficient an alternative procedure in aquaculture

· Toxicity of NPs in aquaculture had been reported, thus its uses must be monitored 

 

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Graphical Abstract

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Abstract

Fish nutrition is the single most important input in aquaculture production. It influences fish growth, quality, health, with subsequent increase in production and waste generation. Nanotechnology is an emerging concept with diverse applications including fish nutrition. It involves the use of nanoparticles within the scale of 1 – 100 nm. The physiological role of nanoparticles depends on their structural and functional characteristics. In aquaculture, nanotechnology techniques have been found efficient in water treatment, while nano-delivery system has been perceived as a safer and more efficient alternative procedure to fish vaccination, nutrient delivery, and effective in fish disease diagnosis and treatment. Fortification of fish diets with nutrient and non-nutrient bioactive components enhance the total nutrient profile balance of a diet and supplement nutrients recovery during feed processing. Administration of dietary nanoparticles provides an increase in surface area available for interaction with biological support. Incorporation of nanoparticles into the fish diet has been found to improve fish production and when employed as encapsulating materials, they serve as carriers for essential oils, flavour, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals thereby facilitating their bioavailability to fish. The NPs of importance to fish nutrition include those produced from chitosan, copper (Cu), selenium (Se), iron (Fe), gold (Au), zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag). Various applications of nanoparticles in fish nutrition with their probable potential adverse effects are explored in this study with a view to devising fish management strategy that will maximize the full benefit of nanoparticles with little to no risk of toxicity.

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