Omosanya T.A., Yekeen T.A. , Fawole O.O., Azeez M.A., Lateef A. & Ajala O.O.
Vol 1, Issue 1, Article number: 11 (Jun, 2024)
https://doi.org/10.48187/stnanomat.2021.2.009
Graphical Abstract
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 (NPs) within the scale of 1 – 100nm. 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 NPs into 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 NPs in fish nutrition with their probable potential adverse effects are to be explored in this study with a view to devise fish management strategy that will maximize full benefit of NPs with little to no risk of toxicity.