Nanoparticles: Small Interventions for Major Challenges in Aquaculture

Aquaculture has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors of global food production, driven by population growth, consumer demand, and technological innovation. Despite this expansion, the industry continues to face persistent challenges, including disease management, optimizing growth and product quality, maintaining water quality, and mitigating environmental impacts. Nanotechnology has recently emerged as a promising tool to tackle these issues, offering both direct applications, such as antimicrobial agents, immunostimulants, and optimized drug delivery to enhance fish health, and indirect applications, including post-harvest processing, environmental monitoring, and contaminant removal. This review provides a comprehensive overview of nanoparticle applications in aquaculture from 2020 to early 2026, covering the various types of nanoparticles, their mechanisms of action, and the specific materials investigated during this period. The discussion also addresses potential benefits, limitations, and biosafety concerns, emphasizing the need for further in vivo and field studies to ensure the safe and sustainable integration of nanotechnologies into aquaculture practices.