NANOTECHNOLOGY

Introduction

Nanotechnology is an emerging field of science which involves the engineering of nanosize particles of various materials. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the nanotechnology as formation and use of structure, systems and devices that has novel function and properties because of their small size. Nanotechnology has the capability to plays an important role in food industry and food products. Not only in food sector nanotechnology is also used in water safety, control of biological contamination in consumer products, maintenance of sterile surfaces in medical equipment and devices, and the management of infectious diseases. Nanotechnology is serving to improve, even recast many technologies and industries sector such as energy, information technology, homeland security, environmental science, transportation, medicines, food safety and many others.

This article primarily focuses on the use and application of nanotechnology in food, medicines, environmental science, and transportation. ^[1]

Healthcare applications:

Nanotechnology is advancing the health care knowledge, tools and therapies. The application of nanotechnology in medicines is the nanomedicines, draws on the natural scale of biological phenomenon to produce precise solution for diagnosis, disease prevention and treatment. Here are the few examples of new advances in this field:

·         Nanotechnology enables better diagnostic and imagining tools for more individualized treatment options and better therapeutic purpose.

·         Currently nanotechnology researchers are focuses on different therapeutics where nanoparticle can encapsulate or the drug directly delivers to the cancers cells and minimizing the risk of damage to healthy cell. Nanoparticle has the potential to changes the way of cancer treatment and can reduce the toxic effect of chemotherapy.

·         The engineering of advanced solid-state nanopore particle could allow the development of novel gene sequencing techniques that enables the single molecule detection at high speed and low cost with minimal use of instrumentation and sample preparation. ^[2]

Food sector applications:

Nanotechnology has the mysterical power in every field of science. Nanotechnology plays an important role in food industry and establishing the great potential. Applications of nanotechnology in food industries include:

·         Introduction of antibacterial nanoparticles in food, enhancement of shelf life, enhancement of flavor, and improve food storage.

·         Nano food processing and products can change the flavor, color, or sensory characteristics. Also it can remove the pathogens and chemicals from food.

·         Nano barcodes are use for monitoring the distribution of food products and also use for safety labeling. ^[3]

Energy application:

Nanotechnology is finding application in traditional energy sources and markedly rising alternative energy approaches to meet the increasing demand of world. Many researchers are studying to produce affordable, clean and renewable energy resources, along with means to minimizing energy consumption, and reducing toxicity burdens on the environment.

·         Scientists are observing carbon nanotube scrubbers to separate Co₂ from power plant exhaust.

·         Nanotechnology can be applied to gas and oil extraction through, for example, the use of nanoparticles to detect microscopic down-well oil pipeline cracks.

·         Nanotechnology is already being used to develop many different types of batteries that are more efficient, high power density, lower weight, quick charging and hold longer electrical charge.

·         Sunlight can convert into electricity more efficiently by incorporating nanotechnology into solar panels, promising cheaper solar power in future. Nanostructured solar cells could be inexpensive to manufacture and easier to install, since they can use print like manufacturing processes and can be made in flexible rolls rather than discrete panels. Novel research suggests that future solar converters might be paintable.

Environmental remediation:

In addition to the improving energy efficiency nanotechnology also help to detect and clean up environmental contaminants:

·         A thin film membrane with nanopores has been developed by engineers for energy efficient desalination. The molybdenum disulphide (MoS₂) membrane filtered 2 to 5 times more water than conventional filters.

·         Nanoparticles are being developed to clean industrial water pollutants in ground water through chemical reactions that render the pollutants harmless. This method would be cheaper than processes that require pumping the water out of the ground for treatment.

·         Nanotechnology can meet the demand for the affordable, clean drinking water through low cost, rapid detection and treatment of impurities in water.

·         Nanotechnology enabled solutions and sensors are now capable to identify and detect biological or chemical agents in the soil and air with much higher sensitivity than ever before.

·         Scientist are investigating materials such as dendrimers, carbon nanotubes to determine how to apply their unique physical and chemical properties for different types of toxic site remediation.

·         NASA developed the sensor as a smart phone extension that fire fighters can monitor air quality around fires.

Transportation applications:

Nanotechnology extend the promise of multifunctional material that will contribute to manufacturing and building safer, smarter, lighter and more efficient automobiles, ships, spacecrafts, and aircrafts. Nanotechnology provides various means to improve transportation infrastructure:

·         Nanoscales devices and sensors may provide cost effective continuous monitoring of structural integrity, and performance of tunnels, bridges, parking structures and pavement over time.

·         Nanoscales sensors, communication devices and other innovations enabled by nanoelectronics can enhanced and support transportation infrastructure that can communicate with vehicle-based systems to help drivers maintain lane position, adjust travel route to avoid congestion, avoid collisions, and improve drivers interfaces to onboard electronics.^[2]

Challenges:

At the time being, nanotechnology has been widely applied to the drug development. Therapeutics based on nano particles has the ability to swamped biological barriers and to deliver hydrophobic drug effectively to the target site. As multi component 3D structure nanoparticles requires careful engineering and design and reproducible manufacturing and scale up processes to get consistent product. Nanoparticle based medicines; safety and efficacy can be influence by very few variations and require careful observation during pre clinical and clinical testing.  Nanoparticle based medicine may have to represent more regulatory considerations and development challenges as compared to the conventional medicines. Efforts are being made to produce unique therapeutic agents. ^[4]

REFRENCES:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/nanotechnology
2. https://www.nano.gov/you/nanotechnology-benefits
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212670814000906
4. https://nanotechnology.pharmaceuticalconferences.com/events-list/major-challenges-in-nanotechnology

^{By: Aisha Mehak}