Applications
Medicine
Nanomedicine is a branch of nanoscience and nanotechnology that consists of the use of molecular knowledge of living beings and the possibility of manufacturing devices that contribute to the improvement of human health both in the field of design, drug release, construction of biocompatible nanomaterials, regenerative medicine and improvement of therapeutic techniques as well as in diagnosis through the increase in sensitivity and specificity of conventional techniques with the manufacture of nanobiosensors.[18].
Nanoscale medicine offers particular technological advances that involve the control, monitoring, repair, control, defense, construction and improvement of biological systems.[19] Different applications can be found in drug and gene delivery, DNA structure probing, biodetection of pathogens, tissue engineering, protein detection, separation and purification of biological molecules and cells, tumor detection, among many others.[20].
In pharmaceuticals they are used for pharmacological treatments, regeneration, device implants and in vitro and in vivo diagnostics. It is expected that in the future nanomachines or nanorobots will be used to be introduced into the human body and repair cellular damage or transport drugs.[19].
The use of quantum dots, semiconductor nanocrystals that, based on the excitatory stimulus, are capable of emitting light at different wavelengths, make in-vitro diagnosis possible, which is why they are used as biological markers of cellular activity. An example of this is its use for the early detection of Alzheimer's through the detection of a specific ligand.[21].
Food
Nanoscience is used in the agri-food industry and has some functions, including the prevention of microbial deterioration of packaged foods, the development of innovative packaging materials, the creation of pesticides and food supplements.[22].
Another of the main applications in this area is pesticides where nano-encapsulations are used for controlled release into the environment and movement; For example, coatings can allow the particles to not adhere to the plants due to their affinity so that there is no accumulation of toxic substance and the release is done slowly so that there are no problems of temporary overdose and contamination is minimized. Not only can crops be protected and pests avoided, crop production and quality can also be increased, where fertilizers in the form of nanoemulsions are used to increase the potency of active ingredients or to reduce the amount of fertilizer that must be applied.[22].
Their application in food packaging is one of the most important since they serve as gas or ultraviolet rays barriers, high temperature resistance, antimicrobial properties, among other applications.[22].
Computing and electronics
These areas are fundamental since they allow us to discover, predict, understand and confirm phenomena and properties that matter has on a nanometric scale. A wide variety of physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles and nanostructures have been calculated thanks to the development and implementation of theoretical and computational simulation methods. The calculations use different methodologies that can range from atomistic approaches to quantum mechanical descriptions.[23].
Some of the main advances in this field are:
Energy
In the energy field, nanoscience knowledge is applied to the improvement or implementation of nanostructured materials in technologies such as:[25].
Knowledge in nanoscience can also be used in the production of renewable energy, applying, for example, anti-fouling and corrosion-resistant coatings of seawater in the production of hydraulic energy, or the production of biofuel with the help of materials with which catalyst crystals responsible for generating it can be obtained.[26].
Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials are materials with at least one dimension on a nanometer scale.[27] Their structure is composed of atoms rearranged in specific shapes that give them special characteristics that can be used at convenience; For example, it has been possible to manufacture insulation materials, mechanical tools, matches, batteries, high-power magnets, vehicle engines, turbines and implants, improvement of the strength of melts, nanospheres to extract organic compounds from water, paint pigments, production of nanoscale electronic devices.[12].
Nanomaterials can be of different types, including nanofibers, nanoparticles, nanowires, nanocrystals and nanotubes, where their applications are very extensive thanks to their optical, catalytic, electronic, magnetic and mechanical properties; these properties can change due to shape and size.
Some examples of nanomaterials are:
Environment
Due to their size, nanomaterials are used to purify water or measure its quality according to needs, for example, iron nanoparticles have been used to decontaminate water from lead and arsenic, as they have abortifacient properties of these elements.[30] Another current example is the Drinkable Book created by Dr. Theresa Dankovich, it is a book that contains twenty-five pages that function as water filters where through the use of silver nanoparticles and Copper is capable of eliminating 99.9% of the E.coli bacteria in contaminated water.[31].
Nanomaterials, on the other hand, can be harmful due to their properties, such as they are extremely mobile, can easily pass into the bloodstream when inhaled or ingested, and possibly when applied to the skin and once inside the body have access to most organs and tissues, including the brain.
For example, in the case of carbon 60 (C60), simulations have been done in which this material enters the body and the results are that it is capable of interacting with cells and DNA, causing their deformation and preventing them from functioning as normal. If the DNA were affected, the damage could be inherited. Likewise, aggregates like this have been reported to be toxic to bacteria, suggesting a negative impact on ecosystems.
Additionally, inhalation of nanometer-sized chemical pollutants is associated with asthma attacks, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory diseases.
There are institutions in charge of regulating commercially permitted nanotechnology products, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council).[32].