Page 212 - Science at the nanoscale

10:17
RPS: PSP0007 - Science-at-Nanoscale
June 5, 2009
Future Trends
202
technologies from nanoelectronics to drug delivery, there are early
indications that a few nanotechnology products are beginning to
realize their potential. In this final chapter, we survey the impact
of nanotechnology on society, particular on the developing world
where it is needed most, and highlight some areas in which nano-
technology has had substantial success.
9.1 NANOTECHNOLOGY AND THE DEVELOPING
WORLD
Researchers at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics
and the Canadian Program on Genomics and Global Health
(Toronto, Canada) show that several developing countries are
already harnessing nanotechnology to address some of their most
They identify and rank the ten applications
pressing needs.
of nanotechnology most likely to benefit developing countries,
namely:
1. Energy storage, production, and conversion (Novel hydrogen
storage systems, photovoltaic cells, organic light-emitting
devices . . .)
2. Agricultural productivity enhancement (Nanoporous zeo-
lites for slow-release of water and fertiliser, nanocapsules for
herbicide delivery . . .)
3. Water treatment and remediation (Nanomembranes for water
purification, desalination and detoxification, nanosensors for
the detection of contaminants and pathogens . . .)
4. Disease diagnosis and screening (Nanolitre lab-on-a-chip, 3 ch09
nanosensor arrays, quantum dots for disease diagnosis, mag-
netic nanoparticles as nanosensors . . .)
5. Drug delivery systems (Nanocapsules, liposomes, den-
drimers, buckyballs, nanobiomagnets and attapulgite clays
for slow and sustained drug release . . .)
6. Food processing and storage (Nanocomposites for plas-
tic film coatings used in food packaging, antimicrobial
nanoemulsions for decontamination of food equipment,
packaging . . .)
3 F. Salamanca-Buentello et al., “Nanotechnology and the developing world”, PLoS
Medicine, 2(5), 0300–0303 (2005).