What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and technology conducted at the

nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers.
Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of extremely small
things and can be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry,
biology, physics, materials science, and engineering.
Nanoscience and nanotechnology involve the ability to see and to control individual
atoms and molecules. Everything on Earth is made up of atoms—the food we eat,
the clothes we wear, the buildings and houses we live in, and our own bodies.

Soil
The chemical stabilization of a soil is dependent on a wide range of parameters, being
the most important ones associated to the soil properties and cementitious materials.
The mechanical behavior of a soil can be improved with addition of nanoparticles,
which are not a cementitious material but once introduced in a soil they are expected
to reduce the interparticles’ spacing and nanoreinforce it. This will promote the
construction of a stronger and stiffer soil skeleton matrix together with the
cementitious materials. However, to maximize the benefits of the nanoparticles
added to a stabilized soil it is crucial to overcome the problems related with particle
agglomeration.

Water Purification
Water purification using nanotechnology exploits nanoscopic materials such
as carbon nanotubes and alumina fibers for nanofiltration. It also utilizes the
existence of nanoscopic pores in zeolite filtration membranes, as well as
nanocatalysts and magnetic nanoparticles. Nanosensors, such as those
based on titanium oxide nanowires or palladium nanoparticles are used for
analytical detection of contaminants in water samples.
The impurities that nanotechnology can tackle depend on the stage of
purification of water to which the technique is applied, the team adds. It can be
used for removal of sediments, chemical effluents, charged particles, bacteria
and other pathogens. They explain that toxic trace elements such as arsenic,
and viscous liquid impurities such as oil can also be removed using
nanotechnology.

Dignostic Nanosensors
Advances in the era of nanotechnology are moving towards the fabrication
of nanosensors that are flexible, specific, versatile and sensitive.1 The
objective of nanosensors is to screen and measure any chemical,
mechanical and physical changes that are related to a marker of interest.
Different sensing approaches can be assimilated into other systems like
labs-on-a-chip to simplify any kind of detection. The various applications of
nanosensors include metabolite monitoring within body
2 3
fluids, microorganism detection in different samples, and finding the
pathology of tissues such as tumors.4 The ability to detect important
molecules, such as disease-related metabolites, proteins, nucleic acids,
pathogens, and cells such as circulating tumor cells, is essential not only for
disease diagnosis in the clinical setting but also for industrial, environmental
and agricultural research development.
Crop Protection
Crop protection plays a vital role in food production worldwide.
Nanotechnologies are increasingly being used to protect traditional crops
and to breed new crops with excellent traits. The control of pests, weeds,
and diseases as well as crop genetic modifications are currently being
improved through nanobiotechnologies such as pollen magnetofection
and gene nanocarriers. The knowledge regarding the synthesis of
nanomaterials with outstanding properties has substantially improved
the traditional management of crop pests, weeds, and diseases.

Plant Breeding
Plant breeders and phytopathologist are needed who can apply
nanogenomics and develop nanodiagnostic technologies to accurately
advance the improvement process and take advantage of the potential of
genomics. A new nano biotechnology method describes new plant gene
transfer tools and DNA sequencing systems to improve crop resistance
against plant diseases and increase food security.

A new plant variety, with better yield, disease resistance and quality traits,
improve agricultural productivity for a growing global population. The
traditional plant breeding procedures take many years. Nano genomics-based
methods have enabled breeders greater precision breeding have opened up
exciting new opportunities for selecting and transferring genes, which has not
only reduced the time needed to eliminate unnecessary genes, but has also
allowed the breeder to access useful genes from distant plants.

Nanoparticles
Nanoparticle are particles between 1 and 100 nanometres (nm) in size with a
surrounding interfacial layer. The interfacial layer is an integral part
of nanoscale matter, fundamentally affecting all of its properties. The
interfacial layer typically consists of ions, inorganic and organic molecules.
Organic molecules coating inorganic nanoparticles are known as stabilizers,
capping and surface ligands, or passivating agents.[1] In nanotechnology, a
particle is defined as a small object that behaves as a whole unit with respect
to its transport and properties. Particles are further classified according to
diameter.