C hapTer 11 nanomaterials and nanotechnologies
468
positive environmental benefits, either indirectly, through better
use of material and energy sources, or directly via improvements
in specific remediation technologies, such as better air or water
purification systems or better methods for desalinization. Nonetheless, there are possibilities that nanomaterials could also work their
way into our ecosystems by means of accidental discharges or other
means. Potential impacts must be understood. These important
issues are reviewed in the following sections.
Both the health and environmental fields represent huge areas of
research and investigation. It is interesting to note that the scientific community of researchers in the engineering and product fields
who deal with nanomaterials and nanotechnologies are not commonly the same as those who deal with biological or medical or
drug delivery. Though they share common aims in exploiting the
many unique characteristics of nanomaterials, the context of their
work is so different that it sometimes appears as though the two
fields are emerging in parallel. The following discussion outlines
only the major issues in this area.
11.2 MediCal and pharMaCeuTiCal
nanoTeChnoloGY appliCaTions
There is little doubt as to the importance of nanomaterials in
evolving medical and pharmaceutical applications. Along with the
electronics industry and in close cooperation with it, this is one
of the biggest and fastest-growing areas of research and development. The potential of improving human health through the use
of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies is widely recognized as
enormous. It is also a foregone conclusion that the following
brief accounting of developments in these areas cannot do justice
to the breadth and scope of current activities in these areas, even in
summary form. The intent here is only to give a flavor of the overall
kinds of directions pursued for the benefit of the specialized part of
the design community involved with medical applications such as
medical implants or diagnostic devices. This section thus briefly
reviews potential medical and pharmaceutical applications of
nanomaterials and nanotechnologies in several primary areas,
including biosensing, diagnostics, interventions, and drug delivery.
We touch on enabling technologies such as nanolabs as well.
Biosensing technologies can use nanomaterials and nanotechnologies
to increase our understanding of both the fundamental understanding of cells and a host of disease-specific phenomena. Nanomate-
468
positive environmental benefits, either indirectly, through better
use of material and energy sources, or directly via improvements
in specific remediation technologies, such as better air or water
purification systems or better methods for desalinization. Nonetheless, there are possibilities that nanomaterials could also work their
way into our ecosystems by means of accidental discharges or other
means. Potential impacts must be understood. These important
issues are reviewed in the following sections.
Both the health and environmental fields represent huge areas of
research and investigation. It is interesting to note that the scientific community of researchers in the engineering and product fields
who deal with nanomaterials and nanotechnologies are not commonly the same as those who deal with biological or medical or
drug delivery. Though they share common aims in exploiting the
many unique characteristics of nanomaterials, the context of their
work is so different that it sometimes appears as though the two
fields are emerging in parallel. The following discussion outlines
only the major issues in this area.
11.2 MediCal and pharMaCeuTiCal
nanoTeChnoloGY appliCaTions
There is little doubt as to the importance of nanomaterials in
evolving medical and pharmaceutical applications. Along with the
electronics industry and in close cooperation with it, this is one
of the biggest and fastest-growing areas of research and development. The potential of improving human health through the use
of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies is widely recognized as
enormous. It is also a foregone conclusion that the following
brief accounting of developments in these areas cannot do justice
to the breadth and scope of current activities in these areas, even in
summary form. The intent here is only to give a flavor of the overall
kinds of directions pursued for the benefit of the specialized part of
the design community involved with medical applications such as
medical implants or diagnostic devices. This section thus briefly
reviews potential medical and pharmaceutical applications of
nanomaterials and nanotechnologies in several primary areas,
including biosensing, diagnostics, interventions, and drug delivery.
We touch on enabling technologies such as nanolabs as well.
Biosensing technologies can use nanomaterials and nanotechnologies
to increase our understanding of both the fundamental understanding of cells and a host of disease-specific phenomena. Nanomate-