It may be that when hearing “nanotechnology” it refers to what is current, modern or future, but the truth is that this science that manipulates matter in a tiny dimension has been used for quite some time.
To get into context it is important to define the word therefore, nanotechnology is the control and manipulation of matter at the nano scale, that is, to the billionth of a meter. This technique goes beyond just operating in these dimensions (other disciplines such as chemistry are involved), it focuses on designing, characterizing and producing novel nanostructures, nanodevices and nanosystems to control the shape, size and property of matter to this scale in order to develop diverse applications, both civil and military. (Delgado Ramos, 2008)
Although the word nanotechnology is relatively new, the existence of functional devices of nanometric dimensions is not; Furthermore, such structures have existed on Earth since its origins. A mollusk called abalone creates very strong shells, whose interior is iridescent, this mollusk organizes calcium carbonate in the form of strong nanostructured units, joined together by a glue made of carbohydrate and protein. These shells are proof that structures made of nanoparticles can be stronger.
It is not quite clear at what point in history humans began to take advantage of materials with nanometric dimensions. It is known that in the 4th century (BC), Roman glassmakers produced crystals that contained nanometric metals.
In the British museum in London you can find a utensil from this period, called the Lycurgus cup, this cup represents the death of King Lycurgus, it is made of soda-lime glass that contains gold and silver nanoparticles. (Poole Jr. & Owens, 2003)
Another of the first signs of nanotechnology was in the Mayan culture, where the "Mayan blue" comes from, which is composed of organic matter and inorganic compounds, these elements together with a thermal process produced a nanometric-size crystallization, the properties of this pigment are still currently under study as it resists the passage of time, acid, climatic conditions and biodegradation.
Applications
Nanotechnology applications are so diverse and complex that experts in the field prefer to speak of “nanotechnologies” in order to more accurately observe the different types of use.
Some application examples are found in nanostructured materials used in products such as golf, tennis or bowling balls; in the production of high-performance tires or anti-stain / anti-wrinkle fabrics; cosmetics, drugs and new therapeutic treatments; in nanostructured water filters and environmental solutions; they get involved in production processes by introducing more resistant or efficient materials (industrial or agro-industrial sector); design of new materials in the field of electronics, aeronautics, transportation, even in the use of more lethal, light and effective weapons.
These applications have been identified to serve various purposes. On the one hand, various benefits have been observed capable of restructuring the material environment that surrounds us. And on the other hand, the possible implications that this change would generate in the environment and in health are identified, due to the fact that novel nanostructures created by humans would be present.
It is estimated that the main applications that are being developed correspond to:
- Health and life sciences sector by 18% Chemicals by 12% Information and communications industry by 9% Environmental applications by 9% Transport sector by 8% Energy by 8% Consumer goods 8% Construction 6% Articles 5% Defense and security 5% Aerospace 5% Personal care 3% Textiles 3% Food 1%
(Nanoposts, 2007)
The impact of nanotechnology on society is more than evident, with various developments in the industry, environmental sustainability, search for new sources of energy.
Food, the first beneficiaries
One of the sectors that has obtained benefits is food production, in which nanobiosensors could be used to detect pathogenic microorganisms in food.
Another interesting application is nanocomposites, they serve in the manufacture of food, they increase mechanical and thermal resistance, apart from reducing the transfer of oxygen in products packaged with this type of materials.
Search for new energy sources
The task of finding new sources of energy has seen a strong ally in nanotechnology, perhaps solar cells improve their efficiency due to the development of specialized nanostructures.
Environment
The main objective of nanotechnology on the protection of the environment is to manufacture nano materials that are not harmful to the planet or human health and, on the other hand, to make chemical processes less harmful thanks to nanotechnology.
Wastewater treatment is a good example of the advancements of green nanotechnology. (Bernardo, 2013)
Risks and implications
When talking about issues that generate great changes in the daily life of the human being, there will always be implications of an ethical nature that serve as control mechanisms so that the initial purpose does not deviate towards objectives that do not benefit the human being. Some risks are:
- That the promise of reducing the consumption of energy and materials through nanotechnology would be extinguished because companies would see an increase in their costs of production, use or progress. That the nanostructure modifies the functioning of the human being with unknown consequences, for For example: tissue damage, change in genetic information. That the benefits of nanotechnology are not distributed equitably among the population, that is, the population that, due to lack of resources, does not have access to these benefits, is left abandoned. Political-military applications would harm human rights by changing the concept of war, with clandestine operations, as well as counter-insurgency operations. That the advance of nanotechnology in conjunction with biotechnology,Electro computing and the so-called cognitive sciences could result in the transformation of human nature, modifying the body and mind towards something better, whatever “something better” means.
The expectations around nanotechnology are high, this is reflected in public spending and investment that is allocated to areas of Research & Development of nanotechnologies.
Nanotechnology in business
It is worth highlighting an important point within the nanotechnology business and that is that there is a rather interesting contrast between the range of products that are marketed or are in the pre-marketing phase since they are few compared to the immense investment made to generate the products.
For entrepreneurs, this niche still needs a few years to mature, because the return on investment in a medium-long-term horizon is minimal, since various data indicate that the global market will have a trend towards this sector in the next 10 years, with nanotechnology applications of 15% of global manufacturing. (Nordan, 2005)
Department of Defense Nanotechnology Spending by Application (Millions of Dollars) Source: Department of Defense, 2007
To this possible exponential trend must be added the military interest, which does not necessarily operate under the framework of the law and the market, because on some occasions the product has already been sold before its development and production. In Illustration 1, you can see the main lines of military research and development in the United States. (Department of Defense, 2007)
According to Lux Research, in 2004 there were 12.08 billion dollars (million dollars) in sales of products that use some type of nanotechnology, an amount that for 2008, according to Científica, is speculated at 166 billion dollars. (Lux Research, 2006) (Scientific, 2008).
Short-term projections are more encouraging as potential growth is identified. For Lux, in 2010 sales are expected to total $ 507 billion. (Lawrence, 2005) (Baker, 2005). Five years later, in 2015, sales of over a trillion dollars (million of millions) would be calculated (Feder, 2004).
Investing in Nanotechnology
This enthusiasm for nanotechnology has sparked various government schemes and initiatives to promote R&D in nanotechnology (See Figure 2 to observe the countries leading initiatives).
In the area of financing, it is estimated that government investment went from 430 million dollars in 1997 to 3 billion dollars in 2003; situation in which the US contributed 25%. (Roco, 2004).
For 2004, Lux Research estimated that total global spending amounted to $ 8.6 billion, of which $ 4.6 billion was provided by the public sector. The United States contributed 1.6 billion dollars; Japan with around a million and the European Union with just over a billion dollars.
In 2005, the amount of capital contributed is supposed to have increased to $ 5.9 billion from the public sector, $ 4.5 billion from large and medium-sized businesses and some 500 million start-ups, for a total of $ 10.9 billion (Lux Research, 2006).
For the year 2006, the Lux Research figures define a total of 12.4 billion dollars: 6.4 billion dollars from the public sector, 5.3 billion dollars from the large and medium-sized businessman and some 700 million start-ups. (Holman, 2007)
For the year 2007, the amount of total spending on nanoscience and nanotechnology worldwide is speculated around 14 billion dollars.
Nanotechnology and its financing: the case of the United States, Europe and Japan. Source: Delgado, 2008 and Nanosposts, 2007
Second Industrial Revolution
This second so-called industrial revolution, this is how some scientists have cataloged the advance of nanotechnology, since they foresee a great economic impact of this science on the industrial sector. Providing innovative inputs, automating complex processes would impact industries in their supply chain, distribution channels, and value chains. This logically would bring consequences such as crisis and disappearance of various traditional productive activities.
Most of the productive sectors of the countries could experience shocks in their economic systems, they would see the need to adapt drastic changes to guarantee their competitiveness within the demands of a global economy.
Nanotechnology and its various economic scenarios: How to prepare countries
It is a reality that countries will have to, whether they want to or not, face the challenges that the nanotechnology era brings. Definitely an important aspect is the way to prepare to successfully face the challenges of this science.
It would be a great advantage to formulate different scenarios with different variables to be attentive to possible changes. With the simple fact of planning the change, it favors the awareness, benefits and risks of nanotechnology, alternatives for its adaptation and its correct administration.
The advantage of this type of simulation and planning allows countries to adjust their approaches and strategies: initiatives, regulations, investments.
In long-term adaptation scenarios, it is interesting to raise the following aspects for the countries:
- Level of integration of nanotechnology with the economy Rapid response through efficiency in strategic planning of the sectors Level of private investment Labor market: new jobs and unemployment Government policies Acceleration and R&D programs. Government and industry collaboration. Benefits derived from nanotechnology, productivity, social impacts and improvements in the quality of life. Coordination of the national industry for the management of accelerated change.
These are just some aspects to take into account regarding the adaptation of countries to nanotechnology. However, the nations that are better prepared and aware of the nanotechnology revolution will be in a better position to catapult national wealth.
Conclusions
Today, globalization is characterized by a set of problems that demand quick solutions. The changes generated by globalization range from crisis and financial turmoil generated by developed countries to strong migratory tensions, debates on climate change, reduction of poverty, inequalities, impact on the environment.
The tangible facts generated by globalization make countries think that the nanotechnology stage is a reality and it is important to be prepared if they want to remain competitive.
Thesis proposal
Topic: "Development of nanobiosensors with application of identification of pathogens in food"
Objective: Prevention of diseases caused by consumption of contaminated food. It is prevented by nanobiosensors that diagnose food before eating it. It can be focused on developing countries or patients with delicate diseases.
Bibliography
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