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      Nanotechnology for sustainable food production: promising opportunities and scientific challenges

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          Abstract

          Unique properties of nanomaterials can be leveraged to increase the sustainability of food production and distribution.

          Abstract

          The agro-ecosystem is under enormous pressure due to rapid population growth, increasing global food demand, increasing fresh water withdrawals and energy consumption, excessive food waste, inefficient use of agrochemicals, environmental degradation and climate change. Nanotechnology offers opportunities to make food production more sustainable by providing better sensors for monitoring physical, chemical, or biological properties and processes; technologies for controlling pathogens to increase food safety and minimize food waste; improved membranes and sorbents for distributed water treatment and resource recovery; novel materials for timed and targeted delivery of agrochemicals; and, new materials for monitoring and improving animal health. This tutorial review provides an overview of the nanotechnology opportunities of greatest potential determined through an NSF-funded interdisciplinary workshop of ∼50 experts from the U.S. and the EU in the areas of nanotechnology, energy, water, agriculture, systems engineering, data integration and analysis, and social science. This paper also presents examples of selected specific opportunities and the remaining scientific and engineering challenges that must be overcome to realize the benefits of nanotechnology across the farm to fork continuum.

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          Most cited references103

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          Nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery.

          Nanotechnology could be defined as the technology that has allowed for the control, manipulation, study, and manufacture of structures and devices in the "nanometer" size range. These nano-sized objects, e.g., "nanoparticles", take on novel properties and functions that differ markedly from those seen from items made of identical materials. The small size, customized surface, improved solubility, and multi-functionality of nanoparticles will continue to open many doors and create new biomedical applications. Indeed, the novel properties of nanoparticles offer the ability to interact with complex cellular functions in new ways. This rapidly growing field requires cross-disciplinary research and provides opportunities to design and develop multifunctional devices that can target, diagnose, and treat devastating diseases such as cancer. This article presents an overview of nanotechnology for the biologist and discusses the attributes of our novel XPclad((c)) nanoparticle formulation that has shown efficacy in treating solid tumors, single dose vaccination, and oral delivery of therapeutic proteins.
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            Applications of nanotechnology in food packaging and food safety: Barrier materials, antimicrobials and sensors

            Graphical abstract Nanotechnology may revolutionize the food industry by providing stronger, high-barrier packaging materials, more potent antimicrobial agents, and a host of sensors which can detect trace contaminants, gasses or microbes in packaged foods. Highlights ► Focuses on the use of nanomaterials in food packaging and sensing applications. ► Polymer nanocomposites offer high gas barriers, strength, and flame retardancy. ► Silver and metal oxide nanoparticles are potent biocides. ► Nanosensors and assays detect gasses, small molecules and microorganisms. ► Economic outlook and health and safety implications are also briefly reviewed.
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              Applications of nanotechnology in water and wastewater treatment.

              Providing clean and affordable water to meet human needs is a grand challenge of the 21st century. Worldwide, water supply struggles to keep up with the fast growing demand, which is exacerbated by population growth, global climate change, and water quality deterioration. The need for technological innovation to enable integrated water management cannot be overstated. Nanotechnology holds great potential in advancing water and wastewater treatment to improve treatment efficiency as well as to augment water supply through safe use of unconventional water sources. Here we review recent development in nanotechnology for water and wastewater treatment. The discussion covers candidate nanomaterials, properties and mechanisms that enable the applications, advantages and limitations as compared to existing processes, and barriers and research needs for commercialization. By tracing these technological advances to the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, the present review outlines the opportunities and limitations to further capitalize on these unique properties for sustainable water management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                ESNNA4
                Environmental Science: Nano
                Environ. Sci.: Nano
                Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
                2051-8153
                2051-8161
                2017
                2017
                : 4
                : 4
                : 767-781
                Affiliations
                [1 ]CESAM & Department of Chemistry
                [2 ]University of Aveiro
                [3 ]3810-193 Aveiro
                [4 ]Portugal
                [5 ]Harvard School of Public Health
                [6 ]Harvard University
                [7 ]Cambridge
                [8 ]USA
                [9 ]E&J Gallo Winery
                [10 ]Modesto
                [11 ]Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT)
                [12 ]Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
                [13 ]Duke University
                [14 ]Durham
                [15 ]Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization (SNO)
                [16 ]Civil & Environmental Engineering
                [17 ]Carnegie Mellon University
                [18 ]Pittsburgh
                [19 ]Engineering & Public Policy
                [20 ]Department of Chemistry
                [21 ]State University of New York at Binghamton
                [22 ]Binghamton
                [23 ]Global Regulatory & Government Affairs
                [24 ]BASF Corporation
                [25 ]Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
                [26 ]University of Kentucky
                [27 ]Lexington
                [28 ]Environmental Systems
                [29 ]UC Merced
                [30 ]Merced
                [31 ]Department of Analytical Chemistry
                [32 ]CT Agricultural Experiment Station
                [33 ]New Haven
                Article
                10.1039/C6EN00573J
                33781811
                3de1b1c4-8c60-410b-b8a9-362428c39527
                © 2017
                History

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