I.

Introduction

For so many years the world where we exist hides so many mysteries and secrets that we

humans might never know and understand. Until the great philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and

Aristotle was born. The efforts they made gave us the knowledge and keys to, somewhat unlocked

some secrets of the world itself. On the other hand, the era where genius people like Einstein,

Newton, Nikola Tesla and many other scientist and inventors starts, it gave us even more

knowledge and widen our path to create a world that a normal people would never imagine.

Today, where advance technology like computer were surrounding us. People are changing

the world with technology. It has changed the way of life. They are using computers to perform

different task as easy and quickly. It also saves time and effort and reduce cost to complete task.

Computers are used to pay bills, managing home budget and sometimes use for entertainment such

as listening to music and watching movies. Aside from that, it is also effective tool for student to

study. However, computers can cause a problem in society since it can automatically perform of

what human can do it will result for unemployment. Computers are used to stored data where by

any chance, can access by unauthorized individual. Sometimes, it uses for negative activities like

stealing important details, to plagiarize and to hack credit cards.

Advergize Staff, the 21st century is just 18 years old, and we have seen a revolutionary

blast and since of technology. People are so much used to of technology that one cannot even

imagine of living without a smartphone or their laptop. From our food to our education, digitization

has been done in every field possible.

Through science and knowledge, we have, we are now able to make an invention and

enhanced the technology today. The more knowledge we gain from what we learned, the more it

opens the path to a more advance world which we called “Nanoworld”.

Magical spell has the ability to turn everything touched into gold, in real time scenario one

such spell is “Nanotechnology” which has the mystical power to revolutionize every field touched

by it. Nanotechnology was used first by the Japanese scientists Norio Taniguchi (1912-1999) in a

1974 paper on production technology that creates objects and features on the order of a nanometer.
The American engineer K. Eric Drexler (b. 1955) is credited with the development of molecular

nanotechnology, leading to nano systems machinery manufacturing.

Nanotechnology are study and application of small things and can be used in different

science field such as chemistry, biology, physics, material science and engineering. A physician,

Richard Freyman, the father of nanotechnology described a process in which scientist would be

able to manipulate and control individual atoms and molecules. Everything is made up of atoms

such as food, building, clothes and even our bodies. It is impossible to see with our eye and through

the use of nanotechnology where it involves the ability to see and control atoms and molecules.

In 2008, the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology (DOST) convened an

interdisciplinary group of 14 local scientists to craft a nanotechnology roadmap for the Philippines.

The group initially identified five key sectors for application of nanotechnology, which also

coincided with the priority areas of DOST for R&D support. These areas were: (1) information

and communications technology and semiconductors, (2) food and agriculture, (3) energy, (4)

health, and (5) environment. A review of the world-wide advances in these areas was carried out,

including an assessment of the theoretical bases behind these developments. The resulting list of

nanotechnologies was then assessed based on the following criteria: environmental and health

hazards and risks, priorities of the UN Millennium Development Goals, Philippine priorities,

existing capabilities and required investment. Nanotechnologies which scored low in

environmental and health hazards and risks were not considered further. The process and the

scoring system are shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively. The areas that were identified for

prioritization based on the scoring system were the following: (1) Energy: nanostructured solar

energy devices; (2) Applications of nano sensor technology to food, agriculture, and environment;

(3) Nanotechnology for environmental remediation and water; and (4) Development of

nanocomposite materials using local minerals and biological resources.

II. Significance of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is essential for it helped to improve different aspect such as in medicine,

information technology, industrial structures including food and health.

Properties like color, melting point, electrical, magnetic properties etc. for bulk materials

doesn’t depend on size, but after a certain size limit which is less than 100 nm the properties

changes. For example, bulk gold is yellowish in color but at nanoscale it is ruby red. Therefore,

the properties of materials change when we approach nanoscale. Thus, it is possible to arrange

molecules in a manner/way that is different from their natural or normal occurrence and hence

bring about a change in the properties of materials. Nanotechnology, thus possesses the ability to

create better materials, and devices.

Nanotechnology will increase our standard of living — no ifs, ands, or buts. Done right, it

will make our lives more secure, improve healthcare delivery, and optimize our use of limited

resources. Pretty basic stuff, in other words. Mankind has spent millennia trying to fill these needs,

because it has always known that these are the things it needs to ensure a future for itself. If

nanotechnological applications pan out in the direction they’re headed, we are one step closer to

ensuring that future.

III. Discussion of the Topic

Due to the expanding potential application of nanotechnology, it is gaining lots of attention.

The Department of Science and Technology has taken noticed of it and drew a roadmap to

shepherd this post-industrial technology in the country. The roadmap outlines focus in researched

and development in exploring and exploiting high impact and life enhancing benefits of

nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology involves engineering of functional systems at the atomic or molecular

level. It can create many new materials and devices with wide-ranging applications such as in

medicine, energy, agriculture, food production, and electronics, among others. Nanotechnology

makes our life easier in different ways. The following are some examples of application of

nanotechnology in our life and society:

A. In Medicine

In medicine, nanotechnology has the potential to bring major advances in this field.

Nanobots could be sent into a patient's arteries to clear away blockages. Surgeries could become

much faster and more accurate. Injuries could be repaired cell-by-cell. It may even become

possible to heal genetic conditions by fixing the damaged genes. Nanotechnology could also be

used to refine drug production, tailoring drugs at a molecular level to make them more effective

and reduce side effects.

Nanotechnology in medicine involves applications of nanoparticles currently under

development, as well as longer range research that involves the use of manufactured nano-robots

to make repairs at the cellular level (sometimes referred to as nanomedicine).

Whatever you call it, the use of nanotechnology in the field of medicine could revolutionize

the way we detect and treat damage to the human body and disease in the future, and many

techniques only imagined a few years ago are making remarkable progress towards becoming

realities.

The use of nanotechnology in medicine offers some exciting possibilities. Some techniques

are only imagined, while others are at various stages of testing, or actually being used today.

One application of nanotechnology in medicine currently being developed involves

employing nanoparticles to deliver drugs, heat, light or other substances to specific types of cells

(such as cancer cells). Particles are engineered so that they are attracted to diseased cells, which

allows direct treatment of those cells. This technique reduces damage to healthy cells in the body

and allows for earlier detection of disease.

Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are using antibodies attached to carbon

nanotubes in chips to detect cancer cells in the blood stream. The researchers believe this method

could be used in simple lab tests that could provide early detection of cancer cells in the

bloodstream.

A test for early detection of kidney damage is being developed. The method uses gold

nanorods functionalized to attach to the type of protein generated by damaged kidneys. When
protein accumulates on the nanorod the color of the nanorod shifts. The test is designed to be done

quickly and inexpensively for early detection of a problem.

B. In Agriculture / Foods and Crops Production

Nanotechnology is having an impact on several aspects of food science, from how food is

grown to how it is packaged. Companies are developing nanomaterials that will make a difference

not only in the taste of food, but also in food safety, and the health benefits that food delivers.

Nano sensors and nano-based smart delivery systems could help in the efficient use of

agricultural natural resources like water, nutrients and chemicals through precision farming.

Through the use of nanomaterials and global positioning systems with satellite imaging of fields,

farm managers could remotely detect crop pests or evidence of stress such as drought. Once pest

or drought is detected, there would be automatic adjustment of pesticide applications or irrigation

levels. Nano sensors dispersed in the field can also detect the presence of plant viruses and the

level of soil nutrients. Nano encapsulated slow release fertilizers have also become a trend to save

fertilizer consumption and to minimize environmental pollution.

Through nanotechnology, scientists are able to study plant’s regulation of hormones such

as auxin, which is responsible for root growth and seedling establishment. Scientists at Purdue

University developed a nano sensor that reacts with auxin. This interaction generates an electrical

signal which can be a basis for measuring auxin concentration at a particular point. The nano sensor

oscillates, taking auxin concentration readings at various points of the root. A system of formulas

then verifies if auxin is absorbed or released by the surrounding cells. This is a breakthrough in

auxin research because it helps scientists understand how plant roots adapt to their environment,

especially to marginal soils.

In agricultural biotechnology, genetic engineering has enabled the production of crops that

are able to grow in non-ideal soil or in dry conditions. These genetically modified, or transgenic,

crops are of higher quality and higher yield, and have increased shelf life. In addition, they have

been engineered to be resistant to pests, which allows farms to use less pesticide. Biotechnology

has also enabled the mass production of previously unavailable medicines, such as insulin, and

facilitated research into molecular biology using genetically modified organisms.

 "Interactive" foods are being developed that would allow you to choose the desired flavor

and color. Nano capsules that contain flavor or color enhancers are embedded in the food; inert

until a hungry consumer triggers them. The method hasn't been published, so it will be interesting

to see how this particular trick is accomplished.

Researchers are also working on pesticides encapsulated in nanoparticles; that only release

pesticide within an insect's stomach, minimizing the contamination of plants themselves.

Another development being pursued is a network of nano sensors and dispensers used

throughout a farm field. The sensors recognize when a plant needs nutrients or water, before there

is any sign that the plant is deficient. The dispensers then release fertilizer, nutrients, or water as

needed, optimizing the growth of each plant in the field one by one.

C. Fuel Reservation

Nanotechnology can address the shortage of fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline by:

making the production of fuels from low grade raw materials economical, increasing the mileage

of engines and, making the production of fuels from normal raw materials more efficient.

Nanotechnology can do all this by increasing the effectiveness of catalysts. Catalysts can reduce

the temperature required to convert raw materials into fuel or increase the percentage of fuel

burned at a given temperature. Catalysts made from nanoparticles have a greater surface area to

interact with the reacting chemicals than catalysts made from larger particles. The larger surface

area allows more chemicals to interact with the catalyst simultaneously, which makes the catalyst

more effective. This increased effectiveness can make a process such as the production of diesel

fuel from coal more economical, and enable the production of fuel from currently unusable raw

materials such as low-grade crude oil.

Nanotechnology, in the form of genetic engineering, can also improve the performance of

enzymes used in the conversion of cellulose into ethanol. Currently ethanol added to gasoline in

the United States is made from corn, which is driving up the price of corn. The plan is to use

engineered enzymes to break down cellulose into sugar, is fermented to turn the sugar into ethanol.

This will allow material that often goes to waste, such as wood chips and grass to be turned into

ethanol.
D. Environment

There are two major ways in which nanotechnology is being used to reduce air pollution:

catalysts, which are currently in use and constantly being improved upon; and nano-structured

membranes, which are under development.

Catalysts can be used to enable a chemical reaction (which changes one type of molecule

to another) at lower temperatures or make the reaction more effective. Nanotechnology can

improve the performance and cost of catalysts used to transform vapors escaping from cars or

industrial plants into harmless gasses. That's because catalysts made from nanoparticles have a

greater surface area to interact with the reacting chemicals than catalysts made from larger

particles. The larger surface area allows more chemicals to interact with the catalyst

simultaneously, which makes the catalyst more effective.

Nanostructured membranes, on the other hand, are being developed to separate carbon

dioxide from industrial plant exhaust streams. The plan is to create a method that can be

implemented in any power plant without expensive retrofitting.

In addition, nanotechnology is being used to develop solutions to different problems in

water quality. One challenge is the removal of industrial water pollution, such as a cleaning solvent

called TCE, from ground water. Nanoparticles can be used to convert the contaminating chemical

through a chemical reaction to make it harmless. Studies have shown that this method can be used

successfully to reach contaminates dispersed in underground ponds and at much lower cost than

methods which require pumping the water out of the ground for treatment. Using nanoscavengers

, in which a layer of reactive nanoparticles coats a synthetic core which is designed to be easily

magnetized. The nanoparticles, for example silver nanoparticles if bacteria are a problem, attach

to or kill the pollutants. Then when a magnetic field is applied the nanoscavengers are removed

from the water.

Biotechnology is the controlled manipulation of biological systems, including living cells

or cellular components, for the processing or manufacturing of various products useful to humans.

Biologists apply not only biological methods but also physics, chemistry, mathematics and

engineering in order to learn about organisms and to develop techniques for the manipulation of
biological systems. While biotechnology provides an expansive advantage for humans and the

environment, there are also a number of potential disadvantages to consider.

Despite of the great acceleration of advancement in different fields in society using

nanotechnology, it can also give humans the opposite effect of what they assume. Just a little

mistake to the projects that they are developing, it can greatly affect the economy and the society.

Impact on Nature, Biodiversity and the Ecosystem

The long-term consequences of the genetic alteration of various organisms - from bacteria

in the pharmaceutical industry to the animals in biological research to the plants in agriculture -

are still unknown. Genetically modified organisms may also escape into the wild, especially

transgenic microorganisms, and these events may upset the balance of the ecosystem in nature.

This may cause a decrease in the biodiversity, also known as the variety, of organisms.

Impact on Production and Global Market

Because of the fast growth, pest resistance and hardiness of transgenic crops, the yield of

such crops is typically higher than those of conventional crops. Yet some economists are concerned

that overproduction due to transgenic crops may result in effects such as market instability, reduced

export income, fewer product varieties and even unemployment. Depressed economies may also

be unable to take advantage of the potential benefits of agricultural biotechnology due to global

overproduction. The asymmetrical availability of these crops also raises questions about the

potential for discriminatory exploitation.

Impact on Agriculture

Biotechnology has indeed done a lot of good for the world, but it also has disadvantages,

and there are some concerns about its potential negative impacts. In agriculture, there are concerns

that genetically modified crops may transfer genetic material into natural, unmodified plants. For

instance, a crop that is herbicide resistant may transfer some of its traits to a weed, which would

result in an herbicide resistant weed. Another concern about agricultural biotechnology centers

around the uncertainty of genetically modified crops’ long-term biological viability.

IV. Conclusion

It’s not hard to imagine the things, ideas, and other possible technological advancement

that we humans can develop. However, in some point, if we refuses to embrace this knowledge

we will miss the wonderful opportunities. Just like magic spells, nanotechnology can manipulate

the molecular arrangement of a certain object or even our body. By this, it can produced either

better or worse output that can greatly affect us. Hinson L. 2002 stated that, some people might

argue that by bioengineering foods, scientists are "playing God" and others argue that it is unethical

to change the genetic nature of these plants. However, as Carole Brookins says, "there is no sharper

contrast today in terms of widespread public acceptance of biotechnology's benefits in

pharmaceuticals and industrial products, and the widespread public fear of biotechnology's dangers

in agriculture and food production" (2000).

V. References

https://advergize.com/edu/10-advantages-technology-modern-life/

http://www.trynano.org/about/history-nanotechnology

https://trialx.com/curetalk/2012/10/08/nanotechnology-significance-and-applications-in-the-

living-world/

https://www.dummies.com/education/science/why-you-want-nanotechnology-in-your-life/

http://www.techmonitor.net/tm/images/d/d1/10jan_feb_sf3.pdf

http://dost.gov.ph/knowledge-resources/news/38-2009-news/366-dost-outlines-nanotechnology-

roadmap.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanoscopic_scale

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-nanotechnology-37398.html

https://www.understandingnano.com/medicine.html

https://sciencing.com/disadvantages-biotechnology-8590679.html

http://www.scind.org/1175/Technology/nanotechnology:--advantages-&-disadvantages.htm

https://www.understandingnano.com/food.html

https://www.understandingnano.com/fuel.html

https://www.understandingnano.com/air.html

https://www.understandingnano.com/water.html

https://sciencing.com/disadvantages-biotechnology-8590679.html

https://projects.ncsu.edu/cals/course/gn301/Supplements/GM_Plants.html
 The Nano World: Major Impacts of

Nanotechnology to Society

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for

Science Technology and Society

De Vera, Nerissa R.

Diano, Robie Joy N.

Glova, Angeline B.

Gusi, Jaquelene Kate B.

Esmana, Prince O.

Favorito, Ronnel C.

Garcia, Jerald D.

Layon, Abe Zairon M.

BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY

Balanga City, Bataan