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| Implications of nanotechnology
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Part of a series of articles on
Implications of
Nanotechnology
Health implications
Nanotoxicology, Nanomedicine
Environmental implications
Societal implications
Applications
Regulation
See also
Nanotechnology
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Part of a series of articles on
Nanotechnology
History
Implications
Applications
Regulation
Organizations
In fiction and popular culture
List of topics
Subfields and related fields
Nanomaterials
Fullerenes
Carbon nanotubes
Nanoparticles
Nanomedicine
Nanotoxicology
Nanosensor
Molecular self-assembly
Self-assembled monolayer
Supramolecular assembly
DNA nanotechnology
Nanoelectronics
Molecular electronics
Nanocircuitry
Nanolithography
Scanning probe microscopy
Atomic force microscope
Scanning tunneling microscope
Molecular nanotechnology
Molecular assembler
Nanorobotics
Mechanosynthesis
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The implications of nanotechnology run the gamut of human affairs from the medical, ethical, mental, legal and environmental, to fields such as engineering, biology, chemistry, computing, materials science, military applications, and communications.
Benifits of nanotechnology include improved manufacturing methods, water purification systems, energy systems, physical enhancement, nanomedicine, better food production methods and nutrition. Products made with nanotechnology may require little labor, land, or maintenance, be highly productive, low in cost, and have modest requirements for materials and energy.
Risks include environmental, health, and safety issues if negative effects of nanoparticles are overlooked before they are released; transitional effects such as displacement of traditional industries as the products of nanotechnology become dominant; military applications such as biological warfare and implants for soldiers; and surveillance through nano-sensors, which are of concern to privacy rights advocates.
There is debate about whether nanotechnology merits special government regulation, and regulatory bodies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Health & Consumer Protection Directorate of the European Commission have started dealing with the potential risks of nanoparticles.
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