Abstract

Nanotechnology has currently grown rapidly in various areas. Limiting particle size to the nanometer-scale changes the physical, optical, chemical, and biological properties of materials, leading to versatility in different industrial applications including food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and biomedicine. Besides, the adjustable features of nanomaterials (NMs) enable us to manipulate their characteristics, obtaining smart or functional NMs. The surface modification of NMs is carried out in different physical forms. Hence, physical methods such as absorption or coating in front of chemical methods like surface oxidation followed by the change of electronic state of atoms have been developed for these modifications. Recently, various types of functional NMs, consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), polymer structures, and nanocrystals, have been considered in the industry. Regarding the food and agriculture industry, nanofilms and nanoclays play a crucial role as barrier materials at various stages of the food chain. In the pharmaceutical and medical section, NMs have been utilized in drug and gene delivery systems to alleviate the side effects of therapeutic agents with more impact on target tissues like cancer therapy. Furthermore, synthetic biomass, production of new proteins, nanowire sensors, and provision of nanoscale levers to detect cancer cells are other advances based on NMs. In this review, our goal is to provide an overview of recent advancements in application of NMs in various areas of biology, including food and agriculture, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.