The potential applications of picotechnology in biomedical and environmental sciences

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Jan;27(1):133-142. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-06554-4. Epub 2019 Dec 12.

Abstract

Picotechnology development in vast disciplines is mainly attributed to the research and development (R and D) on nanotechnology. Being a parent technology, nanotechnology is the cornerstone of picotechnology. Like nanotechnology, the reference standard for picotechnology is nature, the cellular and subcellular functioning. Some studies have highlighted that the functional margin of similar type of molecules at picoscale (10-12) goes higher than at nanoscale (10-9). In this review, the potential applications of picotechnology have been evaluated especially in the disciplines of biomedical and environmental sciences. Extended surface area and improved electrical, chemical, optical, and mechanical properties make picotechnological products even better than nanomaterials. The fundamental objective of this study is to bring the attention of the scientific world towards the picoscale interventions and to highlight the wide scope of picotechnology as a newly emerging technology with applications in numerous sectors. Picotechnology has made it possible to measure very small structure in advance biomedical and environmental sciences studies. Adequate developments in picotechnology will certainly change human lives in near future because it will make possible for the research world to dive into systems and structures on picoscale. It will render a platform through which explorers can travel into ultra-small areas, which will lead to the creation of new dimensions as well as new opportunities. Eventually, in future, the picotechnology will become smaller enough to give birth to femtotechnology (10-15) in real-world applications.

Keywords: Electron modification; Femtotechnology; Nanotechnology; Picomolecule; Picoscale; Picotechnology; Target drug delivery.

MeSH terms

  • Environmental Science*
  • Humans
  • Nanostructures
  • Nanotechnology*