Preface

This book is dedicated to the applications of nanobiotechnology, i.e. the way that nanotechnology is used to create devices to study biological systems and phenomena. It includes seven chapters, organized in two sections: (1) Nanomaterials in medicine, agriculture and biosensorics, and (2) Nanofluidics.

The first section (Chapters 1–5) covers a large spectrum of issues associated with nanoparticle synthesis, nanoparticle toxicity, and the role of nanotechnology in drug delivery, tissue engineering, agriculture, and biosensing.

Chapter 1 provides an overview on the physical and chemical methods for nanoparticle production with a special emphasis on green technology as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional techniques. It discusses the potential applications of nanoparticles in biomedical fields and attempts to bridge the gap of knowledge on the toxicological effects of nanomaterials.

Chapter 2 comments predominantly on the use of nanomaterials in drug delivery, due to their unique properties, size, and shape, as well as on the great potential of nanotechnology in molecular diagnostics.

Chapter 3 summarizes recent progress achieved in the field of nanofiber-based skin tissue engineering, including results of the author's research group. The review is focused on the properties and use of synthetic non-degradable and degradable polymers and their composites with natural polymers for nanofibrous mesh preparation, intended as scaffolds for skin tissue engineering, wound healing, and carriers for various bioactive molecules.

Chapter 4 addresses two principal topics associated with agricultural nanobiotechnology: The application of nanomaterials to increase agricultural production using nanopesticides and nanofertilizers, and the application of nanomaterials in food packaging. The authors recognize the novel possibilities that the nanotechnological approach offers in agriculture, but also comment on some related constraints.

Chapter 5 introduces two types of optoelectronic devices based on Mie resonances in silicon nanoantennas and analyzes their application prospect in biosensing.

The second section (Chapters 6 and 7) is devoted to the properties of nanofluids and the medical and biological applications of computational fluid dynamics modeling.

The book offers a professional look at the recent achievements and trends in nanobiotechnology applications. All the contributing authors are gratefully acknowledged for their efforts in preparing the book chapters and for their interest in the present project.

> **Margarita Stoytcheva and Roumen Zlatev** Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali, México

**1**

Section 1

Nanomaterials in

Medicine, Agriculture

and Biosensorics

Section 1
