RESUMEN
Este artículo pretende alertar acerca de la relevancia de las nanociencias y la nanotecnología acompañada por la nanometrología para el desarrollo de las naciones en el siglo XXI. Se utilizó SciElo como base de datos, con las palabras clave: nanotecnología, nanomedicina, unidades de salud cubanas. El artículo realiza una aproximación a la nanotecnología con enfoque internacional y regional. Describe algunas aplicaciones de las nanotecnologías, con énfasis en la nanomedicina, así como los dilemas y consideraciones éticas asociadas a estas. Advierte acerca de la nocividad para la salud del hombre de algunos de estos desarrollos. Defiende la idea de que la nanometrología, resulta imprescindible para el logro de desarrollos tecnológicos, con mayor relevancia en el campo de la nanomedicina, así como que la nanotecnología debe ser tratada como la ciencia del siglo XXI por el impacto social, cultural y económico que tendrá, y con esto puede cambiar al mundo.
This article aims to alert about the relevance of nanosciences and nanotechnology accompanied by nanometrology for the nations development in the 21st century. Scielo was used as a database, with the keywords: nanotechnology, nanomedicine, Cuban health units. The article makes an approach to nanotechnology with an international and regional approach. It describes some applications of nanotechnologies, with an emphasis on nanomedicine, as well as the dilemmas and ethical considerations associated with them. It advises about these developments' harmfulness to human health, also defends the idea that nanometrology is essential for the technological developments achievement, with greater relevance in the nanomedicine field, as well as that nanotechnology should be treated as the 21st century science due to the social, cultural and economic impact that will have, and this can change the world.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Rapid increase in engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in many goods has raised significant concern about their environmental safety. Proper methodologies are therefore needed to conduct toxicity and exposure assessment of nanoparticles in the environment. This study reviews several analytical techniques for nanoparticles and summarizes their principles, advantages and disadvantages, reviews the state of the art, and offers the perspectives of nanometrology in relation to ENP studies. METHODS: Nanometrology is divided into five techniques with regard to the instrumental principle: microscopy, light scattering, spectroscopy, separation, and single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Each analytical method has its own drawbacks, such as detection limit, ability to quantify or qualify ENPs, and matrix effects. More than two different analytical methods should be used to better characterize ENPs. CONCLUSIONS: In characterizing ENPs, the researchers should understand the nanometrology and its demerits, as well as its merits, to properly interpret their experimental results. Challenges lie in the nanometrology and pretreatment of ENPs from various matrices; in the extraction without dissolution or aggregation, and concentration of ENPs to satisfy the instrumental detection limit.