Nanomaterials are exploited for bioremediation because they have a large surface area owing to their small size, require lesser activation energy, exhibit surface plasmon resonance, and have high reactivity. Nanomaterials such as nanoparticles can also be used to immobilize microbial cells that can degrade certain chemicals. Nanomaterial applications include remediation or recovery of solid waste, groundwater and wastewater, petroleum hydrocarbons, soil, and heavy metals. Therefore, it is expected that the nanomaterials application could bring about a rapid and positive progress in the field of bioremediation in the coming years. For a sustained and specific drug delivery action, drugs and ligands can be functionalized on the nanomaterial surfaces. This thwarts the nonspecific accumulation of drugs and minimizes the amount of drug required for treatment and thus, plays a key role in circumventing the burning issue of increasing drug resistance. Magnetic nanoparticles can be applied for synchronized disease diagnosis, drug administration, and observing drug release and distribution. Early detection is crucial to combat diseases such as cancer, where conventional diagnostic methods have not been so successful yet.

Nanotechnology proffers diagnostic methods which have high sensitivity, specificity, and multitudinous diagnostic potential to detect extracellular cancer biomarkers and cancer cells in vivo imaging. Nanotechnology also enables the study and manipulation of biomolecules during the initial stages of cancer spread even when a lesser percentage of cells are affected. It facilitates the synthesis of new and efficacious therapeutic candidates. Nanomaterials can accumulate at the target tumor site and can specifically be targeted to cancer cells and effectively delivered across biological barriers.

This Special Issue welcomes original and review articles which explore the use of nanotechnology for environmental and biomedical applications.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Microbe based nanosensors for detection of pollutants and contaminants
• Microbe assisted synthesis of nanomaterials for degradation and remediation/recovery of environmental pollutants
• Nanomaterials for the treatment of water or wastewater and environmental remediation
• Immobilization of microorganisms on nanomaterials for environmental clean up
• Microbe mediated the synthesis of nanoparticles for crop disease management and increased yield
• Fabrication of novel nanomaterials for disease diagnosis, drug delivery and monitoring, drug release and distribution
• Photocatalytic nanomaterials for degradation of dyes
• Nanocoatings, nanomembranes, nanocomposites, and nanosorbents for environmental remediation
• Nanosensors for early stage diagnosis of cancer
• Discovery of novel biomarkers for the prevention of cancer
• Functionalization of drugs and ligands on nanomaterials for efficient and targeted drug delivery
• Development of potent nanotherapeutic agents against cancer