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Water is arguably the most fundamental natural resource for life. But the availability of clean water for all the needs of modern society is becoming a challenging issue. This Insight covers several aspects of the opportunities offered by nanotechnology to provide clean water, as well as of considerations of public perception, potential risk and industrial needs that should be taken into account.
This Perspective provides an overview of the potential of nanotechnology to provide low-cost monitoring of chemicals, microbes and other analytes in drinking water.
Initial studies indicate that consumer concerns about nanomaterial use in point-of-use water systems may be overestimated by manufacturers. Nevertheless, manufacturers should continue to focus on building consumer confidence in the safety of their products.