Carbon nanotubes are nano-sized cylinders of carbon atoms that are often found in carbon fiber products like baseball bats and golf clubs. After inserting carbon nanotubes coated in single-stranded DNA into the plants chloroplast, the centers of photosynthesis, researchers see a 30 percent increase in the plants ability to capture and convert light energy, they report. Chlorophyll, the pigment found in chloroplast that absorbs incoming sunlight, normally takes in just a small fraction of the light in the 400- to 500-nanometer and 600- to 700-nanometer range. The carbon nanotubes widened this range to allow the plants to absorb more light. <\/p>\n
According to the MIT study, published in the journal Nature Materials, the process works by spurring the pigments in the plants to transfer electrons between multiple photosystems more efficiently. <\/p>\n
This is a marvelous demonstration of how nanotechnology can be coupled with synthetic biology to modify and enhance the function of living organisms -- in this case, plants, James Collins, a professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University who was not involved in the research, said in a statement. The authors nicely show that self-assembling nanoparticles can be used to enhance the photosynthetic capacity of plants, as well as serve as plant-based biosensors and stress reducers. <\/p>\n
Researchers from MIT utilized Arabidopsis thaliana,a type of cress thats often used in plant research, for their experiment. To see how the nanotubes affect photosynthesis, the team used a dye that changes color when electrons are absorbed. Photosynthesis produces these charged particles. The more photosynthesis that took place, the more dramatic the color of the dye became. <\/p>\n
Plants are very attractive as a technology platform, Michael Strano, a professor of Chemical Engineering and lead author of the study, said in a statement. They repair themselves, theyre environmentally stable outside, they survive in harsh environments, and they provide their own power source and water distribution. <\/p>\n
Scientists say improving a plants energy output has a variety of applications. Nanobionics could lead to self-powered pollution monitors and detectors for chemical weapons. <\/p>\n
\"Right now, almost no one is working in this emerging field,\" Juan Pablo Giraldo, a plant biologist and study author, said in a statement. \"It's an opportunity for people from plant biology and the chemical engineering nanotechnology community to work together in an area that has a large potential.\" <\/p>\n
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Plant Nanobionics Shows Promise After Leaves Infused With Carbon Nanotubes Saw 30% Boost In Energy Production<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Carbon nanotubes are nano-sized cylinders of carbon atoms that are often found in carbon fiber products like baseball bats and golf clubs. After inserting carbon nanotubes coated in single-stranded DNA into the plants chloroplast, the centers of photosynthesis, researchers see a 30 percent increase in the plants ability to capture and convert light energy, they report Continue reading