Editing Diatom (section)

=== Nanotechnology ===
The deposition of silica by diatoms may also prove to be of utility to [[nanotechnology]].<ref name="Bradbury 2004">{{cite journal | last1=Bradbury | first1=J. | year=2004 | title=Nature's Nanotechnologists: Unveiling the Secrets of Diatoms | journal=PLOS Biology | volume=2 | issue=10| pages=1512–1515 | doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020306 | pmid=15486572 | pmc=521728 | doi-access=free }} {{open access}}</ref> Diatom cells repeatedly and reliably manufacture valves of various shapes and sizes, potentially allowing diatoms to manufacture micro- or nano-scale structures which may be of use in a range of devices, including: optical systems; [[semiconductor]] [[nanolithography]]; and even vehicles for [[drug delivery]]. With an appropriate [[artificial selection]] procedure, diatoms that produce valves of particular shapes and sizes might be evolved for cultivation in [[chemostat]] cultures to [[mass production|mass-produce]] nanoscale components.<ref name="Drum Gordon 2003">{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0167-7799(03)00169-0 |pmid=12902165 |title=Star Trek replicators and diatom nanotechnology |journal=Trends in Biotechnology |volume=21 |issue=8 |pages=325–8 |year=2003 |last1=Drum |first1=Ryan W. |last2=Gordon |first2=Richard }}</ref> It has also been proposed that diatoms could be used as a component of solar cells by substituting [[Photosensitivity|photosensitive]] [[titanium dioxide]] for the silicon dioxide that diatoms normally use to create their cell walls.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216500176 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731133532/http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216500176 | url-status=dead | archive-date=31 July 2012 | title=Diatoms could triple solar cell efficiency | last=Johnson | first=R.C. | date=9 April 2009 | access-date=13 April 2009 | magazine=[[EE Times]] }}</ref> Diatom biofuel producing solar panels have also been proposed.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1021/ie900044j |title=Milking Diatoms for Sustainable Energy: Biochemical Engineering versus Gasoline-Secreting Diatom Solar Panels |journal=Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research |volume=48 |issue=19 |pages=8769–88 |year=2009 |last1=Ramachandra |first1=T. V. |last2=Mahapatra |first2=Durga Madhab |last3=b |first3=Karthick |last4=Gordon |first4=Richard }}</ref>
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<gallery mode="packed" style="float:left" heights="360px" caption="Supporting and regulating services provided by marine diatoms and some of their negative impacts">
File:Supporting and regulating services provided by marine diatoms.png|alt=CNN = cloud condensation nuclei, DMS = dimethylsulphide, DMSP = dimethylsulfoniopropionate, VOCs = volatile organic compounds, dashed arrow: negative effect, solid arrow: positive effects| <small>{{space|40}} CNN = [[cloud condensation nuclei]], DMS = [[dimethylsulphide]], DMSP = [[dimethylsulfoniopropionate]], VOCs = [[volatile organic compound]]s<br />{{space|50}}dashed arrow: negative effect, solid arrow: positive effects</small>
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