Nanotechnology has gained much interest due to its wide-ranging application areas through large-scale multidisciplinary efforts impacting on science, industry, technology and medicine. Pioneering work from dedicated researchers in the fields of chemistry, materials science, biology, mathematics, physics, engineering and medicine are applying their knowledge to address unmet scientific and clinical needs. Environmental pollution problems often impact on human health and the consequences are no more local but have global significance. Large-scale multidisciplinary efforts in nanotechnology can address such global challenges and lessen the impact on human wellbeing and changing natural environments.