Nanosponges

Nanosponges are a type of nanoparticle, often a synthesized carbon-containing polymer.^[1] They are porous in structure, pores being about 1–2 nanometers in size, and can therefore be targeted to absorb small amounts of matter or toxin.^[2] Nanosponges are often used in medicine as targeted drug delivery systems, detoxification methods, or as a way of damage control after an injury.^[3] They can also be used in environmental applications to clean up ecosystems by performing tasks like purifying water or metal deposits.^[1] Their small size allows them to move quickly through substances, like water or blood, efficiently finding and attacking unwanted matter. Nanosponges are often synthetically manufactured but oftentimes include natural materials to improve their efficiency when injected into the body. Nanosponges are superior to microsponges in application as the smaller size allows less disruption into the system in which it is implemented therefore imposing less risk of failed or detrimental effects. The prefix "nano" implies that items of this size are measured on a scale of ${\displaystyle 10^{-9}}$meters.