8. Environmental impacts

Although demand for gold in nanotechnology is still modest compared to sectors such as jewelry, the rapid growth of this industry suggests a sharp increase in demand, particularly for medical applications (diagnostics and imaging). In 2023, the global market for gold nanoparticles was valued at $7.57 billion and is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 10% between 2024 and 2030 . Faced with growing demand for gold nanoparticles and the gradual depletion of natural gold resources, supply could become a major challenge for the development of gold-based nanotechnologies.

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