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Emerging techniques in nanoparticle analysis
Citation:
Navratilova, J. Emerging techniques in nanoparticle analysis. QEEN2, Washington, DC, October 09 - 10, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
There are a wide range of analytical techniques have been reported for the characterization of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs). The commonly used techniques for obtaining the size distribution and structural information such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-Visible spectroscopy are limited by artifacts arising from sample matrix complexities. Recent advances in mass spectrometry-based techniques have resulted in better analytical performance and reliability for the characterization of NPs in complex samples. The use of these more effective techniques to characterize nanomaterials will result in more detailed information to better inform exposure and risk analysis.
Description:
A wide range of analytical techniques have been reported for the characterization of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs). The commonly used techniques for obtaining the size distribution and structural information include for example transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-Visible spectroscopy, etc. Most of these methods are limited by artifacts arising from sample matrix complexities and are not element specific. Key analytical requirements for quantitative detection of ENPs include high sensitivity to detect small particles at low total mass concentrations and the need to separate signals of ENPs from a background of dissolved elemental species and naturally occurring nanoparticles (NNPs). Recent advances in mass spectrometry-based techniques have resulted in better analytical performance and reliability for the characterization of NPs in complex samples. Moreover, these methods offer the capability to identify and quantitate a broad range of ENPs on single particle level. These techniques further allow the differentiation between ENPs and nanoparticles of natural origin. Capabilities of single particle (sp)-ICPMS analysis with particular focus on the measurement possibilities offered by sp-ICP-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS) will also be discussed.
