Nanotoxicology

Background

Before commencing any nanotoxicological study, it is imperative to know the state of the nanoparticles to be used, and in particular their size and size distribution in the appropriate test media is particularly important. Particles satisfying standards can be commercially purchased, however these invariably cannot be used directly; and need to be dispersed into the relevant biological media. Often such changes in the environment or ionic strength, or a change in the particle concentration, results in some aggregation or a shift in the particle size distribution. Such unexpected aggregation, dissolution or plating out, if unaccounted for, can have a significant effect on the available nanoparticle dose and on interpretation of any results obtained thereafter.

Application Note

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Corrected particle size distribution of 60 nm NIST gold nanoparticles in absence (solid line) and in presence (dashed line) of dilute human plasma.¹

1 Montes–Burgos, Dorota Walczyk, Patrick Hole, Jonathan Smith, Iseult Lynch and Kenneth Dawson, 
(2009) Characterisation of Nanoparticle Size and State Prior to Nanotoxicological Studies,
Journal of Nanoparticle Research, in press.