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Interaction forces between all objects are either of repulsive or attractive nature. Concerning attractive interactions, the determination of dispersion forces are of special interest since they appear in all colloidal systems and have a crucial influence on the properties and processes in these systems. One possibility to link theory and experiment is the description of the London–Van der Waals forces in terms of the Hamaker constant, which leads to the challenging problem of calculating the van der Waals interaction energies between colloidal particles. Hence, the determination of a Hamaker constant for a given material is needed when interfacial phenomena such as adhesion are discussed in terms of the total potential energy between particles and substrates. In this work, the asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF-FFF) in combination with a Newton algorithm based iteration process was used for the determination of Hamaker constants of different nanoparticles in toluene.
Silver nanoparticles (SNP) are among the most commercialized nanoparticles. Here, we show that peptide-coated SNP cause functional impairment of human macrophages. A dose-dependent inhibition of phagocytosis is observed after nanoparticle treatment, and pretreatment of cells with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) can counteract the phagocytosis disturbances caused by SNP.
Using the surface-sensitive mode of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, in combination with multivariate statistical methods, we studied the composition of cell membranes in human macrophages upon exposure to SNP with and without NAC preconditioning. This method revealed characteristic changes in the lipid pattern of the cellular membrane outer leaflet in those cells challenged by SNP. Statistical analyses resulted in 19 characteristic ions, which can be used to distinguish between NAC pretreated and untreated macrophages. The present study discusses the assignments of surface cell membrane phospholipids for the identified ions and the resulting changes in the phospholipid pattern of treated cells. We conclude that the adverse effects in human macrophages caused by SNP can be partially reversed through NAC administration. Some alterations, however, remained.
A combination of molecular modeling and X-ray scattering was used to elucidate the structure of the metallosupramolecular polyelectrolyte-amphiphile complex (PAC) self-assembled from FeII, 1,4-bis(2,2:6,2-terpyridin-4-yl)benzene, and dihexadecyl phosphate (DHP). An approximate structure of the semi-ordered material was derived from the analysis of the X-ray scattering data. The experimental data provided sufficient input for obtaining a useful starting configuration for molecular modeling. Various models of the supramolecular architecture are presented and discussed in terms of their total energies and scattering patterns. In an iterative approach each level of the structural hierarchy was refined until satisfactory agreement of calculated and experimental scattering patterns was reached. The remarkable sensitivity of the simulated scattering curves to even the smallest structural changes at all length scales restricts the arbitrariness of modeling. The final model of PAC consists of flat lamellae of alternating strata of interdigitated DHP monolayers and nematically ordered polyelectrolyte chains.
Simple tripeptides are scaffolds for the synthesis and further assembly of peptide/silver nanoparticle composites. Herein, we further explore peptide-controlled silver nanoparticle assembly processes. Silver nanoparticles with a pH-responsive peptide coating have been synthesized by using a one-step precipitation/coating route. The nature of the peptide/silver interaction and the effect of the peptide on the formation of the silver particles have been studied via UV/Vis, X-ray photoelectron, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopies as well as through electron microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering and powder X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement. The particles reversibly form aggregates of different sizes in aqueous solution. The state of aggregation can be controlled by the solution pH value. At low pH values, individual particles are present. At neutral pH values, small clusters form and at high pH values, large precipitates are observed.
The precursor [FeIII(L)Cl] (LH<sub2 = N,N'-bis(2'-hydroxy-benzyliden)-1,6-diamino-3-N-hexane is a high-spin (S = 5/2) complex. This precursor is combined with the bridging units [SnIV(X)4] (X = CN-, NCS-) to yield star-shaped pentanuclear clusters, [(LFeIII-X)4Sn]Cl4. For X = CN- the 57Fe-Mössbauer data show a multiple spin transition between iron(III) in the high-spin and low-spin state, while the 119mSn-Mössbauer data indicate a valence tautomerism between Sn(IV) and Sn(II). Changing the bridging unit from X = CN- to X = NCS- turns the switchability off.
A great challenge in the production of nanoparticles with defined sizes and properties is to control their growth in situ. We developed a dedicated combined small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) setup to monitor nanoparticle formation in solution. The capabilities of simultaneously deriving particle sizes and oxidation states of atoms/ions are illustrated for the formation of spherical gold nanoparticles by the reduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaureate (HAuCl4). Particles with initial radii of 4.60 ± 0.10 nm and final radii of 5.67 ± 0.10 nm were produced in a levitated droplet with a volume of 4 µL. An ethylene oxide/propylene oxide triblock copolymer PEO-PPO-PEO (Pluronic F-127) functions as reducing agent and colloidal stabilizer. XANES shows in situ how the gold was reduced in the droplet from Au(III) to Au(0), and simultaneously SAXS recorded the size distribution of the formed nanoparticles. It is shown that the final particle number is reached quickly. Thereafter, only the particles sizes increase. Comparison of XANES and SAXS shows that the quantity of Au(0) is higher than the quantity of gold located in the nanoparticles while the particles are growing. Finally, all the Au(0) is found in the nanoparticles. We tentatively attribute this finding to the pseudo crown ether effect of the polymer surfactant that kinetically stabilizes gold atoms when formed from gold ions within their protecting cavity. A simple burst mechanism for the gold nanoparticle formation is the consequence. The possibility of an inhomogeneous particles structure with an enhanced density near the particle surface is discussed.
Here we characterize new metal-functionalized amphiphilic diblock copolymers, developed for both surface and solution molecular recognition applications. Polybutadiene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers functionalized with nitrilotriacetic acid and tris(nitrilotriacetic acid) were complexed with nickel(II) to obtain coordination sites for oligohistidine residues of model proteins. Mixtures of functionalized polymers with the respective non-functionalized block copolymers self-assemble in aqueous solution into vesicular structures with a controlled density of the metal end-groups on their surface. In solution, binding of His6-tagged green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and red fluorescent protein (RFP) to the vesicle surface was quantified by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Small-angle X-ray scattering indicates an increase of the membrane thickness by 2-3 nm upon protein binding. Block copolymer monolayers at the air-water interface and on solid support served as a model system to characterize the protein-decorated membranes by Brewster angle microscopy and AFM. High resolution AFM of solid-supported, hydrated monolayers indicates that the proteins form densely packed and partially ordered arrays with the cylindrically shaped EGFP molecules lying flat on the surface of the films.
Dispersions of Fe3C nanoparticles in several ionic liquids (ILs) have been investigated. The ILs are based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [Emim] and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [Bmim] cations. Anions are ethylsulfate [ES], methanesulfonate [MS], trifluoromethylsulfonate (triflate) [TfO], tetrafluoroborate [BF4], dicyanamide [N(CN)2], and thiocyanate [SCN]. Among the ILs studied, [Emim][SCN] and [Emim][N(CN)2] stand out because only in these ILs have stable and transparent nanoparticle dispersions been obtained. All other ILs lead to blackish, slightly turbid dispersions or to completely nontransparent suspensions, which often contain undispersed sediment. UV/vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray scattering suggest that the reason for the stabilization of the Fe3C nanoparticles in [Emim][SCN] is the leaching of traces of iron from the particles (without affecting the crystal structure of the Fe3C particles). The resulting particle surface is thus carbon-rich, which presumably favors the stabilization of the particles. A similar explanation can be postulated for [Emim][N(CN)2], with the dicyanamide anion also being a good ligand for iron.
Molecular masses and end groups of polystyrene (PS) formed in a novel container-less polymerization strategy, based on levitated droplets in an acoustic trap, were determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).
Although metallic nanoparticles play an important role in the area of nanotechnology, a coherent mechanistic explanation for the evolution of the particles during their chemical synthesis has not yet been provided in many cases. To gain a profound understanding of the growth mechanism of colloidal nanoparticles, new approaches using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) combined with X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) are presented. This combination allows for insights into two prominent syntheses routes of gold nanoparticles (GNP): The 'slow' reaction using sodium citrate (30-90 min) as a reducing agent and the 'fast' reaction employing NaBH4 (within few seconds). In the first case data derived with the coupled XANES and SAXS suggests a four-step particle formation mechanism. For the second system a time resolution in the order of 100-200 ms was achieved by coupling a common laboratory SAXS instrument with a microstructured mixer, which allows data acquisition in a continuous-flow mode. The results indicate a coalescence driven growth process. Based on the capabilities to deduce the size, number and polydispersity of the particles, the results of both methods enable the development of mechanistic schemes explaining the different phases of particle formation and growth, thus providing a basis for improved control over the synthesis processes.
The acid catalyzed solgel type synthesis of polyorganosiloxane core-shell nanoparticles with removable PDMS core in aqueous dispersion leads to the inherent formation of a bimodal size distribution with smaller spheres having approximately 26 nm radii and larger nanoparticles with 60 nm in radius. The origin of the self-organized bimodality is investigated and finally attributed to a combination of stabilization of the growing particles due to i) a miniemulsion-type stabilization by the ultrahydrophobe PDMS and ii) by surface co-stabilization by the employed surfactant. The significant influence of temperature, pH, stirrer speed and amount of the surfactant on the particle sizes allows for the design and fine-tuning of different nanoparticles sizes and distributions.
The analysis of the porosity of materials is an important and challenging field in analytical chemistry. The gas adsorption and mercury intrusion methods are the most established techniques for quantification of specific surface areas, but unfortunately, dry materials are mandatory for their applicability. All porous materials that contain water and other solvents in their functional state must be dried before analysis. In this process, care has to be taken since the removal of solvent bears the risk of an incalculable alteration of the pore structure, especially for soft materials. In the present paper, we report on the use of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as an alternative analysis method for the investigation of the micro and mesopores within cellulose beads in their native, i.e., water-swollen state; in this context, they represent a typical soft material. We show that even gentle removal of the bound water reduces the specific surface area dramatically from 161 to 109 m² g-1 in cellulose bead sample type MT50 and from 417 to 220 m² g-1 in MT100. Simulation of the SAXS curves with a bimodal pore size distribution model reveals that the smallest pores with radii up to 10 nm are greatly affected by drying, whereas pores with sizes in the range of 10 to 70 nm are barely affected. The SAXS results were compared with Brunauer–Emmett–Teller results from nitrogen sorption measurements and with mercury intrusion experiments.
Silver nanoparticles (SNP) are among the most commercialized nanoparticles worldwide. They can be found in many diverse products, mostly because of their antibacterial properties. Despite its widespread use only little data on possible adverse health effects exist. It is difficult to compare biological data from different studies due to the great variety in sizes, coatings or shapes of the particles. Here, we applied a novel synthesis approach to obtain SNP, which are covalently stabilized by a small peptide. This enables a tight control of both size and shape. We applied these SNP in two different sizes of 20 or 40 nm (Ag20Pep and Ag40Pep) and analyzed responses of THP-1-derived human macrophages. Similar gold nanoparticles with the same coating (Au20Pep) were used for comparison and found to be non-toxic. We assessed the cytotoxicity of particles and confirmed their cellular uptake via transmission electron microscopy and confocal Raman microscopy. Importantly a majority of the SNP could be detected as individual particles spread throughout the cells. Furthermore we studied several types of oxidative stress related responses such as induction of heme oxygenase I or formation of protein carbonyls. In summary, our data demonstrate that even low doses of SNP exerted adverse effects in human macrophages.
In the body, nanoparticles can be systemically distributed and then may affect secondary target organs, such as the central nervous system (CNS). Putative adverse effects on the CNS are rarely investigated to date. Here, we used a mixed primary cell model consisting mainly of neurons and astrocytes and a minor proportion of oligodendrocytes to analyze the effects of well-characterized 20 and 40 nm silver nanoparticles (SNP). Similar gold nanoparticles served as control and proved inert for all endpoints tested. SNP induced a strong size-dependent cytotoxicity. Additionally, in the low concentration range (up to 10 µg/ml of SNP), the further differentiated cultures were more sensitive to SNP treatment. For detailed studies, we used low/medium dose concentrations (up to 20 µg/ml) and found strong oxidative stress responses. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected along with the formation of protein carbonyls and the induction of heme oxygenase-1. We observed an acute calcium response, which clearly preceded oxidative stress responses. ROS formation was reduced by antioxidants, whereas the calcium response could not be alleviated by antioxidants. Finally, we looked into the responses of neurons and astrocytes separately. Astrocytes were much more vulnerable to SNP treatment compared with neurons. Consistently, SNP were mainly taken up by astrocytes and not by neurons. Immunofluorescence studies of mixed cell cultures indicated stronger effects on astrocyte morphology. Altogether, we can demonstrate strong effects of SNP associated with calcium dysregulation and ROS formation in primary neural cells, which were detectable already at moderate dosages.
Unique properties of eukaryote-type actin and profilin horizontally transferred to cyanobacteria
(2012)
A eukaryote-type actin and its binding protein profilin encoded on a genomic island in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 co-localize to form a hollow, spherical enclosure occupying a considerable intracellular space as shown by in vivo fluorescence microscopy. Biochemical and biophysical characterization reveals key differences between these proteins and their eukaryotic homologs. Small-angle X-ray scattering shows that the actin assembles into elongated, filamentous polymers which can be visualized microscopically with fluorescent phalloidin. Whereas rabbit actin forms thin cylindrical filaments about 100 µm in length, cyanobacterial actin polymers resemble a ribbon, arrest polymerization at 5-10 µm and tend to form irregular multi-strand assemblies. While eukaryotic profilin is a specific actin monomer binding protein, cyanobacterial profilin shows the unprecedented property of decorating actin filaments. Electron micrographs show that cyanobacterial profilin stimulates actin filament bundling and stabilizes their lateral alignment into heteropolymeric sheets from which the observed hollow enclosure may be formed. We hypothesize that adaptation to the confined space of a bacterial cell devoid of binding proteins usually regulating actin polymerization in eukaryotes has driven the co-evolution of cyanobacterial actin and profilin, giving rise to an intracellular entity.
Silver nanoparticles are used in a wide range of consumer products such as clothing, cosmetics, household goods, articles of daily use and pesticides. Moreover, the use of a nanoscaled silver hydrosol has been requested in the European Union for even nutritional purposes. However, despite the wide applications of silver nanoparticles, there is a lack of information concerning their impact on human health. In order to investigate the eVects of silver nanoparticles on human intestinal cells, we used the Caco-2 cell line and peptide-coated silver nanoparticles with deWned colloidal, structural and interfacial properties. The particles display core diameter of 20 and 40 nm and were coated with the small peptide L-cysteine L-lysine L-lysine. Cell viability and proliferation were measured using Promegas CellTiter-Blue® Cell Viability assay, DAPI staining and impedance measurements. Apoptosis was determined by Annexin-V/7AAD staining and FACS analysis, membrane damage with Promegas LDH assay and reactive oxygen species by dichloroXuorescein assay. Exposure of proliferating Caco-2 cells to silver nanoparticle induced decreasing adherence capacity and cytotoxicity, whereby the formation of reactive oxygen species could be the mode of action. The eVects were dependent on particle size (20, 40 nm), doses (5100 μg/mL) and time of incubation (448 h). Apoptosis or membrane damage was not detected.
Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are among the
most commercialized nanoparticles worldwide. Often SNP
are used because of their antibacterial properties. Besides
that they possess unique optic and catalytic features,
making them highly interesting for the creation of novel
and advanced functional materials. Despite its widespread
use only little data exist in terms of possible adverse effects
of SNP on human health. Conventional synthesis routes
usually yield products of varying quality and property. It
thus may become puzzling to compare biological data from
different studies due to the great variety in sizes, coatings
or shapes of the particles applied. Here, we applied a novel
synthesis approach to obtain SNP of well-defined colloidal
and structural properties. Being stabilized by a covalently
linked small peptide, these particles are nicely homogenous,
with narrow size distribution, and form monodisperse
suspensions in aqueous solutions. We applied these peptide-
coated SNP in two different sizes of 20 or 40 nm
(Ag20Pep and Ag40Pep) and analyzed responses of THP-
1-derived human macrophages while being exposed against
these particles. Gold nanoparticles of similar size and
coating (Au20Pep) were used for comparison. The cytotoxicity
of particles was assessed by WST-1 and LDH
assays, and the uptake into the cells was confirmed via
transmission electron microscopy. In summary, our data
demonstrate that this novel type of SNP is well suited to
serve as model system for nanoparticles to be tested in
toxicological studies in vitro.
The self-assembly of double-hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) diblock copolymers in water has been studied. Isothermal titration calorimetry, small-angle X-ray scattering, and analytical ultracentrifugation suggest that only single polymer chains are present in solution. In contrast, light scattering and transmission electron microscopy detect aggregates with radii of ca. 100 nm. Pulsed field gradient NMR spectroscopy confirms the presence of aggregates, although only 2% of the polymer chains undergo aggregation. Water uptake experiments indicate differences in the hydrophilicity of the two blocks, which is believed to be the origin of the unexpected aggregation behavior (in accordance with an earlier study by Ke et al. [Macromolecules2009, 42, 5339–5344]). The data therefore suggest that even in double-hydrophilic block copolymers, differences in hydrophilicity are sufficient to drive polymer aggregation, a phenomenon that has largely been overlooked or ignored so far.
Agglomerated superparamagnetic iron
oxide nanoparticles can easily and in large scale be
precipitated from iron salt solutions. Although the
process is well known, it is ambiguously either assumed
that magnetite or maghemite is obtained. The first part
of our study clarifies this question using X-ray absorption
spectroscopy. For further processing of the nanoparticles,
i.e., for giving them a surface functionality or
incorporating them into composites, it is important to
break the agglomerates and individualize the particles
at first. This can effectively be done with nitric acid
treatment. The influence of this process on the particles
chemistry and structure was analyzed in great detail
using X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption, and smallangle
X-ray scattering. In contrast to our expectation,
no oxidation from magnetite (Fe3O4) to maghemite (γ-
Fe2O3) was found; the formal valence of the particles in
any case is magnetite (Fe3O4). Instead, an increase in
the particles' surface disorder was discovered from
X-ray absorption analyses and high-resolution transmission
electron microscopy. The acid treatment
roughens and distorts the surface of the nanoparticles
which is connected with an increased spin disorder.
We report on the trace analysis of copper and iron impurities in multicrystalline silicon wafers with the microbeam X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) technique. The efficiency of solar cells, which are based on multicrystalline silicon wafers, is strongly influenced by minor contamination with metals such as copper and iron. Application of compound refractive lenses (CRLs) in µ-XRF allows versatile two-dimensional mapping of relevant contaminations and localization of their sites of deposition. In this context, the measured bulk average limit of detection (LOD) was one picogram of iron and copper per gram of silicon. We suggest that µ-XRF is a valuable tool for non-destructive spatial (3D) quantification of metal impurities in a wide range of materials and devices whose functioning could be critically affected by impurities.
CTAB-stabilized gold nanoparticles were synthesized by applying the seeding-growth approach in order to gain information about the size dependence of the catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol with sodium borohydride. Five different colloidal solutions of stabilized gold nanoparticles have been characterized by TEM, AFM, UV-Vis, SAXS, and DLS for their particle size distributions. Gold nanoparticles (mean sizes: 3.5, 10, 13, 28, 56 nm diameter) were tested for their catalytic efficiency. Kinetic data were acquired by UV-Vis spectroscopy at different temperatures between 25 and 45 °C. By studying the p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol reaction kinetics we determined the nanoparticle size which is needed to gain the fastest conversion under ambient conditions in the liquid phase. Unexpectedly, CTAB-stabilized gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 13 nm are most efficient.
Fractionation
(2012)
The enormous diversity of polymers with respect to molecular weight, molecular architecture, and – in the case of copolymers – also the content and arrangement of dissimilar monomers requires well-targeted methods for the separation of the different species that are contained in a given sample. This chapter presents the most abundant fractionation procedures, which are either based on thermodynamic driving forces (like in the case of liquid–liquid phase separation) or on kinetic effects (as with field-flow fractionation).
The formation mechanisms of silver nanoparticles using aqueous silver perchlorate solutions as precursors and sodium borohydride as reducing agent were investigated based on time-resolved in situ experiments. This contribution addresses two important issues in colloidal science: (i) differences and analogies between growth processes of different metals such as gold and silver and (ii) the influence of a steric stabilizing agent on the growth process. The results reveal that a growth due to coalescence is a fundamental growth principle if the monomer-supplying chemical reaction is faster than the actual particle formation.
Hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine)s (PEIs) functionalized with maltose, maltotriose, and maltoheptaose form distinct core-shell globular nanoparticles as revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The solution structures are quantified using the Beaucage unified exponential/power-law approach. SAXS results were confirmed with dynamic light scattering (DLS). We found that all PEI structures are completely insensitive to changes of temperature (5 °C < T < 80 °C) and pH (1 < pH < 10). This remarkable stability of a compact spherical polymeric structure makes the modified PEIs promising for a wide range of biomedical applications.
The authors critically reviewed published lists of nano-objects and their physico-chemical properties deemed important for risk assessment and discussed metrological challenges associated with the development of nanoscale reference materials (RMs). Five lists were identified that contained 25 (classes of) nano-objects; only four (gold, silicon dioxide, silver, titanium dioxide) appeared on all lists. Twenty-three properties were identified for characterisation; only (specific) surface area appeared on all lists. The key themes that emerged from this review were: 1) various groups have prioritised nano-objects for development as 'candidate RMs' with limited consensus; 2) a lack of harmonised terminology hinders accurate description of many nano-object properties; 3) many properties identified for characterisation are ill-defined or qualitative and hence are not metrologically traceable; 4) standardised protocols are critically needed for characterisation of nano-objects as delivered in relevant media and as administered to toxicological models; 5) the measurement processes being used to characterise a nano-object must be understood because instruments may measure a given sample in a different way; 6) appropriate RMs should be used for both accurate instrument calibration and for more general testing purposes (e.g., protocol validation); 7) there is a need to clarify that where RMs are not available, if '(representative) test materials' that lack reference or certified values may be useful for toxicology testing and 8) there is a need for consensus building within the nanotechnology and environmental, health and safety communities to prioritise RM needs and better define the required properties and (physical or chemical) forms of the candidate materials.
The need for a better understanding of nanoparticleprotein interactions and the mechanisms governing the resulting colloidal stability has been emphasised in recent years. In the present contribution, the short and long term colloidal stability of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) and silica–poly(ethylene glycol) nanohybrids (Sil–PEG) have been scrutinised in a protein model system. Well-defined silica nanoparticles are rapidly covered by bovine serum albumin (BSA) and form small clusters after 20 min while large agglomerates are detected after 10 h depending on both particle size and nanoparticle–protein ratio. Oppositely, Sil–PEG hybrids present suppressive protein adsorption and enhanced short and long term colloidal stability in protein solution. No critical agglomeration was found for either system in the absence of protein, proving that instability found for SNPs must arise as a consequence of protein adsorption and not to high ionic environment. Analysis of the small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) structure factor indicates a short-range attractive potential between particles in the silica-BSA system, which is in good agreement with a protein bridging agglomeration mechanism. The results presented here point out the importance of the nanoparticle surface properties on the ability to adsorb proteins and how the induced or depressed adsorption may potentially drive the resulting colloidal stability.
Iron oxide of various structures is frequently used as food colorant (E 172). The spectrum of colors ranges from yellow over orange, red, and brown to black, depending on the chemical structure of the material. E 172 is mostly sold as solid powder. Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of nanoscaled particles in E 172 samples, often to a very high extent. This makes it necessary to investigate the fate of these particles after oral uptake. In this study, 7 differently structured commercially available E 172 food colorants (2 x Yellow FeO(OH), 2 x Red Fe2O3, 1 x Orange Fe2O3 + FeO(OH) and 2 x Black Fe3O4) were investigated for particle dissolution, ion release, cellular uptake, crossing of the intestinal barrier and toxicological impact on intestinal cells. Dissolution was analyzed in water, cell culture medium and artificial digestion fluids. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was employed for determination of the specific surface area of the colorants in the digestion fluids. Cellular uptake, transport and toxicological effects were studied using human differentiated Caco-2 cells as an in vitro model of the intestinal barrier. For all materials, a strong interaction with the intestinal cells was observed, albeit there was only a limited dissolution, and no toxic in vitro effects on human cells were recorded.
A round-robin study has been carried out to estimate the impact of the human element in small-angle scattering data analysis. Four corrected datasets were provided to participants ready for analysis. All datasets were measured on samples containing spherical scatterers, with two datasets in dilute dispersions and two from powders. Most of the 46 participants correctly identified the number of populations in the dilute dispersions, with half of the population mean entries within 1.5% and half of the population width entries within 40%. Due to the added complexity of the structure factor, far fewer people submitted answers on the powder datasets. For those that did, half of the entries for the means and widths were within 44 and 86%, respectively. This round-robin experiment highlights several causes for the discrepancies, for which solutions are proposed.
BAM is currently building up a platform of novel nanoRMs relying on iron oxide nanoparticles of different shape, size and surface chemistry. Iron oxide was chosen as a core material because of its relevance to the material and life sciences.
As a first candidate of this series, we present cubic iron oxide nanoparticles with a nominal edge length of 8 nm. These particles were synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron oleate in high boiling organic solvents adapting well-known literature procedures. After dilution to a concentration suitable for electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) as well as for small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements, the candidate nanoRM was bottled and assessed for homogeneity and stability by both methods following the guidelines of ISO 17034 and ISO Guide 35.
The particle sizes obtained by both STEM-in-SEM and TEM are in excellent agreement with a minimum Feret of 8.3 nm ± 0.7 nm. The aspect ratio (AR) of the iron oxide cubes were extracted from the images as the ratio of minimum Feret to Feret resulting in an AR of 1.18 for TEM to 1.25 for SEM. Alternatively, a rectangular bounding box was fitted originating from the minimum Feret and the longest distance through the particle in perpendicular direction. This led to AR values of 1.05 for TEM and 1.12 for SEM, respectively. The results confirm the almost ideal cubic shape.
Advanced peptide-based nanomaterials composed of self-assembling peptides (SAPs) are of emerging interest in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. The introduction of fluorine into peptides, in fact, offers unique opportunities to tune their biophysical properties and intermolecular interactions. In particular, the degree of fluorination plays a crucial role in peptide engineering as it can be used to control the characteristics of fluorine-specific interactions and, thus, peptide conformation and self-assembly. Here, we designed and explored a series of amphipathic peptides by incorporating the fluorinated amino acids (2S)-4-monofluoroethylglycine (MfeGly), (2S)-4,4-difluoroethylglycine (DfeGly) and (2S)-4,4,4-trifluoroethylglycine (TfeGly) as hydrophobic components. This approach enabled studying the impact of fluorination on secondary structure formation and peptide self-assembly on a systematic basis. We show that the interplay between polarity and hydrophobicity, both induced differentially by varying degrees of side chain fluorination, does affect peptide folding significantly. A greater degree of fluorination promotes peptide fibrillation and subsequent formation of physical hydrogels in physiological conditions. Molecular simulations revealed the key role played by electrostatically driven intra-chain and inter-chain contact pairs that are modulated by side chain fluorination and give insights into the different self-organization behaviour of selected peptides. Our study provides a systematic report about the distinct features of fluorinated oligomeric peptides with potential applications as peptide-based biomaterials.
Solvent annealing is a versatile tool to adjust the shape and morphology of block copolymer (BCP) particles. During this process, polar solvents are often used for block-selective swelling. However, such water-miscible solvents can induce (partial) solubilization of one block in the surrounding aqueous medium, thus, causing complex structural variations and even particle disassembly. To reduce the complexity in morphology control, we focused on toluene as a nonpolar polystyrene-selective solvent for the annealing of striped polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) ellipsoids. The selective stretching of PS chains produces unique asymmetric lamellae structures, which translate to an increase in the particle aspect ratio after toluene evaporation. Complete reversibility is achieved by changing to chloroform as a nonselective solvent. Moreover, surfactants can be used to tune block-selective wetting of the particle surface during the annealing; for example, a PS shell can protect the internal lamellae structure from disassembly. Overall, this versatile postassembly process enables the tailoring of the structural features of striped colloidal ellipsoids by only using commercial BCPs and solvents.
Metal nanoparticles have a substantial impact across diferent felds of science, such as photochemistry, energy conversion, and medicine. Among the commonly used nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles are of special interest due to their antibacterial properties and applications in sensing and catalysis. However, many of the methods used to synthesize silver nanoparticles often do not result in well-defned products, the main obstacles being high polydispersity or a lack of particle size tunability. We describe an automated approach to on-demand synthesis of adjustable particles with mean radii of 3 and 5 nm using the polyol route. The polyol process is a promising route for silver nanoparticles e.g., to be used as reference materials. We characterised the as-synthesized nanoparticles using small-angle X-ray scattering, dynamic light scattering and further methods, showing that automated synthesis can yield colloids with reproducible and tuneable properties.
Ultra-SAXS can enhance the capabilities of existing synchrotron SAXS/WAXS beamlines. A compact ultra-SAXS module has been developed, which extends the measurable q-range with 0.0015 ≤ q (nm−1) ≤ 0.2, allowing structural dimensions in the range 30 ≤ D (nm) ≤ 4000 to be probed in addition to the range covered by a high-end SAXS/WAXS instrument. By shifting the module components in and out on their respective motor stages, SAXS/WAXS measurements can be easily and rapidly interleaved with USAXS measurements. The use of vertical crystal rotation axes (horizontal diffraction) greatly simplifies the construction, at minimal cost to efficiency. In this paper, the design considerations, realization and synchrotron findings are presented. Measurements of silica spheres, an alumina membrane, and a porous carbon catalyst are provided as application examples.
Herein, a simple one-pot procedure is reported to obtain aqueous zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle dispersions from ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in cyclohexane. In the process, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (polysorbate 80, Tween 80) functions as a phase transfer agent and colloidal stabilizer. The particles grow in a defined manner during the transfer, presumably via coalescence. The final particle radii are tuneable in the range from 2.3 ± 0.1 nm to 5.7 ± 0.1 nm depending on the incubation time of the dispersion at 90 °C. Small-angle X-ray scattering is employed to determine the particle radius distributions before and after phase transfer. The larger ZnO particle radii are associated with a redshift of the optical bandgap and luminescence emission, as expected for semiconductor nanoparticles. The particles presented here exhibit a relative size distribution width of 20%, rendering them attractive for applications in, e.g., biology or catalysis. The latter application is demonstrated at the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye.
Among the different tested endpoints, Al- and Ticontaining nanomaterials did notshowany toxicity in intestinal cell lines in vitro. Nevertheless, this absence of effect was not due to an absence of exposure, since particle-specific uptake was reported.
Metal particle uptake over a long time period might therefore be relevant for risk assessment of aluminum- and titanium-containing food products.
The production of plastics is rising since they have been invented. Micro, submicro- and nanoplastics are produced intentionally or generated by environmental processes, and constitute ubiquitous contaminants which are ingested orally by consumers. Reported health concerns include intestinal translocation, inflammatory response, oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. Every digestive milieu in the gastrointestinal tract does have an influence on the properties of particles and can cause changes in their effect on biological systems. In this study, we subjected plastic particles of different materials (polylactic acid, polymethylmethacrylate, melamine formaldehyde) and sizes (micro- to nano-range) to a complex artificial digestion model consisting of three intestinal fluid simulants (saliva, gastric and intestinal juice). We monitored the impact of the digestion process on the particles by performing Dynamic Light Scattering, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation. An in vitro model of the intestinal epithelial barrier was used to monitor cellular effects and translocation behavior of (un)digested particles. In conclusion, artificial digestion decreased cellular interaction and slightly increased transport of all particles across the intestinal barrier. The interaction with organic matter resulted in clear differences in the agglomeration behavior. Moreover, we provide evidence for polymer-, size- and surface-dependent cellular effects of the test particles.
The presence of nano-scaled particles in food and food-related products has drawn attention to the oral uptake of nanoparticles and their interactions with biological systems. In the present study, we used a toxicoproteomics approach to allow for the untargeted experimental identification and comparative analysis of cellular Responses in rat liver after repeated-dose treatment with silver nanoparticles, ions, and the coating matrix used for particle stabilization.
The proteomic analysis revealed treatment-related effects caused by exposure to silver in particulate and ionic form. Both silver species induced similar patterns of signaling and metabolic alterations. Silver-induced cellular alterations comprised, amongst others, proteins involved in metal homeostasis, oxidative stress response, and energy metabolism. However, we discovered that secondary nano-scaled structures were formed from ionic silver. Furthermore, also the coating matrix alone gave rise to the formation of nano-scaled particles.
The present data confirm, complement, and extend previous knowledge on silver toxicity in rodent liver by providing a comprehensive proteomic data set. The observation of secondary particle formation from nonparticle controls underlines the difficulties in separating particle-, ion-, and matrix coating-related effects in biological systems. Awareness of this issue will support proper evaluation of nanotoxicology-related data in the future.
Peptide aggregation in amyloid fibrils is implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. There is a strong correlation between amyloid fibril formation and a decrease in conformational stability of the native state. Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), the aggregating peptide in Alzheimer's disease, is natively unfolded. The deposits found in Alzheimer's disease are composed of Aβ fibrillar aggregates rich in β-sheet structure. The influence of fluorinated complexes on the secondary structure and fibrillogenesis of Aβ peptide was studied by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). CD spectra show that complexes of polyampholyte and fluorinated dodecanoic acid induce a-helix structure in Aβ, but their hydrogenated analogous lead to β-sheet formation and aggregation. The fluorinated nanoparticles with highly negative zeta potential and hydrophobic fluorinated core have the fundamental characteristics to prevent Aβ fibrillogenesis.
Using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we show a full comparison between structuring of nanoparticles in confinement and in bulk in order to explain the effect of confinement on characteristic lengths and the scaling law of the characteristic lengths. Three different-sized particle suspensions are used to check the generalization and the correlation between the characteristic lengths and the system parameters, like particle diameter and Debye length. The two characteristic lengths obtained from AFM force curves, the oscillatory wavelength λ, which is related to the average particle distance, and the decay length ξ, which measures how far particle correlates to obtain periodic oscillations, are in good agreement with the mean particle distance 2π/qmax and the correlation length 2/Δq in bulk, respectively, obtained from the structure peaks of SAXS diagrams. Although confinement causes layering of nanoparticles parallel to the confining surfaces, the characteristic lengths in the direction perpendicular to the confining surfaces follow the bulk behavior. The wavelength scales as ρ-1/3 with the particle number density ρ irrespective of the particle size and the ionic strength and shows a pure volume effect. Upon comparing with literature results, the λ = ρ-1/3 scaling law can be applied more generally for charged particles, as long as the repulsive interaction is sufficiently long-ranged, than the previous expression of λ = 2(R + κ-1), which only approaches the value of average particle distance under specific conditions. The decay length ξ is controlled both by the particle size and the ionic strength of the suspensions, and ξ = R + κ-1 is proposed in the paper. In addition, the interaction strength, the force amplitude and maximum scattering intensity, increases linearly with particle concentration. On the other hand, the Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and approximate hypernetted chain (HNC) closure calculation based on Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) potential are employed to study the characteristic lengths from the theoretical point of view. The experimental wavelengths are in good agreement with the theoretical counterparts and the experimental decay lengths show the same qualitative behavior as theoretical ones on the particle size and ionic strength.
We report on the development of ultra-small core-shell silver nanoparticles synthesized by an up-scaled modification of the polyol process. It is foreseen to use these thoroughly characterized particles as reference material to compare the catalytic and biological properties of functionalized silver nanoparticles. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis reveal a narrow size distribution of the silver cores with a mean radius of RC = 3.0 nm and a distribution width of 0.6 nm. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) provides a hydrodynamic radius of RH = 10.0 nm and a PDI of 0.09. The particles’ surface is covered with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) forming a shell with a thickness of 7.0 nm, which provides colloidal stability lasting for more than six months at ambient conditions. The PAA can be easily exchanged by biomolecules to modify the surface functionality. Replacements of PAA with glutathione (GSH) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been performed as examples. We demonstrate that the particles effectively catalyze the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with sodium borohydride. The tunable catalytic activity of (436 ± 24) L g-1 s-1 is the highest reported in literature for silver nanoparticles.
The NanoMag project brings together various leading experts in magnetic nanoparticle synthesis as well as nanoparticle analysis and characterization from research institutes, companies, universities and metrology institutes that will perform cutting-edge research and develop applications in the field of magnetic particles. This work is supported by the European Commission Framework Programme7 under the NanoMag project [grant agreement no 604448].
Tracking silver nanoparticles: ultra-small silver refunctionalizable with fluorescent biopolymers
(2016)
We report on the synthesis of ultra-small silver nanoparticles and their quantitative characterization by small-angle X-ray scattering. The size distribution was derived by utilizing a Monte-Carlo data evaluation procedure reported by Pauw et al. Mean volume-weighted sizes are 3 nm with a size distribution width of 18 %. The particles should be used as reference materials for comparison of the result of different analytical methods among which are field-flow fractionation (FFF), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and electron microscopy (EM). In addition further use of the particles is foreseen for comparison of studies on the toxicology of nanoparticles. Therefore the silver nanoparticles are transfunctionalized with fluorescent marked albumin (BSA-FITC) and also thoroughly characterized. With this it is possible to track silver nanoparticles and their behavior in interaction with cells.
The breadth of applications of nanoparticles and the access to food-associated consumer products containing nanosized materials lead to oral human exposure to such particles. In biological fluids nanoparticles dynamically interact with biomolecules and form a protein corona. Knowledge about the protein corona is of great interest for understanding the molecular effects of particles as well as their fate inside the human body. We used a mass spectrometry-based toxicoproteomics approach to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity of silver nanoparticles and to comprehensively characterize the protein corona formed around silver nanoparticles in Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells. Results were compared with respect to the cellular function of proteins either affected by exposure to nanoparticles or present in the protein corona. A transcriptomic data set was included in the analyses in order to obtain a combined multiomics view of nanoparticle-affected cellular processes. A relationship between corona proteins and the proteomic or transcriptomic responses was revealed, showing that differentially regulated proteins or transcripts were engaged in the same cellular signaling pathways. Protein corona analyses of nanoparticles in cells might therefore help in obtaining information about the molecular consequences of nanoparticle treatment.
The elucidation of mechanisms underlying the cellular uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) is an important topic in nanotoxicological research. Most studies dealing with silver NP uptake provide only qualitative data about internalization efficiency and do not consider NP-specific dosimetry. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive comparison of the cellular uptake of differently coated silver NPs of comparable size in different human intestinal Caco-2 cell-derived models to cover also the influence of the intestinal mucus barrier and uptake-specialized M-cells. We used a combination of the Transwell system, transmission electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and ion beam microscopy techniques. The computational in vitro sedimentation, diffusion, and dosimetry (ISDD) model was used to determine the effective dose of the particles in vitro based on their individual physicochemical characteristics. Data indicate that silver NPs with a similar size and shape show coating-dependent differences in their uptake into Caco-2 cells. The internalization of silver NPs was enhanced in uptake-specialized M-cells while the mucus did not provide a substantial barrier for NP internalization. ISDD modeling revealed a fivefold underestimation of dose–response relationships of NPs in in vitro assays. In summary, the present study provides dosimetry-adjusted quantitative data about the influence of NP coating materials in cellular uptake into human intestinal cells. Underestimation of particle effects in vitro might be prevented by using dosimetry models and by considering cell models with greater proximity to the in vivo situation, such as the M-cell model.
Various aldehyde-containing photoswitches have been developed whose reactivity toward amines can be controlled externally. A thermally stable bifunctional diarylethene, which in its ring-closed form exhibits imine formation accelerated by one order of magnitude, was used as a photoswitchable crosslinker and mixed with a commercially available amino-functionalized polysiloxane to yield a rubbery material with viscoelastic and self-healing properties that can be reversibly tuned by irradiation.
Aluminum has gathered toxicological Attention based on relevant human exposure and its suspected hazardous potential. Nanoparticles from food supplements or Food contact materials may reach the human gastrointestinal tract.
Here, we monitored the physicochemical fate of aluminum containing nanoparticles and aluminum ions when passaging an in vitro model of the human gastrointestinal tract. Smallangle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ion beam microscopy (IBM), secondary ion beam mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the singleparticle mode were employed to characterize two aluminumcontaining nanomaterials with different particle core materials (Al0, γAl2O3) and soluble AlCl3. Particle size and shape remained unchanged in saliva, whereas strong Agglomeration of both aluminum nanoparticle species was observed at low pH in gastric fluid together with an increased ion release. The levels of free aluminum ions decreased in intestinal fluid and the particles deagglomerated, thus liberating primary particles again. Dissolution of nanoparticles was limited and substantial changes of their shape and size were not detected. The amounts of particle-associated phosphorus, chlorine, potassium, and calcium increased in intestinal fluid, as compared to nanoparticles in standard dispersion.
Interestingly, nanoparticles were found in the intestinal fluid after addition of ionic aluminum. We provide a comprehensive characterization of the fate of aluminum nanoparticles in simulated gastrointestinal fluids, demonstrating that orally ingested nanoparticles probably reach the intestinal epithelium. The balance between dissolution and de novo complex formation should be considered when evaluating nanotoxicological experiments.
Present data indicate that the quantification of silver nanoparticle internalization revealed a clear particle-specific and coatingrelated uptake. Furthermore, a high amount of silver nanoparticles is taken up in cell models of higher complexity. Thus, an underestimation of particle effects in vitro might be prevented by considering cell models with greater proximity to the in vivo situation.
SAXS for the determination of the size distribution of nanoparticles: Application in catalysis
(2017)
The open source software packages SASfit1 and McSAS2 are widely used to determine the size distribution of nanoparticles. SASfit is based on classical curve fitting. The type of size distribution needs to be provided as constraint for analysis. Very often the lognormal size distribution is useful as shown for the characterization of single- and multimodal magnetic iron oxide particles. The use of SASfit is part of efforts to standardize analyzing methods for magnetic nanoparticles within the EU project NanoMag (www.nanomag-project.eu). In contrast to SASfit, it is not necessary to provide the type of size distribution when using the program McSAS. Both programs provide tools that allow the user to estimate uncertainties of the derived size distributions. Such is helpful in the development of nanoscale reference materials for environmental, health and safety measurements. As an example, a detailed study on using SAXS in the characterization of ultra-small-silver nanoparticles is presented. These particles are useful in the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and display an adjustable activity (see Figure).
Figure. Core-shell silver nanoparticles catalyze the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and display an increasing catalytic activity when stabilized with different ligands in the line bovine serum albumin (BSA), glutathione (GSH) and polyacrylic acid (PAA).5
Iron Oxide Nanocubes as a New Certified Reference Material for Nanoparticle Size Measurements
(2023)
The rational design and increasing industrial use of nanomaterials require a reliable characterization of their physicochemical key properties like size, size distribution, shape, and surface chemistry. This calls for nanoscale reference materials (nanoRMs) for the validation and standardization of commonly used characterization methods closely matching real-world nonspherical nano-objects. This encouraged us to develop a nonspherical nanoRM of very small size consisting of 8 nm iron oxide nanocubes (BAM-N012) to complement spherical gold, silica, and polymer nanoRMs. In the following, the development and production of this nanoRM are highlighted including the characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as complementary methods for size and shape parameters, homogeneity and stability studies, and calculation of a complete uncertainty budget of the size features. The determination of the nanocubes’ edge length by TEM and SAXS allows a method comparison. In addition, SAXS measurements can also provide the mean particle number density and the mass concentration. The certified size parameters, area equivalent circular diameter and square edge length, determined by TEM with a relative expanded uncertainty below 9%, are metrologically traceable to a natural constant for length, the very precisely known (111) lattice spacing of silicon. Cubic BAM-N012 qualifies as a certified nanoRM for estimating the precision and trueness, validation, and quality assurance of particle size and shape measurements with electron microscopy and SAXS as well as other sizing methods suitable for nanomaterials. The production of this new iron oxide nanocube RM presents an important achievement for the nanomaterial community, nanomaterial manufacturers, and regulators.
Size and shape are crucial parameters which have impact on the potential of nanoparticles to penetrate cell membranes and epithelial barriers. Current research in nanotoxicology additionally focuses on particle coating. To distinguish between core- and coating-related effects in nanoparticle uptake and translocation, two nanoparticles equal in size, coating and charge but different in core material were investigated.
Silver and iron oxide nanoparticles coated with poly(acrylic acid) were chosen and extensively characterized by small-angle x-ray scattering, nanoparticle tracing analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Uptake and transport were studied in the intestinal Caco-2 model in a Transwell System with subsequent elemental analysis. TEM and ion beam microscopy were conducted for particle visualization.
Although equal in size, charge and coating, the behavior of the two particles in Caco-2 cells was different: while the internalized amount was comparable, only iron oxide nanoparticles additionally passed the epithelium. Our findings suggest that the coating material influenced only the uptake of the nanoparticles whereas the translocation was determined by the core material.
Knowledge about the different roles of the particle coating and core materials in crossing biological barriers will facilitate toxicological risk assessment of nanoparticles and contribute to the optimization of pharmacokinetic properties of nano-scaled pharmaceuticals.
Current analyses show a widespread occurrence of microplastic particles in food products and raise the question of potential risks to human health. Plastic particles are widely considered to be inert due to their low chemical reactivity and therefore supposed to pose, if at all only minor hazards. However, variable physicochemical conditions during the passage of the gastrointestinal tract gain strong importance, as they may affect particle characteristics. This study aims to analyze the impact of the gastrointestinal passage on the physicochemical particle characteristics of the five most produced and thus environmentally relevant plastic materials polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and subsequent image analysis were employed to characterize microplastic particles. Our results demonstrate a high resistance of all plastic particles to the artificial digestive juices. The present results underline that the main stages of the human gastrointestinal tract do not decompose the particles. This allows a direct correlation between the physicochemical particle characteristics before and after digestion. Special attention must be paid to the adsorption of organic compounds like proteins, mucins and lipids on plastic particles since it could lead to misinterpretations of particle sizes and shapes.
Polymeric core-shell particles were synthesized in a semi-batch emulsion polymerization process. The shell of the particles consist of PVDF with a high amount of beta-phase. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to quantify the size of the cores of the particles and the thickness of the shell.
We report on the characterization of the solution structure of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)s (PVP) by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and by online coupling of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (A4F), SAXS and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The commercial products PVP K30 and PVP K90 with nominal molar masses of 40 × 103 and 360 × 103 g mol-1, respectively, were investigated separately and as binary mixture. Detailed information for all polymer fractions is available on the polymer contour lengths and the diffusion coefficients. Key areas of applications for the A4F-SAXS-DLS coupling are seen in comparison to static light scattering for polymers with radii of gyration smaller than 10 nm, for which only SAXS produces precise analytical results on the size of the polymers in solution.
The application of appropriate analytical techniques is essential for nanomaterial (NM) characterization. In this study, we compared different analytical techniques for NM analysis. Regarding possible adverse health effects, ionic and particulate NM effects have to be taken into account. As NMs behave quite differently in physiological media, special attention was paid to techniques which are able to determine the biosolubility and complexation behavior of NMs. Representative NMs of similar size were selected: aluminum (Al0) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3), to compare the behavior of metal and metal oxides. In addition, titanium dioxide (TiO2) was investigated. Characterization techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) were evaluated with respect to their suitability for fast characterization of nanoparticle dispersions regarding a particle's hydrodynamic diameter and size distribution. By application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the single particle mode (SP-ICP-MS), individual nanoparticles were quantified and characterized regarding their size. SP-ICP-MS measurements were correlated with the information gained using other characterization techniques, i.e. transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The particle surface as an important descriptor of NMs was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). NM impurities and their co-localization with biomolecules were determined by ion beam microscopy (IBM) and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM). We conclude advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques applied and suggest options for their complementation. Thus, this paper may serve as a practical guide to particle characterization techniques.
Data correction is probably the least favourite activity amongst users experimenting with small-angle X-ray scattering: if it is not done sufficiently well, this may become evident only during the data analysis stage, necessitating the repetition of the data corrections from scratch. A recommended comprehensive sequence of elementary data correction steps is presented here to alleviate the difficulties associated with data correction, both in the laboratory and at the synchrotron. When applied in the proposed order to the raw signals, the resulting absolute scattering cross section will provide a high degree of accuracy for a very wide range of samples, with its values accompanied by uncertainty estimates. The method can be applied without modification to any pinhole-collimated instruments with photon-counting direct-detection area detectors.
Fate of fluorescence labels - Their adsorption and desorption kinetics to silver nanoparticles
(2018)
Silver nanoparticles are among the most widely used and produced nanoparticles. Because of their frequent application in consumer products, the assessment of their toxicological potential has seen a renewed importance. A Major difficulty is the traceability of nanoparticles in in vitro and in vivo experiments. Even if the particles are labeled, for example, by a fluorescent marker, the dynamic exchange of ligands often prohibits their spatial localization. Our study provides an insight into the adsorption and desorption kinetics of two different fluorescent labels on silver nanoparticles with a core radius of 3 nm by dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and fluorescence spectroscopy. We used BSA-FITC and tyrosine as examples for common fluorescent ligands. It is shown that the adsorption of BSA-FITC takes at least 3 days, whereas tyrosine adsorbs immediately. The quantitative amount of stabilizer on the particle surface was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy and revealed that the particles are stabilized by a monolayer of BSA-FITC (corresponding to 20 ± 9 molecules), whereas tyrosine forms a multilayered structure consisting of 15900 ± 200 molecules. Desorption experiments show that the BSA-FITC-stabilized particles are ideally suited for application in in vitro and in vivo experiments because the ligand desorption takes several days. Depending on the BSA concentration in the particles surroundings, the rate constant is k = 0.2 per day or lower when applying first order kinetics, that is, 50% of the BSAFITC molecules are released from the particle’s surface within 3.4 days. For illustration, we provide a first application of the fluorescence-labeled particles in an uptake study with two different commonly used cell lines, the human liver cell model HepG2 and the human intestinal cell model of differentiated Caco-2 cells.
This paper presents the first worldwide inter-laboratory comparison of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for nanoparticle sizing. The measurands in this comparison are the mean particle radius, the width of the size distribution and the particle concentration. The investigated sample consists of dispersed silver nanoparticles, surrounded by a stabilizing polymeric shell of poly(acrylic acid). The silver cores dominate the X-ray scattering pattern, leading to the determination of their radius size distribution using (i) the generalized indirect Fourier transformation method, (ii) classical model fitting using SASfit and (iii) a Monte Carlo fitting approach using McSAS. The application of these three methods to the collected data sets from the various laboratories produces consistent mean number- and volume-weighted core radii of Rn = 2.76 (6) nm and Rv = 3.20 (4) nm, respectively. The corresponding widths of the lognormal radius distribution of the particles were σn = 0.65 (1) nm and σv = 0.71 (1) nm. The particle concentration determined using this method was 3.0 (4) g l−1 or 4.2 (7) × 10−6 mol l−1. These results are affected slightly by the choice of data evaluation procedure, but not by the instruments: the participating laboratories at synchrotron SAXS beamlines, commercial and in-house-designed instruments were all able to provide highly consistent data. This demonstrates that SAXS is a suitable method for revealing particle size distributions in the sub-20 nm region (at minimum), out of reach for most other analytical methods.
This article reports on the characterization of four superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized with dimercaptosuccinic acid, which are suitable candidates for reference materials for magnetic properties. Particles p1 and p2 are single-core particles, while p3 and p4 are multi-core particles. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis reveals a lognormal type of size distribution for the iron oxide cores of the particles. Their mean radii are 6.9 nm (p1), 10.6 nm (p2), 5.5 nm (p3) and 4.1 nm (p4), with narrow relative distribution widths of 0.08, 0.13, 0.08 and 0.12. The cores are arranged as a clustered network in the form of dense mass fractals with a fractal dimension of 2.9 in the multi-core particles p3 and p4, but the cores are well separated from each other by a protecting organic shell. The radii of gyration of the mass fractals are 48 and 44 nm, and each network contains 117 and 186 primary particles, respectively. The radius distributions of the primary particle were confirmed with transmission electron microscopy. All particles contain purely maghemite, as shown by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy
The report on the results of an in vitro digestion study of silver nanoparticles in presence and absenceof food. The particles were poly(acrylic acid) stabilized ultra-small silver nanoparticles with a radius of 3.1 nm and a relative size distribution width of 0.2. As food components oil, starch, skimmed milk powderand a mixture thereof were chosen. Aggregation of the particles was quantified with small-angle X-rayscattering in terms of log-normal radii distributions. Complete aggregation of the primary particles wasdetermined in the absence of food. In contrast, the presence of oil and starch initiates a disaggregationin the intestine. Only small aggregates of 6 nm radii and aggregation numbers of 7 were found in thepresence of milk powder. It prevents primary particles from etching in the gastric and intestinal juice.Our results indicate that the silver nanoparticles can pass the digestion process in a nanoscale form butundergo a strong and food-dependent transformation in their state of aggregation.
Reaction procedures have been improved to achieve higher yields and shorter reaction times: one possibility is the usage of microwave reactors. In the literature, this is under discussion, for example, nonthermal effects resulting from the microwave radiation are claimed. Especially for the synthesis of nanomaterials, it is of crucial importance to be aware of influences on the reaction pathway. Therefore, we compare the syntheses of ultra-small silver nanoparticles via conventional and microwave heating. We employed a versatile one-pot polyol synthesis of poly(acrylic acid)-stabilized silver nanoparticles, which display superior catalytic properties. No microwave-specific effects in terms of particle size distribution characteristics, as derived by small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering, are revealed. Because of the characteristics of a closed system, microwave reactors give access to elevated temperatures and pressures. Therefore, the speed of particle formation can be increased by a factor of 30 when the reaction temperature is increased from 200 to 250 °C. The particle growth process follows a cluster coalescence mechanism. A postsynthetic incubation step at 250 °C induces a further growth of the particles while the size distribution broadens. Thus, utilization of microwave reactors enables an enormous decrease of the reaction time as well as the opportunity of tuning the particle size. Possibly, decomposition of the stabilizing ligand at elevated temperatures results in reduced yields. A compromise between short reaction times and high yields can be found at a temperature of 250 °C and a corresponding reaction time of 30 s.
We report on etching of polyacrylic acid-stabilised silver nanoparticles in the presence of glutathione (GSH). The initial particles with a radius of 3.2 nm and consisting of ∼8100 silver atoms dissolve in a two-step reaction mechanism while in parallel smaller silver particles with a radius of 0.65 nm and consisting of 60 to 70 silver atoms were formed. The kinetics of the etching of the initial particles, accompanied by formation of smaller silver particles was interpreted based on in situ, time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments.
The production of plastics is rising since they have been invented. Micro, submicro- and nanoplastics are produced intentionally or generated by environmental processes, and constitute ubiquitous contaminants which are ingested orally by consumers. Reported health concerns include intestinal translocation, inflammatory response, oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. Every digestive milieu in the gastrointestinal tract does have an influence on the properties of particles and can cause changes in their effect on biological systems. In this study, we subjected plastic particles of different materials (polylactic acid, polymethylmethacrylate, melamine formaldehyde) and sizes (micro- to nano-range) to a complex artificial digestion model consisting of three intestinal fluid simulants (saliva, gastric and intestinal juice). We monitored the impact of the digestion process on the particles by performing Dynamic Light Scattering, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation. An in vitro model of the intestinal epithelial barrier was used to monitor cellular effects and translocation behavior of (un)digested particles. In conclusion, artificial digestion decreased cellular interaction and slightly increased transport of all particles across the intestinal barrier. The interaction with organic matter resulted in clear differences in the agglomeration behavior. Moreover, we provide evidence for polymer-, size- and surface-dependent cellular effects of the test particles.
Post-assembly modifications are efficient tools to adjust colloidal features of block copolymer (BCP) particles. However, existing methods often address particle shape, morphology, and chemical functionality individually. For simultaneous control, we transferred the concept of seeded polymerization to phase separated BCP particles. Key to our approach is the regioselective polymerization of (functional) monomers inside specific BCP domains. This was demonstrated in striped PS-b-P2VP ellipsoids. Here, polymerization of styrene preferably occurs in PS domains and increases PS lamellar thickness up to 5-fold. The resulting asymmetric lamellar morphology also changes the particle shape, i.e., increases the aspect ratio. Using 4-vinylbenzyl azide as co-monomer, azides as chemical functionalities can be added selectively to the PS domains. Overall, our simple and versatile method gives access to various multifunctional BCP colloids from a single batch of pre-formed particles.
Aqueous Dispersions of Polypropylene: Toward Reference Materials for Characterizing Nanoplastics
(2023)
Microplastics and nanoplastics pollute the natural environment all over the world, but the full extent of the hazards posed by this waste is unclear. While research on microplastics is well advanced, little work has been done on nanoplastics. This discrepancy is mainly due to the lacking ability to detect nanoplastics in biologically and environmentally relevant matrices. Nanoplastics reference materials can help the development of suitable methods for identifying and quantifying nanoplastics in nature. The aim is to synthesize nanoplastics made from one of the most commonly used plastics, namely polypropylene. An easy way to produce long-term stable aqueous dispersions of polypropylene nanoparticles (nano polypropylene) is reported. The nanoplastic particles, prepared by mechanical breakdown, show a mean hydrodynamic diameter of D h = 180.5 ± 5.8 nm and a polydispersity index of PDI = 0.084 ± 0.02. No surfactant is needed to obtain dispersion which is stable for more than 6 months. The colloidal stability of the surfactant-free nano polypropylene dispersions is explained by their low zeta potential of 𝜻 = −43 ± 2 mV.
Noble metal-free nanoparticles (NPs) based on multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) were synthesized using a one-step pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLALs) method for the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Laser ablation was performed in pure water or poly-(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC)-containing an aqueous solution of Al8Cr17Co17Cu8Fe17Ni33 MPEA targets. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements combined with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping were used to characterize the structure and composition of the laser-generated MPEA nanoparticles (MPEA-NPs). These results confirmed the presence of a characteristic elemental distribution of a core-shell phase structure as the predominant NP species. The electrocatalytic performance of the laser-generated MPEA-NPs was characterized by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) demonstrating an enhanced electrocatalytic CO2 activity for PDADMAC-stabilized NPs. The findings of these investigations indicate that MPEAs have great potential to replace conventional, expensive noble metal electrocatalysts.
Noble metal-free nanoparticles (NPs) based on multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) were synthesized using a one-step pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLALs) method for the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Laser ablation was performed in pure water or poly-(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC)-containing an aqueous solution of Al8Cr17Co17Cu8Fe17Ni33 MPEA targets. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements combined with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping were used to characterize the structure and composition of the laser-generated MPEA nanoparticles (MPEA-NPs). These results confirmed the presence of a characteristic elemental distribution of a core-shell phase structure as the predominant NP species. The electrocatalytic performance of the laser-generated MPEA-NPs was characterized by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) demonstrating an enhanced electrocatalytic CO2 activity for PDADMAC-stabilized NPs. The findings of these investigations indicate that MPEAs have great potential to replace conventional, expensive noble metal electrocatalysts.
A Round Robin study has been carried out to estimate the impact of the human element in small-angle scattering data analysis. Four corrected datasets were provided to participants ready for analysis. All datasets were measured on samples containing spherical scatterers, with two datasets in dilute dispersions, and two from powders.
Most of the 46 participants correctly identified the number of populations in the dilute dispersions, with half of the population mean entries within 1.5 % and half of the population width entries within 40 %, respectively. Due to the added complexity of the structure factor, much fewer people submitted answers on the powder datasets.
For those that did, half of the entries for the means and widths were within 44 % and 86 % respectively. This Round Robin experiment highlights several causes for the discrepancies, for which solutions are proposed.
Uptake and molecular impact of aluminum-containing nanomaterials on human intestinal caco-2 cells
(2018)
Aluminum (Al) is one of the most common elements in the earth crust and increasingly used in food, consumer products and packaging. Its hazard potential for humans is still not completely understood. Besides the metallic form, Al also exists as mineral, including the insoluble oxide, and in soluble ionic forms. Representatives of these three species, namely a metallic and an oxidic species of Al-containing nanoparticles and soluble aluminum chloride, were applied to human intestinal cell lines as models for the intestinal barrier. We characterized physicochemical particle parameters, protein corona composition, ion release and cellular uptake. Different in vitro assays were performed to determine potential effects and molecular modes of Action related to the individual chemical species. For a deeper insight into signaling processes, microarray transcriptome analyses followed by bioinformatic data analysis were employed. The particulate Al species showed different solubility in biological media. Metallic Al nanoparticles released more ions than Al2O3 nanoparticles, while AlCl3 showed a mixture of dissolved and agglomerated particulate entities in biological media. The protein corona composition differed between both nanoparticle species. Cellular uptake, investigated in transwell experiments, occurred predominantly in particulate form, whereas ionic Al was not taken up by intestinal cell lines. Transcellular transport was not observed. None of the Al species showed cytotoxic effects up to 200 mg Al/mL. The transcriptome analysis indicated mainly effects on oxidative stress pathways, xenobiotic metabolism and metal homeostasis. We have shown for the first time that intestinal cellular uptake of Al occurs preferably in the particle form, while toxicological effects appear to be ion-related.
Ultra-SAXS can enhance the capabilities of existing SAXS/WAXS beamlines and laboratory instruments. A compact Ultra-SAXS module has been developed, which extends the measurable q-range with 0:0015 < q 1/nm) < 0:2, allowing structural dimensions between 30 < D(nm) < 4000 to be probed in addition to the range covered by a high-end SAXS/WAXS instrument. By shifting the module components in and out on their respective motor stages, SAXS/WAXS measurements can be easily and rapidly interleaved with USAXS measurements.
In contrast to microplastics, little is known about nanoplastics (1 to 100 nm). In order to make the dectecability of nanoplasics more reliable, we started to develop nanoplastic reference materials. This project also aims to anser the question of how the single chain conformation of bio(polymers) changes in contact with nanoplastics. Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering methods are suitable methods for studing this topic. Recently the soft and hard interactions between polystyrene nanoplasics and human serum albumin corona was investigated with small-angle neutron scattering. Here we concentrate on small-angle X-ray scattering as our favorite method to study how (bio)polymers change their conformation in contact with nanoplastics. The scattering of bovine serum albumin in its native state can be detected easily. The scattering pattern of this biopolymer changes dramatically when its globular stucture changes to a coil structure. Modeling of chain conformations and the calculation of the scattering pattern is relatively easy to perform. Numerous model calculations will be provided to predict the changes of conformation of single bio(polymer) chains when in conatact with nanoplastics. These predictions will be compared with recent experimenal results from in situ measurments of bio(polymers) in contact with nanoplastics. The impact of temperature, polymer concentration and salt on the single-chain conformation changes will be discussed.
New amphiphilic block copolymers consisting of N-vinyl pyrrolidone and vinyl acetate were synthesized via controlled radical polymerization using a reversible addition/fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)/macromolecular design via the interchange of xanthates (MADIX) system. The synthesis was carried out in 1,4-dioxane as process solvent. In order to get conclusions on the mechanism of the polymerization the molecular structure of formed copolymers was analysed by means of different analytical techniques. 13C NMR spectroscopy was used for the determination of the monomer ratios. End groups were analysed by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. This technique was also used to determine possible fragmentations of the RAFT end groups. By means of a combination of size exclusion chromatography, 13C NMR and static light scattering molar mass distributions and absolute molar masses could be analysed. The results clearly show a non-ideal RAFT mechanism.
The continuously increasing use of plastics is supposed to result in a rising exposure of MNPs to humans. Available data on human health risks of microplastics after oral uptake increased immensely in the past years and indicates very likely only low risks after oral consumption. Concerning nanoplastics, uptake, transport and potential adverse effects after oral uptake are less well understood. This study aims to investigate differences between microplastic particles and particles in the submicron- and nanoscaled size derived from food-relevant polymers with a particle size range consistent with higher potential for cellular uptake, fate, and effects when applied to human intestinal and liver cells. This work includes the development of cellular and subcellular detection methods for synthetic polymeric particles in the micro- and nanometer-range, using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Small-Angle X-ray and Dynamic Light Scattering methods, Asymmetric Flow Field Flow Fractionation, octanol-water fractionation, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Polylactic acid (250 nm and 2 μm (polydisperse)), melamine formaldehyde (366 nm) and polymethylmethacrylate (25 nm) were thoroughly characterized. The submicro- and nanoplastic test particles showed an increased uptake and transport quantity through intestinal cells. Both types of particles resulted in observed differences of uptake behavior, most likely influenced by different lipophilicity, which varied between the polymeric test materials. Toxic effects were detected after 24 h only in overload situations for the particles in the submicrometer range. This study provides further evidence for gastrointestinal uptake of submicro- and nanoplastics and points towards differences regarding bioavailability between microplastics and smaller plastic particles that may result following the ingestion of contaminated food and beverages. Furthermore, the results reinforce the importance for studying nanoplastics of different materials of varying size, surface properties, polymer composition and hydrophobicity.
Hemocompatible materials are needed for internal and extracorporeal biomedical applications, which should be realizable by reducing protein and thrombocyte adhesion to such materials. Polyethers have been demonstrated to be highly efficient in this respect on smooth surfaces. Here, we investigate the grafting of oligo- and polyglycerols to rough poly(ether imide) membranes as a polymer relevant to biomedical applications and show the reduction of protein and thrombocyte adhesion as well as thrombocyte activation. It could be demonstrated that, by performing surface grafting with oligo- and polyglycerols of relatively high polydispersity (>1.5) and several reactive groups for surface anchoring, full surface shielding can be reached, which leads to reduced protein adsorption of albumin and fibrinogen. In addition, adherent thrombocytes were not activated. This could be clearly shown by immunostaining adherent proteins and analyzing the thrombocyte covered area. The presented work provides an important strategy for the development of application relevant hemocompatible 3D structured materials.
Amphiphilic polymer nanogels (NGs) are promising drug delivery vehicles that extend the application of conventional hydrophilic NGs to hydrophobic cargoes. By randomly introducing hydrophobic groups into a hydrophilic polymer network, loading and release profiles as well as surface characteristics of these colloids can be tuned. However, very little is known about the underlying internal structure of such complex colloidal architectures. Of special interest is the question how the amphiphilic network composition influences the internal morphology and the “fuzzy” surface structure. To shine light into the influence of varying network amphiphilicity on these structural features, we investigated a small library of water-swollen amphiphilic NGs using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It was found that overall hydrophilic NGs, consisting of pure poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide) (PHPMA), display a disordered internal structure as indicated by the absence of a SAXS peak. In contrast, a SAXS peak is present for amphiphilic NGs with various amounts of incorporated hydrophobic groups such as cholesteryl (CHOLA) or dodecyl (DODA). The internal composition of the NGs is considered structurally homologous to microgels. Application of the Teubner–Strey model reveals that hydrophilic PHPMA NGs have a disordered internal structure (positive amphiphilicity factor) while CHOLA and DODA samples have an ordered internal structure (negative amphiphilicity factor). From the SAXS data it can be derived that the internal structure of the amphiphilic NGs consists of regularly alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains with repeat distances of 3.45–5.83 nm.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were prepared by the homogeneous mixing of continuous flows of an aqueous tetrachloroauric acid solution and a sodium borohydride solution applying a microstructured static mixer. The online characterization and screening of this fast process (~2 s) was enabled by coupling a micromixer operating in continuous-flow mode with a conventional in-house small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) setup. This online characterization technique enables the time-resolved investigation of the growth process of the nanoparticles from an average radius of ca. 0.8 nm to about 2 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a continuous-flow SAXS setup for time-resolved studies of nanoparticle formation mechanisms that does not require the use of synchrotron facilities. In combination with X-ray absorption near edge structure microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy the obtained data allow the deduction of a two-step mechanism of gold nanoparticle formation. The first step is a rapid conversion of the ionic gold precursor into metallic gold nuclei, followed by particle growth via coalescence of smaller entities. Consequently it could be shown that the studied synthesis serves as a model system for growth driven only by coalescence processes.
A facile approach for the synthesis of monodisperse gold nanoparticles with radii in the range of 7 to 20 nm is presented. Starting from monodisperse seeds with radii of 7 nm, produced in the first step, the addition of a defined amount of additional precursor material permits distinct size regulation and the realization of predicted nanoparticle sizes. These information were derived from ex- and in situ investigations by comprehensive small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and UV-Vis data to obtain information on the physicochemical mechanisms. The obtained mechanisms can be transferred to other seeded growth processes. Compared to similar approaches, the presented synthesis route circumvents the use of different reducing or stabilizing agents. The size of resulting nanoparticles can be varied over a large size range presented for the first time without a measurable change in the shape, polydispersity or surface chemistry. Thus, the resulting nanoparticles are ideal candidates for size dependence investigations.
Biomimetic synthesis of chiral erbium-doped silver/peptide/silica core-shell nanoparticles (ESPN)
(2011)
Peptide-modified silver nanoparticles have been coated with an erbium-doped silica layer using a method inspired by silica biomineralization. Electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering confirm the presence of an Ag/peptide core and silica shell. The erbium is present as small Er2O3 particles in and on the silica shell. Raman, IR, UV-Vis, and circular dichroism spectroscopies show that the peptide is still present after shell formation and the nanoparticles conserve a chiral plasmon resonance. Magnetic measurements find a paramagnetic behavior. In vitro tests using a macrophage cell line model show that the resulting multicomponent nanoparticles have a low toxicity for macrophages, even on partial dissolution of the silica shell.
Iron oxides used as food colorants are listed in the European Union with the number E172. However, there are no specifications concerning the fraction of nanoparticles in these pigments.
Here, seven E172 products were thoroughly characterized. Samples of all colors were analyzed with a Broad spectrum of methods to assess their physico-chemical properties. Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), zeta-potential, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) and in vitro cell viability measurements were used.
Nanoparticles were detected in all E172 samples by TEM or SAXS measurements. Quantitative results from both methods were comparable. Five pigments were evaluated by TEM, of which four had a size median below 100 nm, while SAXS showed a size median below 100 nm for six evaluated pigments. Therefore, consumers May be exposed to iron oxide nanoparticles through the consumption of food pigments.
Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are among the most commercialized nanoparticles because of their antibacterial effects. Besides being employed, e.g. as a coating material for sterile surfaces in household articles and appliances, the particles are also used in a broad range of medical applications. Their antibacterial properties make SNPs especially useful for wound disinfection or as a coating material for prostheses and surgical instruments. Because of their optical characteristics, the particles are of increasing interest in biodetection as well. Despite the widespread use of SNPs, there is little knowledge of their toxicity. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and laser post-ionization secondary neutral mass spectrometry (Laser-SNMS) were used to investigate the effects of SNPs on human macrophages derived from THP-1 cells in vitro. For this purpose, macrophages were exposed to SNPs. The SNP concentration ranges were chosen with regard to functional impairments of the macrophages. To optimize the analysis of the macrophages, a special silicon wafer sandwich preparation technique was employed; ToF-SIMS was employed to characterize fragments originating from macrophage cell membranes. With the use of this optimized sample preparation method, the SNP-exposed macrophages were analyzed with ToF-SIMS and with Laser-SNMS. With Laser-SNMS, the three-dimensional distribution of SNPs in cells could be readily detected with very high efficiency, sensitivity, and submicron lateral resolution. We found an accumulation of SNPs directly beneath the cell membrane in a nanoparticular state as well as agglomerations of SNPs inside the cells.