Malvern Instruments has revealed that researchers at Baylor University's Department of Geology are using the Zetasizer Nano for the study of nanoparticles in water.
The instrument is being used by scientists in the environmental nanoscience laboratory within the department, which addresses research focusing on the fate and transport of nanomaterials in an aquatic environment.
The Zetasizer is able to measure both particle size and zeta potential.
Dr Boris Lau's laboratory is studying the behaviour and interactions of both natural and synthetic metal-based nanoparticles, such as metal oxides and metal sulphides, in water.
This research has significant implications in areas such as water treatment and the biological uptake of manufactured nanoparticles.
By coupling the Zetasizer Nano with a Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) the Baylor team is able to correlate changes in particle size and charge with changes in adsorption of nanoparticles on environmental and physiological surfaces.
