LGC is using nanoparticle tracking analysis to characterise novel nanoscale reference materials.
LGC is the UK’s designated National Measurement Institute for chemical and bioanalytical measurement.
To address potential toxicity in nanomaterials, LGC is developing a panel of nanoparticle reference materials which will be assessed for their physical and chemical properties in an in vitro biological matrix.
These reference materials will be based on the high quality nanoparticles produced by the EU-Joint Research Centre (JRC) which have undergone extensive physical characterisation in the dry-powder form.
LGC is carrying out the characterisation work using a unique combination of Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA – NanoSight, UK), which images and tracks the Brownian motion of particles in solution, with field flow fractionation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (FFF-ICPMS).
This approach will allow complex suspensions of nanomaterials to be characterised for their size, size distribution, charge, concentration, dissolution and elemental composition.
Speaking about this project, Damian Marshall said: “It is anticipated that this research will produce a prototype panel of reference materials characterised for their properties (size, agglomeration state, elemental composition, and toxicity) in physiologically relevant systems so they can be applied as calibration standards in routine testing procedures.
“The research should support public acceptance of nanomaterial safety by providing reference materials that can be incorporated into testing regimes for regulatory processes.”
