title: Elemental Mass Size Distribution for Characterization, Quantification and Identification of Trace Nanoparticles in Serum and Environmental Waters.
abstract: Accurate characterization, quantification, and identification of nanoparticles (NPs) are essential to fully understand the environmental processes and effects of NPs. Herein, the elemental mass size distribution (EMSD), which measures particle size, mass, and composition, is proposed for the direct size characterization, mass quantification, and composition identification of trace NPs in complex matrixes. A one-step method for the rapid measurement of EMSDs in 8 min was developed through the online coupling of size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The use of a mobile phase with a relatively high ionic strength (a mixture of 2% FL-70 and 2 mM Na2S2O3) ensured the complete elution of different-sized NPs from the column and, therefore, a size-independent response. After application of a correction for instrumental broadening by a method developed in this study, the size distribution of NPs by EMSD determination agreed closely with that obtained from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Compared with TEM, EMSD allows a more rapid determination with a higher mass sensitivity (1 pg for gold and silver NPs) and comparable size discrimination (0.27 nm). The proposed EMSD-based method was capable of identifying trace Ag2S NPs and core-shell nanocomposite Au@Ag, as well as quantitatively tracking the dissolution and size transformation of silver nanoparticles in serum and environmental waters.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Xia
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Fu
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7134-7026
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Gui-Bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D012834:Silver; D006046:Gold