NP characterisation

In order to assess the biological effects of nanoparticles (NPs) in experimental exposure studies it is essential to have homogenous and well-characterised test materials (e.g. uniformity of particle size) with minimal batch variability.Cefas have an established collaboration with Dr Paul Christian at the School of Chemistry at Manchester University an expert the manufacture and characterization of nanoparticle materials.

In addition to the facility to study commercially available materials, Cefas investigates nanoparticles specifically prepared for research projects, where full characterisation, preparation and provenance of the material is known. Recent studies undertaken at Cefas have used cadmium and silver nanomaterials prepared by the arrested precipitation method at Manchester University. Nanoparticles are functionalised with a thiolated polyethylene glycol surfactant, which is biologically compatible and an excellent material for maintaining the nanoparticles in aqueous suspension of varying ionic strengths. Such characterisation is not always available from commercially sourced material and the availability of well charaterised materials aids our interpretation of results obtained from toxicity studies.