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Real-time size discrimination and elemental analysis of gold nanoparticles using ES-DMA coupled to ICP-MS

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Abstract

We report the development of a hyphenated instrument with the capacity to quantitatively characterize aqueous suspended gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) based on a combination of gas-phase size separation, particle counting, and elemental analysis. A customized electrospray-differential mobility analyzer (ES-DMA) was used to achieve real-time upstream size discrimination. A condensation particle counter and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) were employed as downstream detectors, providing information on number density and elemental composition, respectively, of aerosolized AuNPs versus the upstream size selected by ES-DMA. A gas-exchange device was designed and optimized to improve the conversion of air flow (from the electrospray) to argon flow required to sustain the ICP-MS plasma, the key compatibility issue for instrumental hyphenation. Our work provides the proof of concept and a working prototype for utilizing this construct to successfully measure (1) number- and mass-based distributions; (2) elemental compositions of nanoparticles classified by size, where the size classification and elemental analysis are performed within a single experiment; (3) particle concentrations in both solution (before size discrimination) and aerosol (after size discrimination) phases; and (4) the number of atoms per nanoparticle or the nanoparticle density.

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  1. The identification of any commercial product or trade name does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

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Acknowledgments

This research was performed while S.E. held a National Research Council Research Associateship Award at NIST. The authors thank Yonggao Yan and Mindong Li at NIST for their help with developing the customized DMA program. The authors thank Robert Cook and Julien Gigault at NIST, and Prof. Michael Zachariah at the University of Maryland, for manuscript review and helpful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Measurement Science Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA

    Sherrie Elzey, De-Hao Tsai & Vincent A. Hackley

  2. Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA

    Lee L. Yu, Michael R. Winchester & Michael E. Kelley

Authors
  1. Sherrie Elzey
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  2. De-Hao Tsai
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  3. Lee L. Yu
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  4. Michael R. Winchester
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  5. Michael E. Kelley
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  6. Vincent A. Hackley
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vincent A. Hackley.

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Elzey, S., Tsai, DH., Yu, L.L. et al. Real-time size discrimination and elemental analysis of gold nanoparticles using ES-DMA coupled to ICP-MS. Anal Bioanal Chem 405, 2279–2288 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-012-6617-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-012-6617-z

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