Mass spectrometry (MS) based analyses are rapidly adopted by environmental scientists to study and assess the fate of nanomaterials and its potential toxicity to humans and the environment.
Nanomaterials are diverse small-scale substances, smaller than 100 nanometers in at least one dimension.1 They include particles, tubes, rods and fibers. Nanomaterials have been increasingly incorporated into consumer products, although research continues on their potential effects on the environment and human health.
Nanomaterials are one of the leading products of nanotechnologies and are increasingly used in many areas, including drug delivery systems, therapeutics, biosensors and consumer products such as sunscreen, cosmetics and food.2-4 These small-size particles can be transported into the human body by inhalation or absorbed through the skin.5 More research is needed to understand the physicochemical characteristics of nanomaterials and nanoparticles. In addition, there is a significant need for an accurate technique to characterize and quantify nanomaterials in a wide range of sample types, including air, water and soil sediments.
Accurate measurements of nanomaterials in the environment and their effects
One of the key advantages of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is its high sensitivity for trace-level quantification of moderately polar, polar and ionic compounds in a broad range of matrices. LC-MS/MS solutions from SCIEX allow you to measure nanomaterials in air, water and soil using a single instrument. With an LC-MS/MS system from SCIEX, you can:
- Identify and quantify thousands of compounds down to sub-parts per trillion levels
- Achieve high sensitivity without derivatization, saving you valuable time
- Leverage the robustness and selectivity of mass spectrometry to analyze dirty and complex matrices
- Profile the composition of samples and gain confidence in your data using comprehensive spectral libraries
- The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). Nanomaterials, 2009: https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/nanomaterials/en/index.htm
- Vance, M. E.; Kuiken, T.; Vejerano, E. P.; Mcginnis, S. P.; Hochella, M. F.; Rejeski, D.; Hull, M. S. Nanotechnology in the real world: Redeveloping the nanomaterial consumer products inventory. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 2015, 6, 1769–1780. doi: 10.3762/bjnano.6.181
- Ray, P. C.; Yu, H.; Fu, P. P. Toxicity and environmental risks of nanomaterials: challenges and future needs. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part C 2009, 27(1), 1–35. doi: 10.1080/10590500802708267
- Nasrollahzadeh, M.; Sajjadi, M.; Iravani, S.; Varma, R. S. Green-synthesized nanocatalysts and nanomaterials for water treatment: Current challenges and future perspectives. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2021, 401, 123401. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123401
- Sharifi, S.; Behzadi, S.; Laurent, S.; Forrest, M. L.; Stroeve, P.; Mahmoudi, M. Toxicity of nanomaterials. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2012, 41(6), 2323–2343. doi: 10.1039/c1cs15188f
X500R QTOF System
This easy-to-use accurate mass spectrometer system analyzes data faster using the power of SWATH® Acquisition.
SCIEX OS Software
This all-in-one software lets you acquire, process and analyze data, and even generate reports.
QTRAP® systems
Use the MRM sensitivity of a triple quadrupole system to get even better identification and quantification.
ExionLC AE system
Reproducibility, reliability and carryover performance to match your quantitative workflows. Dependability you can count on, from injection to injection and batch after batch.