Detection and characterization of engineered nanoparticles in food and the environment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Detection and characterization of engineered nanoparticles in food and the environment

AU - Tiede, Karen

AU - Boxall, Alistair B. A.

AU - Tear, Steven P.

AU - Lewis, John

AU - David, Helen

AU - Hassellov, Martin

PY - 2008/7

Y1 - 2008/7

N2 - Nanotechnology is developing rapidly and, in the future, it is expected that increasingly more products will contain some sort of nanomaterial. However, to date, little is known about the occurrence, fate and toxicity of nanoparticles. The limitations in our knowledge are partly due to the lack of methodology for the detection and characterisation of engineered nanoparticles in complex matrices, i.e. water, soil or food. This review provides an overview of the characteristics of nanoparticles that could affect their behaviour and toxicity, as well as techniques available for their determination. Important properties include size, shape, surface properties, aggregation state, solubility, structure and chemical composition. Methods have been developed for natural or engineered nanomaterials in simple matrices, which could be optimized to provide the necessary information, including microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy, centrifugation, as well as filtration and related techniques. A combination of these is often required. A number of challenges will arise when analysing environmental and food materials, including extraction challenges, the presence of analytical artifacts caused by sample preparation, problems of distinction between natural and engineered nanoparticles and lack of reference materials. Future work should focus on addressing these challenges.

AB - Nanotechnology is developing rapidly and, in the future, it is expected that increasingly more products will contain some sort of nanomaterial. However, to date, little is known about the occurrence, fate and toxicity of nanoparticles. The limitations in our knowledge are partly due to the lack of methodology for the detection and characterisation of engineered nanoparticles in complex matrices, i.e. water, soil or food. This review provides an overview of the characteristics of nanoparticles that could affect their behaviour and toxicity, as well as techniques available for their determination. Important properties include size, shape, surface properties, aggregation state, solubility, structure and chemical composition. Methods have been developed for natural or engineered nanomaterials in simple matrices, which could be optimized to provide the necessary information, including microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy, centrifugation, as well as filtration and related techniques. A combination of these is often required. A number of challenges will arise when analysing environmental and food materials, including extraction challenges, the presence of analytical artifacts caused by sample preparation, problems of distinction between natural and engineered nanoparticles and lack of reference materials. Future work should focus on addressing these challenges.

KW - nanoparticles

KW - nanomaterials

KW - food

KW - environment

KW - analysis

KW - characterization

KW - detection

KW - FIELD-FLOW-FRACTIONATION

KW - ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

KW - SIZE-EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY

KW - SCANNING-ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

KW - PHOTON-CORRELATION SPECTROSCOPY

KW - FLIGHT MASS-SPECTROMETRY

KW - NATURAL AQUATIC COLLOIDS

KW - WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES

KW - FRESH-WATER COLLOIDS

KW - FLUORESCENCE CORRELATION SPECTROSCOPY

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=46349107675&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/02652030802007553

DO - 10.1080/02652030802007553

M3 - Literature review

SN - 1944-0049

VL - 25

SP - 795

EP - 821

JO - FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS PART A-CHEMISTRY ANALYSIS CONTROL EXPOSURE

JF - FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS PART A-CHEMISTRY ANALYSIS CONTROL EXPOSURE

IS - 7

ER -