Gold Nanoparticles in Analytical Chemistry

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• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780444632852
• eBook ISBN: 9780444632869
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Analytic Chemistry

Analytical nanoscience and nanotechnology is a growing topic that is expected to have a great impact in the field of analytical chemistry. Many of the exceptional properties of gold nanoparticles make them suitable for different analytical applications and these applications allow extrapolations for their use in other fields as well. In analytical chemistry gold nanoparticles play two main roles, namely: i) As target analytes in the realm of the analysis of the nanoworld; and ii) As tools to improve analytical processes, such as the use of gold nanoparticles as components of electrodes, in spectroscopic techniques and (bio)chemical sensors and lateral flow sensors. This book is a comprehensive review of the role of gold nanoparticles in analytical nanoscience and nanotechnology, with chapters devoted to their synthesis, physico-chemical characteristics, derivatization and potential toxicity. The main microscopic, spectroscopic and separation techniques for the characterization are reviewed as well as the developments for their determination in environmental, biological and agrifood samples.- Provides an integral approach devoted to a specific nanoparticle- Considers gold nanoparticles as target analytes, as analytical tools and their relationships- Organizes the material in a novel way

Part I Generalities

Outline

Chapter 1. Analytical Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Chapter 2. Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles

Chapter 3. Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Gold Nanoparticles

Chapter 4. Derivatization of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles Toward Their Application in Life Sciences

Chapter 5. Toxicity of Gold Nanoparticles

Chapter 1

Analytical Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Ángela Inmaculada López-Lorente and Miguel Valcárcel^∗ Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
^∗ Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The common characteristic of nanoscience and nanotechnology (N&N) is the size of the target objects, which are comprised in the so-called “nanometric scale,” typically between one and 100 nm. The properties of materials at such scale are substantially different from those observed for the same material at higher scale. Thus, a widespread interest in N&N has been promoted. Within the analytical scope, nanomaterials can be considered both analytical tools, in order to improve the analytical properties of measurement procedures, and objects of the analysis. In this chapter, an overview of the connotations of analytical N&N is provided in which the two roles of nanomaterials in this context will be addressed.

Keywords

Analytical nanoscience and nanotechnology; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles

1. Contextualization

1.1. Definitions

The common characteristic of nanoscience and nanotechnology (N&N) is the size of the target objects, which are comprised in the so-called “nanometric scale,” typically between one and 100 nm.

Nanoscience has multiple complementary definitions, such as “the science of the synthesis, analysis and manipulation of materials at atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scales where physico-chemical properties may differ significantly from those at a larger particulate scale,” [1] or, simply: “the science based on the diverse structures of materials which have dimensions of a billionth part of the meter” [2].

On the other hand, Nanotechnology “deals with the design, characterization, production and application of structures, devices and systems by controlling the shape and size at the nanometer scale” [1].

A substantial aspect of nanoscience and nanotechnology (N&N) is its multidisciplinary as well as transversal and convergent character. Physicists, chemists, and engineers are the scientists and professionals more directly involved, but their convergence with other areas such as information technology and communication, biotechnology, and materials science, in a first approach, and medicine, pharmacy, agrifood, and diverse types of industries such as textile or energetic, in another, has to be pointed out.

Analytical science cannot be left out of N&N [3] and, in fact, it is even present in many definitions of N&N since reliable information about the nanoworld is crucial to make well founded scientific and technical decisions in this area. Words belonging to the analytical discipline such as “analysis” or “characterization” and others shared with other disciplines such as “use” or “employment” summarize the two key facets of the relationship between analytical chemistry and nanoscience and nanotechnology, namely, (1) the consideration of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials as objects (analytes) or (2) tools for the innovation and improvement of the (bio) chemical measurements processes.

The major application areas of nanotechnology can be classified into four groups [3], namely, (1) nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine, (2) nanomaterials, (3) nanoelectronics, and (4) nanosensors/nanodevices, nanotechnological instrumentation, and nanometrology. The last area is directly related to analytical science, which also plays an essential role in the other three, for example, dealing with the monitoring of production processes or both the characterization and use of end products.

1.2. Classifications

There are several emerging possibilities when introducing nanoscience and nanotechnology in the analytical scope. Therefore, a multiple classification based on four complementary criteria has been created, which is shown schematically in Figure 1 and is described in the following text.

The first criterion (Figure 1(1)) considers the type of material analyzed, which can be conventional (macro or micro in size) or nanomaterials. In the first case, nanoparticles can be involved in the analytical process, conferring to it nanotechnological character. An example is the use of quantum dots functionalized with antibodies, which can be injected in organisms in order to detect carcinogenic processes [4]. In the second possibility, the target is the own nanoworld, which coincides with the consideration of nanomaterials as analytes. For example, the determination of nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles [5] or carbon nanotubes [6–8] from environmental and biological matrices [9].

The second criterion (Figure 1(2)) relies on the analytical consideration of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials as objects (analytes) or tools involved in the analytical process. The extraction of chemical information from the structured nanomaterials (composition, chirality, reactivity, etc.) is an indispensable complement to the physical characterization, which is more well-known (dimensions, topography, etc.) [10]. On the other hand, nanomaterials can be used as analytical tools in order to develop new analytical processes or to improve existing ones (i.e., development of optical sensors, development of stationary and pseudostationary phases in chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, mechanical sensors, etc.).

FIGURE 1 Inherent classifications of analytical nanoscience and nanotechnology take into account four criteria: (1) target of the analysis; (2) consideration of the nanomatter; (3) exploitation of the nanosize; and (4) exploitation of the nanomatter properties.

Criteria 3 and 4 (Figure 1(3) and (4)) are based on exploitation in the analytical scope of the exceptional properties of nanomaterials, in exploiting the nanosize, or both. This leads to the definition of three types of analytical systems related to nanoscience and nanotechnology: nanotechnological analytical systems, nanometric analytical systems, and analytical nanosystems [11]. Nanotechnological analytical systems exploit the exceptional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials (although they are in micro/macro analytical systems) accounting for the most current uses of analytical nanoscience. Nanometric analytical systems, which are based exclusively on the nanosize of the devices involved, are exemplified by nanochip liquid chromatography systems [12] exploiting the advantages of working with flow rates as low as a few nanolitres per minute, a nanopipette [13], or levitated nanodrops as analytical containers [14]. Finally, analytical nanosystems succ...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Advisory Board
• Copyright
• Contributors to Volume 66
• Series Editor's Preface
• Volume Editor's Preface
• Part I Generalities
• Part II Gold Nanoparticles as Target Analytes: Characterization and Determination of Gold Nanoparticles
• Part III Gold Nanoparticles as Analytical Tools
• Index