This publication describes the first international intercomparison of particle size determination by single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICPMS). Concentrated monodisperse silver nanoparticle suspensions with aparticle diameters of of 20, 40 and 100 nm and a blank solution were sent to 23 laboratories in Europe and the Americas. Laboratories prepared eight nanoparticle preparations in two food simulants (distilled water; 10 % ethanol) and reported median particle size, Ag particle mass concentration and Ag particle number concentrations. Average repeatability and reproducibility standard deviation (sr and sR) for the median particle diameter were 1 and 14 nm, respectively. Relative precision was worse for Ag particle number concentrations (RSDr = 11 %; RSDR = 78 %). While further improvements of the method, especially with respect to software tools for evaluation, hardware options for shorter dwell-times, calibration standards for determining nebuliser efficiency and further experience by laboratories are certainly desirable, the results of this study demonstrate the suitability of sp-ICPMS for the detection and quantification of certain kinds of nanoparticles.

LINSINGER Thomas;  PETERS R.;  WEIGEL Stefan; 

2014-09-18

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

JRC83891

1618-2642,   

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00216-013-7559-9,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC83891,   

10.1007/s00216-013-7559-9,