A precise nanoparticle quantification approach using microfluidics and single-particle tracking

Density determination; Concentration determination; Nanoparticle characterization; Light scattering ANALYTICAL ULTRACENTRIFUGATION; ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY; WATER-ABSORPTION LIGHT-SCATTERING; DISTRIBUTIONS; SYSTEM; THERMO Pharmacology Pharmacy Pharmacology Pharmacy Marc.Schneider@uni-saarland.de

Abstract :

[en] Due to the limited available amounts of components, especially of low water-soluble drugs, formulation development is often impeded by a careful characterization. The use of small batch sizes might solve this problem but requires also adequate analytics. Concentration of nanoparticulate formulations lack straightforward evaluation techniques. In this work, a precise and straight-forward method is established to individually count nanoparticles. A microfluidic chip with known dimensions was used to visualize single particles flowing through the channel (single-particle tracking (SPT)). A sequence of 10,000 images was analyzed to determine the mean particle concentration. The proposed method is independent of the particular flow rate through the microfluidic chip as long as there is no particle overlap and a continuous exchange of particles. Monodisperse Rhodamine B labeled poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles (267.03 +/- 9.79 nm) were used as a model and reference particle system for the evaluation process of SPT allowing for a gravimetric determination based on density analysis using analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and gas pycnometry. The SPT method was evaluated and compared to other techniques used for concentration measurement. Both approaches (SPT and gravimetry) provide very similar and comparable results indicating the applicability of this novel quantification approach. In contrast, multi angle dynamic light scattering (MADLS) could not yield a precision as good as SPT (number 11.67\%; SD nMADLS = 49.45\%). Finally, the measured particle number concentrations can be realized in low concentration ranges (0.8249 mu g mL-1 - 0.08249 mu g mL-1) not accessible for MADLS (0.08249 mg mL-1 - 0.008249 mg mL-1) and gravimetric analysis.

Disciplines :

Physics

Author, co-author :

Buescher, Johannes; Schneider, M (Corresponding Author), Saarland Univ, Dept Pharm Biopharmaceut Pharmaceut Technol, Campus C4 1, D-66123 Saarbrucken, Germany. Buescher, Johannes

John, Thomas; Abdel-Hafez, Salma M.

Boehm, Anna K.; Schneider, Marc, Saarland Univ, Dept Pharm Biopharmaceut Pharmaceut Technol, Campus C4 1, D-66123 Saarbrucken, Germany. John, Thomas

Weber, Louis; Wagner, Christian, Saarland Univ, Dept Expt Phys, Campus E2 6, D-66123 Saarbrucken, Germany. Boehm, Anna K.

Abdel-Hafez, Salma M.; Gallei, Markus, Saarland Univ, Polymer Chem, Campus C4 2, D-66123 Saarbrucken, Germany. Weber, Louis

WAGNER, Christian ; University of Luxembourg

Kraus, Tobias

Gallei, Markus

Schneider, Marc

External co-authors :

yes

Title :

A precise nanoparticle quantification approach using microfluidics and single-particle tracking

Publication date :

2022

Journal title :

Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology

ISSN :

1773-2247

Publisher :

ELSEVIER, RADARWEG 29, 1043 NX AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, Unknown/unspecified

Volume :

Peer reviewed :

Peer reviewed

Commentary :

Article

Available on ORBilu :

since 03 July 2023

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