Results and discussion Physical and chemical characterizations of nanomaterials It is critical to conduct physical and chemical characterization of testing nanomaterials in nanotechnology research. Size, size distribution, surface charge, aggregation or agglomeration status, and shape have been considered as the most important parameters for nanomaterials. We evaluated these parameters using TEM and Zetasizer as described in the material and methods section. TEM analysis indicated that the ZnO, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles

have spherical shape with slightly agglomeration (Figure 1). The primary size of ZnO, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles were measured as 14.0 ± 4.9 nm, Selleckchem Regorafenib 19.7 ± 5.7 nm and 17.4 ± 5.1 nm, respectively (Table 1). The range of the diameter of the ZnO, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticle was 6.3-30.5 nm, 10.2-31.2 nm and 8.0-27.9 nm. Zetasizer analysis indicated that the average size of ZnO, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles in buffer solution was 2308.3 ± 159.1 nm, 2738.3 ± 303.3 nm and 915.0 ± 35.8 nm (mean ± SD). The average surface charge of the ZnO, TiO2, SiO2 nanoparticles in buffer solution was 17.6 ± 0.7 mV, 27.2 ± 3.1 mV, −5.7 ± 0.4 mV, respectively (Table 1). TEM directly measured the primary

size of the nanoparticles based on the projected area; while Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measured the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles

based on the translational diffusion area of the particle being measured. The same samples of these nanoparticles in buffer were BI 10773 order measured with a bigger size L-NAME HCl by zetasizer analysis than the measurement using TEM. This is due to the differences in the weighted averages determined by these two techniques, and also the differences in the physical properties measured. TEM is sensitive to the size of primary particles, whereas DLS is sensitive to the presence of small quantities of large particles or aggregates. Figure 1 Characterization of ZnO, TiO 2 , or SiO 2 nanoparticles by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Nanoparticles were deposited on formvar carbon coated grids and dried for TEM imaging. Images were analyzed in high Ruxolitinib ic50 resolution mode with an acceleration voltage of 100 kV. Morphology of ZnO, TiO2 or SiO2 is shown in left, middle and right of the above images. Scale Bar = 20 nm. Table 1 Characterization of TiO 2 , ZnO, and SiO 2 nanoparticles in Milli-Q water solutions Physical Parameters ZnO TiO 2 SiO 2 Primary size (nm) 14.0 ± 4.9 19.7 ± 5.7 17.4 ± 5.1 Primary size range(nm) 6.3 – 30.5 10.2 – 31.2 8.0 – 27.9 Hydrodynamic size (nm) 2738.3 ± 303.3 2308.3 ± 159.1 915.0 ± 35.8 Shape spherical spherical spherical Agglomerate in solution Yes Yes Yes Zeta potential ζ (mV) 17.6 ± 0.7 27.2 ± 3.1 −5.7 ± 0.