Electrochemical detection of commercial silver nanoparticles: identification, sizing and detection in environmental media

Electronic Circuit Simulations as a Tool to Understand Distorted Signals in Single-Entity Electrochemistry

Electrochemical analysis relies on precise measurement of electrical signals, yet the distortions caused by potentiostat circuitry and filtering are rarely addressed. Elucidation of these effects is essential for gaining insights behind sensitive low-current and short-duration electrochemical signals, e.g., in single-entity electrochemistry. We present a simulation approach utilizing the Electrical Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE), which is extensively used in electronic circuit simulations. As a proof-of-concept, we develop a universal electrical circuit model for single nanoparticle impact experiments, incorporating potentiostat and electronic filter circuitry. Considering these alterations, the experimentally observed transients of silver nanoparticle oxidation were consistently shorter and differently shaped than those predicted by established models. This reveals the existence of additional processes, e.g., migration, partial or asymmetric oxidation. These results highlight the SPICE approach's ability to provide valuable insights into processes occurring during single-entity electrochemistry, which can be applied to various electrochemical experiments, where signal distortions are inevitable.

In situ silver nanoparticle coating of virions for quantification at single virus level

In situ labelling and encapsulation of biological entities, such as of single viruses, may provide a versatile approach to modulate their functionality and facilitate their detection at single particle level. Here, we introduce a novel virus metallization approach based on in situ coating of viruses in solution with silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in a two-step synthetic process, i.e. surface activation with a tannic acid - Sn(II) coordination complex, which subsequently induces silver ion (I) reduction. The metalic coating on the virus surface opens the opportunity for electrochemical quantification of the AgNP-tagged viruses by nano-impact electrochemistry on a microelectrode with single particle sensitivity, i.e. enable the detection of particles oherwise undetectable. We show that the silver coating of the virus particles impacting the electrode can be oxidized to produce distinct current peaks the frequency of which show a linear correlation with the virus count. The proof of the concept was done with inactivated Influenza A (H3N2) viruses resulting in their quantitation down to the femtomolar concentrations (ca. 5 × 10⁷ particles per mL) using 50 s counting sequences.

Voltammetric sensing of silver nanoparticles on electrodes modified with selective ligands by using covalent and electropolymerization procedures. Discrimination between silver(I) and metallic silver

New electrochemical sensors are described for the rapid quantification of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). They are based on the immobilization of L-cysteine on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and on the formation of electropolymerized oligomers on the GCE. Ligands with amino, sulfur and carboxy functional groups are used that are capable of selectively retaining AgNPs. The experimental conditions for electropolymerizations were optimized for each of four monomers studied: L-lysine, thiophene-3-carboxamide, thionin, and o-phenylene-diamine. The best retention capabilities and conditions for quantification of AgNPs were found for immobilized nanoparticle voltammetry. This method is more sensitive than others based on the sorption of AgNPs from dispersions. These ligands also retain ionic silver species. Hence, Ag(I) and Ag⁰ can be discriminated, and the total silver content can be quantified by stripping voltammetry. The best analytical properties (for dispersions of AgNPs of 40 nm diameter) were found with GCEs carrying electropolymerized L-lysine. Figures of merit include (a) sensitivity of 4.329 ± 0.031 μA μg^-1 mL cm^-2, (b) a detection limit of 0.010 μg mL^-1, and (c) a relative standars deviation of about 7.2% (for n = 4). The poly-L-lysine sensors can also evaluate the size of the AgNPs in the range 20 to 80 nm diameter, owing to displacements of the maximum potential of the voltammetry peaks. Graphical abstractSchematic representation of the quantification of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with a glassy-carbon electrode (GCE) modified with electropolymerized poly(L-lysine). AgNPs (and Ag⁺ ions) are selectively preconcentrated in the polymer and determined by differential-pulse stripping voltammetry.

Single Particle Electrochemistry of Collision

A novel electrochemistry method using stochastic collision of particles at microelectrode to study their performance in single-particle scale has obtained remarkable development in recent years. This convenient and swift analytical method, which can be called "nanoimpact," is focused on the electrochemical process of the single particle rather than in complex ensemble systems. Many researchers have applied this nanoimpact method to investigate various kinds of materials in many research fields, including sensing, electrochemical catalysis, and energy storage. However, the ways how they utilize the method are quite different and the key points can be classified into four sorts: sensing particles at ultralow concentration, theory optimization, kinetics of mediated catalytic reaction, and redox electrochemistry of the particles. This review gives a brief overview of the development of the nanoimpact method from the four aspects in a new perspective.

Sampling for silver nanoparticles in aqueous media using a rotating disk electrode: evidence for selective sampling of silver nanoparticles in the presence of ionic silver

Amendment of a carbon paste electrode consisting of graphite and Nujol®, with a variety of organic and inorganic materials, allows direct adsorption of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from aqueous solution in either open or close circuit modes. The adsorbed AgNPs are detected by stripping voltammetry. Detection limits of less than 1 ppb Ag are achievable with a rotating disk system. More than one silver peak was apparent in many of the stripping voltammograms. The appearance of multiple peaks could be due to different species of silver formed upon stripping or variation in the state of aggregation or size of nanoparticles. With most of these packing materials, dissolved Ag⁺ was also extracted from aqueous solution, but, with a packing material made with Fe(II,III) oxide nanoparticles, only AgNPs were extracted. Therefore, it is the best candidate for determination of metallic AgNPs in aqueous environmental samples without interference from Ag⁺.

Correlated Electrochemical and Optical Detection Reveals the Chemical Reactivity of Individual Silver Nanoparticles

Electrochemical (EC) impacts of single nanoparticles (NPs) on an ultramicroelectrode are coupled with optics to identify chemical processes at the level of individual NPs. While the EC signals characterize the charge transfer process, the optical monitoring gives a complementary picture of the transport and chemical transformation of the NPs. This is illustrated in the case of electrodissolution of Ag NPs. In the simplest case, the optically monitored dissolution of individual NPs is synchronized with individual EC spikes. Optics then validates in situ the concept of EC nanoimpacts for sizing and counting of NPs. Chemical complexity is introduced by using a precipitating agent, SCN(-), which tunes the overall electrodissolution kinetics. Particularly, the charge transfer and dissolution steps occur sequentially as the synchronicity between the EC and optical signals is lost. This demonstrates the level of complexity that can be revealed from such electrochemistry/optics coupling.

Electrocatalytic Amplification of Single Nanoparticle Collisions Using DNA-Modified Surfaces

Here we report on the effect of DNA modification on individual collisions between Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) and ultramicroelectrode (UME) surfaces. These results extend recent reports of electrocatalytic amplification (ECA) arising from collisions between naked surfaces, and they are motivated by our interest in using ECA for low-level biosensing applications. In the present case, we studied collisions between naked PtNPs and DNA-modified Au and Hg UMEs and also collisions between DNA-modified PtNPs and naked Au and Hg UMEs. In all cases, the sensing reaction is the catalytic oxidation of N2H4. The presence of ssDNA (5-mer or 25-mer) immobilized on the UME surface has little effect on the magnitude or frequency of ECA signals, regardless of whether the electrode is Au or Hg. In contrast, when DNA is immobilized on the PtNPs and the electrodes are naked, clear trends emerge. Specifically, as the surface concentration of ssDNA on the PtNP surface increases, the magnitude and frequency of the current transients decrease. This trend is most apparent for the longer 25-mer. We interpret these results as follows. When ssDNA is immobilized at high concentration on the PtNPs, the surface sites on the NP required for electrocatalytic N2H4 oxidation are blocked. This leads to lower and fewer ECA signals. In contrast, naked PtNPs are able to transfer electrons to UMEs having sparse coatings of ssDNA.

Impact electrochemistry: colloidal metal sulfide detection by cathodic particle coulometry

The determination of the size and concentration of colloidal nano and microparticles is of paramount importance to modern nanoscience. Application of the particle collision technique on metal and metal oxide nanoparticles has been intensively explored over the past decade owing to its ability to determine the particle size and concentration via reactions including the inherent oxidation or the reduction of nanoparticles as well as surface reactions catalysed by the nanoparticles. Transition metal dichalcogenide particles were previously quantified using the anodic (oxidative) particle coulometry method. Here we show that cathodic (reductive) particle coulometry can be favorably used for the detection of metal sulfide colloidal particles. The detection of sulfides of cobalt and lead was performed using the particle collision technique in this work. The presence of spikes confirmed the viability of detecting new and larger particles from compounds using reductive (cathodic) potentials. Such an expansion of the impact particle coulometry method will be useful and applicable to the determination of concentration and size of colloidal metal sulfide nanoparticles in general.

Impact Electrochemistry of Layered Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit paramount importance in the electrocatalysis of the hydrogen evolution reaction. It is crucial to determine the size of the electrocatalytic particles as well as to establish their electrocatalytic activity, which occurs at the edges of these particles. Here, we show that individual TMD (MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, or WSe2; in general MX2) nanoparticles impacting an electrode surface provide well-defined current "spikes" in both the cathodic and anodic regions. These spikes originate from direct oxidation of the nanoparticles (from M(4+) to M(6+)) at the anodic region and from the electrocatalytic currents generated upon hydrogen evolution in the cathodic region. The positive correlation between the frequency of the impacts and the concentration of TMD nanoparticles is also demonstrated here, enabling determination of the concentration of TMD nanoparticles in colloidal form. In addition, the size of individual TMD nanoparticles can be evaluated using the charge passed during every spike. The capability of detecting both the "indirect" catalytic effect of an impacting TMD nanoparticle as well as "direct" oxidation indicates that the frequency of impacts in both the "indirect" and "direct" scenarios are comparable. This suggests that all TMD nanoparticles, which are electrochemically oxidizable (thus capable of donating electrons to electrodes), are also capable of catalyzing the hydrogen reduction reaction.

Electrochemical monitoring of colloidal silver nanowires in aqueous samples

Silver nanowires (NWs) are increasingly utilized in technological materials and consumer products, but an effective analytical technique is not yet available to measure their concentration in the environment. Here, we present an electrochemical method to quantify Ag NWs suspended in aqueous solution. Using linear sweep voltammetry, the Ag NWs are identified by the peak potential while their concentration is revealed by the intensity of the peak current. The peak current varies linearly with the Ag NW concentration with a low detection limit of 3.50 ng mL(-1). This method is also successfully applied to quantify Ag NWs in mixtures with nanoparticles, through their specific oxidation behavior, and in wastewater obtained after the Ag NW film preparation process.

Direct electrochemical detection of individual collisions between magnetic microbead/silver nanoparticle conjugates and a magnetized ultramicroelectrode

Here, we report on the electrochemical detection of individual collisions between a conjugate consisting of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) linked to conductive magnetic microbeads (cMμBs) via DNA hybridization and a magnetized electrode. The important result is that the presence of the magnetic field increases the flux of the conjugate to the electrode surface, and this in turn increases the collision frequency and improves the limit of detection (20 aM). In addition, the magnitude of the charge associated with the collisions is greatly enhanced in the presence of the magnetic field. The integration of DNA into the detection protocol potentially provides a means for using electrochemical collisions for applications in biological and chemical sensing.

Electrochemical detection of single micelles through 'nano-impacts'

A new class of 'soft' particles, micelles, is detected electrochemically via 'nano-impacts' for the first time. Short, sharp bursts of current are used to indicate the electrical contact of a single CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) micelle with an electrode via the oxidation of the bromide content. The variation in CTAB concentration for such 'nano-impact' experiments shows that a significant number of 'spikes' are observed above the CMC (critical micelle concentration) and this is attributed to the formation of micelles. A comparison with dynamic light scattering is also reported.

'Nano-impacts': An Electrochemical Technique for Nanoparticle Sizing in Optically Opaque Solutions

Typical laser-dependent methods such as nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) are not able to detect nanoparticles in an optically opaque medium due to scattering or absorption of light. Here, the electrochemical technique of 'nano-impacts' was used to detect nanoparticles in solution in the presence of high levels of alumina particulates causing a milky white suspension. Using the 'nano-impacts' method, silver nanoparticles were successfully detected and sized in the model opaque medium. The results obtained compared well with those using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), an ex situ method for nanoparticle size determination. The ability to use the 'nano-impacts' method in media unmeasurable to competitor techniques confers a significant advantage on the electrochemical approach.

Effect of light on physicochemical and biological properties of nanocrystalline silver dressings

The purpose of this study was to characterize the interactive effects of light and aging on physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of nanocrystalline silver wound dressings Acticoat that might find their way into the environment.

Nano-impacts of bifunctional organic nanoparticles

The synthesis and characterization of Oil Blue Dye nanoparticles is reported along with their use for nano-impacts experiments in aqueous solution. The latter reveal current spikes corresponding to quantitative two electron reductions due to the reduction of the quinone groups and quantitative two electron oxidations from the 1,4-phenylenediamine groups presented in the Oil Blue Dye molecules within the nanoparticles. In both cases, the oxidation or reduction leads to size distributions in good agreement with independent measurements made using dynamic light scattering showing that the redox events accompanying the nano-impacts lead to the full dissolution of the nanoparticles.