The Electrochemical Detection and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles in Aqueous Solution

摘要

Nanoparticles (NPs) have become ubiquitous with an estimated 1600 commercial products available, but they are inevitably released into the environment either by intention, manufacture, or disposal.The commonest metal NPs are Ag (26%), Ti, C, Si, Zn, and Au (all <10%). Of particular interest are AgNPs, which have powerful antibacterial properties, used in many commercial products ranging from clothing (ca. 50 % of AgNPs leach out per washing cycle) to medical dressings. Their biocidal activity is due to the high affinity of Ag~+ for thiols, leading to disruption of enzyme function responsible for nutrient uptake and cellular energy production/storage processes. AgNPs cause endocrine disruption in amphibians and are toxic to many mammalian organs. An estimated 651 of AgNPs per year are released into global river systems alone. To characterize the risk posed to ecosystems by increased exposure to AgNPs and their environmental fate, the development of detection techniques is urgently required.