Asymmetric Flow Field Flow Fractionation (AF4) and Inductively Coupled Plasma- Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) methods as a means to determine nanoparticle number size distributions of silver nanoparticle dispersions: Report of stage 1 of inter-laboratory trial

摘要

In support of the implementation of the European Commission recommended definition of a nanomaterial* the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has been developing potential methods for measuring nanoparticle number size distributions.As part of this activity a method which combines a particle size separation (Asymmetric Flow Field Flow Fractionation (AF4)) step and a particle detection/quantification step (Induction Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)) has been examined and optimised for the analysis of aqueous dispersed silver nanoparticles. Following an internal validation, the method has been documented in the form of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) designed to provide all the necessary information to allow the method to be applied by suitably equipped external laboratories. To verify the transferability of the method an international ring-trial was organized by JRC in which 8 independent laboratories were provided with detailed documentation and suitable test materials to allow them to test the transferability of the SOP. This report details the organization of the trial, presents the experimental results obtained and summarises the conclusions and recommendation coming from a detailed consideration of the data obtained