Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation coupled to multiangle laser light scattering detector: optimization of crossflow rate, carrier characteristics, and injected mass in alginate separation

Characterisation of selenium and tellurium nanoparticles produced by Aureobasidium pullulans using a multi-method approach

Aureobasidium pullulans was grown in liquid culture media amended with selenite and tellurite and selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) nanoparticles (NPs) were recovered after 30 d incubation. A separation method was applied to recover and characterise Se and Te NPs by asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4) with online coupling to multi-angle light scattering (MALS), ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detectors. Additional characterisation data was obtained from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Solutions of 0.2% Novachem surfactant and 10 mM phosphate buffer were compared as mobile phases to investigate optimal AF4 separation and particle recovery using Se-NP as a model sample. 88% recovery was reported for 0.2% Novachem solution, compared with 50% recovery for phosphate buffer. Different crossflow (C_flow) rates were compared to further investigate optimum separation, with recoveries of 88% and 30% for Se-NPs, and 90% and 29% for Te-NPs for 3.5 mL min^-1 and 2.5 mL min^-1 respectively. Zeta-potential (ZP) data suggested higher stability for NP elution in Novachem solution, with increased stability attributed to minimised NP-membrane interaction due to PEGylation. Detection with MALS showed monodisperse Se-NPs (45-90 nm) and polydisperse Te-NPs (5-65 nm).Single particle ICP-MS showed mean particle diameters of 49.7 ± 2.7 nm, and 135 ± 4.3 nm, and limit of size detection (LOSD) of 20 nm and 45 nm for Se-NPs and Te-NPs respectively. TEM images of Se-NPs and Te-NPs displayed a spherical morphology, with the Te-NPs showing a clustered arrangement, which suggested electrostatic attraction amongst neighbouring particles. Particle hydrodynamic diameters (d_H) measured with dynamic light scattering (DLS) further suggested monodisperse Se-NPs and polydisperse Te-NPs distributions, showing good agreement with AF4-MALS for Se-NPs, but suggests that the R_g obtained from AF4-MALS for Te-NP was unreliable. The results demonstrate a complementary application of asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4), ICP-MS, light scattering, UV-Vis detection, and microscopic techniques to characterise biogenic Se and Te NPs.

Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation in the field of nanomedicine

Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) is a widely used and versatile technique in the family of field-flow fractionations, indicated by a rapidly increasing number of publications. It represents a gentle separation and characterization method, where nonspecific interactions are reduced to a minimum, allows a broad separation range from several nano- up to micrometers and enables a superior characterization of homo- and heterogenic systems. In particular, coupling to multiangle light scattering provides detailed access to sample properties. Information about molar mass, polydispersity, size, shape/conformation, or density can be obtained nearly independent of the used material. In this Perspective, the application and progress of AF4 for (bio)macromolecules and colloids, relevant for "nano" medical and pharmaceutical issues, will be presented. The characterization of different nanosized drug or gene delivery systems, e.g., polymers, nanoparticles, micelles, dendrimers, liposomes, polyplexes, and virus-like-particles (VLP), as well as therapeutic relevant proteins, antibodies, and nanoparticles for diagnostic usage will be discussed. Thereby, the variety of obtained information, the advantages and pitfalls of this emerging technique will be highlighted. Additionally, the influence of different fractionation parameters in the separation process is discussed in detail. Moreover, a comprehensive overview is given, concerning the investigated samples, fractionation parameters as membrane types and buffers used as well as the chosen detectors and the corresponding references. The perspective ends up with an outlook to the future.