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„NanoAir - Online coupling of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for size fractionated and chemical analysis of nanoparticles in aerosols“

English title „NanoAir - Online coupling of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for size fractionated and chemical analysis of nanoparticles in aerosols“
Applicant Ludwig Christian
Number 139136
Funding scheme R'EQUIP
Research institution Labor für Bioenergie und Katalyse Paul Scherrer Institut
Institution of higher education Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology - EMPA
Main discipline Inorganic Chemistry
Start/End 01.08.2012 - 31.07.2013
Approved amount 260'000.00
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All Disciplines (3)

Discipline
Inorganic Chemistry
Material Sciences
Other disciplines of Environmental Sciences

Keywords (4)

scanning mobility particle sizer ; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer ; nanoparticle analysis; aerosols

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
It is planned to setup a new hyphenated technique for online, size fractionated, element selective and quantitative determination of nanoparticles in aerosols. The setup is based on an online-coupling of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The combination of the two techniques allows to obtain online size-fractionation and simultaneous quantitative chemical characterization of airborne micro- and nanoparticles. The proposed technique will enable investigations of particle size distributions in the range from about 2 nm to 10 μm and a chemical characterization for most of the elements in the periodic table with excellent detection limits. The system should be applied to various application fields such as material science, combustion processes, thermal waste treatment of nanomaterials, investigation of the release from nanomaterials and -products. The involved team has interdisciplinary expertise which ensures knowledge in all necessary fields like aerosol science, analytical chemistry, instrumental development, material science, industrial processes like waste treatment, nanotechnology and safety and risk assessment. The novel setup opens new insights in aerosol science and nanoparticle research and shows an enormous potential to gain essential information in numerous fields. A later planned mobile version will even broaden the application range.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

Responsible applicant and co-applicants

Publications

Publication
Emissions of Secondary Formed ZnO Nano-Objects from the Combustion of Impregnated Wood. An Online Size-Resolved Elemental Investigation
Foppiano Debora, Tarik Mohamed, Müller Gubler Elisabeth, Ludwig Christian (2018), Emissions of Secondary Formed ZnO Nano-Objects from the Combustion of Impregnated Wood. An Online Size-Resolved Elemental Investigation, in Environmental Science & Technology, 52(2), 895-903.
Combustion generated nanomaterials: online characterization via an ICP-MS based technique. Part I: calibration strategy with a TGA
Foppiano D., Tarik M., Gubler Müller E., Ludwig C. (2018), Combustion generated nanomaterials: online characterization via an ICP-MS based technique. Part I: calibration strategy with a TGA, in Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 33(9), 1493-1499.
Combustion generated nanomaterials: online characterization via an ICP-MS based technique. Part II: resolving power for heterogeneous matrices
Foppiano D., Tarik M., Gubler Müller E., Ludwig C. (2018), Combustion generated nanomaterials: online characterization via an ICP-MS based technique. Part II: resolving power for heterogeneous matrices, in Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 33(9), 1500-1505.
A Practical Guide on Coupling a Scanning Mobility Sizer and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (SMPS-ICPMS)
Tarik Mohamed, Foppiano Debora, Hess Adrian, Ludwig Christian (2017), A Practical Guide on Coupling a Scanning Mobility Sizer and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (SMPS-ICPMS), in Journal of Visualized Experiments, (125), 1-9.
Measuring air borne nanoparticles for characterizing hyphenated RDD-SMPS-ICPMS instrumentation
Hess Adrian, Tarik Mohamed, Losert Sabrina, Ilari Gabriele, Ludwig Christian (2016), Measuring air borne nanoparticles for characterizing hyphenated RDD-SMPS-ICPMS instrumentation, in Journal of Aerosol Science, 92, 130-141.
Online Size and Element Analysis of Aerosol Particles Released from Thermal Treatment of Wood Samples Impregnated with Different Salts
Hess Adrian, Tarik Mohamed, Foppiano Debora, Edinger Philip, Ludwig Christian (2015), Online Size and Element Analysis of Aerosol Particles Released from Thermal Treatment of Wood Samples Impregnated with Different Salts, in Energy & Fuels, 30(5), 4072-4084.
A hyphenated SMPS–ICPMS coupling setup: Size-resolved element specific analysis of airborne nanoparticles
Hess Adrian, Tarik Mohamed, Ludwig Christian (2015), A hyphenated SMPS–ICPMS coupling setup: Size-resolved element specific analysis of airborne nanoparticles, in Journal of Aerosol Science, 88, 109-118.

Collaboration

Group / person Country
Types of collaboration
EPFL Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
- Publication
- Research Infrastructure
TSI Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
- Industry/business/other use-inspired collaboration
FHNW Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
Matter Aerosol Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
- Industry/business/other use-inspired collaboration
ETHZ Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
- Publication
- Research Infrastructure
EMPA Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
- Publication
- Research Infrastructure
PSI Switzerland (Europe)
- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results
- Publication
- Research Infrastructure

Scientific events

Active participation

Title Type of contribution Title of article or contribution Date Place Persons involved
17th ETH Conference on Combustion Generated Nanoparticles Poster Size Distribution and Elemental Composition of Airborne Nanoparticles Measured On-Line by SMPS-ICPMS Coupling Technique 23.06.2013 Zürich, Switzerland Ulrich Andrea; Ludwig Christian;
CCMX Annual Meeting Poster Physical and Chemical Characterisation of Nanoparticles by SMPS-ICPMS Coupling 30.04.2013 Bern, Switzerland Ludwig Christian; Ulrich Andrea;
European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry Poster Novel SMPS-ICPMS Coupling Allows Simultaneous Analysis of Size Distribution and Elemental Composition of Airborne Nanoparticles 10.02.2013 Krakow, Poland Ludwig Christian; Ulrich Andrea;


Knowledge transfer events



Self-organised

Title Date Place
CCMX visit: SMPS-ICPMS setup demonstration 28.10.2013 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
CCMX visit: SMPS-ICPMS setup demonstration 14.10.2013 EMPS Dübendorf, Switzerland

Awards

Title Year
Third Best Poster Award for the Poster: Adrian Hess, Adrian Wichser, Mohamed Tarik, Christian Ludwig: "Size Distribution and Elemental Composition of Airborne Nanoparticles Measured On-Line by SMPS-ICPMS Coupling Technique", at The 17th ETH Conferenceon Combustion Generated Nanoparicles, June 2013 2013

Associated projects

Number Title Start Funding scheme
184817 Towards Understanding the Fate of Nano-Objects in Thermal Waste Treatment Processes: Development of Analytical Methods for Element and Particle Size Analysis of Aerosols and Suspensions 01.02.2020 Project funding
131286 Evaluation platform for safety and environmental risks of carbon nanotube reinforced nanocomposites 01.03.2011 NRP 64 Opportunities and Risks of Nanomaterials

Abstract

EMPA, FHNW, PSI, and EPFL plan to setup a new hyphenated technique for online, size fractionated, element selective and quantitative determination of nanoparticles in aerosols. The setup is based on an online-coupling of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The combination of the two techniques allows to obtain online size-fractionation and simultaneous quantitative chemical characterization of airborne micro- and nanoparticles. The proposed technique will enable investigations of particle size distributions in the range from about 2 nm to 10 µm and a chemical characterization for most of the elements in the periodic table with excellent detection limits. The system should be applied to various application fields such as material science, combustion processes, thermal waste treatment of nanomaterials, investigation of the release from nanomaterials and -products. The involved team has interdisciplinary expertise which ensures knowledge in all necessary fields like aerosol science, analytical chemistry, instrumental development, material science, industrial processes like waste treatment, nanotechnology and safety and risk assessment. The novel setup opens new insights in aerosol science and nanoparticle research and shows an enormous potential to gain essential information in numerous fields. A later planned mobile version will even broaden the application range.
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