CheckNano: Nanoparticle detection and sizing

Today, nanoparticles are used in various applications to radically improve products, from the cosmetics and food industries to medical technology and pharmaceuticals. Howev-er, nanoparticles may also end up taking their toll on our health by penetrating cell barriers. Detailed studies of recent years for silver nanoparticles have identified the underlying mech-anism and determined this critical size. Knowledge of the size and shape of nanoparticles is therefore essential for their safe application and forms the basis of an innovative fast test in this project.
The project "CheckNano - Nanosafety Fast Test" brings together partners from Germa-ny and Denmark to develop a prototype for a fast test to identify potentially toxic nanoparti-cles. The project combines interdisciplinary competencies from nanotechnology (characterization and structuring), biotechnology, nutrition, and sensor technology in the German-Danish border region. Nano-filters and microfilters pre-select the particles, followed by an exact optical sizing and fine filtration. The methods selected are aimed at silver nano-particles as model particles as they are the most commonly used nanoparticles in consumer products due to their antibacterial properties. However, little is known about the behaviour and modification of such particles in food. Since silver nanoparticles can be synthesized and physically characterized in defined quantities, they are well suited to optimize the fast test for particles of different sizes, shapes and surfaces and to investigate the influence of real me-dia as they occur in foodstuffs.