Selection of chromatographic separation conditions for reliable monitoring of the transformation of AgNPs/Ag(i) species by HPLC-ICP-MS in surface water and green algae cells

Abstract

A new HPLC-ICP-MS method has been developed for speciation analysis of AgNPs and dissolved Ag(i) in surface water and algal cells.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in elemental speciation

“…A HPLC-ICP-MS method, using a C 18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 7 mm particle size, 1000 Å pore size) has been developed for the separation of Ag NPs and dissolved Ag I in surface waters and algal cell extracts. 136 The optimal mobile phase was found to be 10 mmol per L SDS, 2 mmol per L citrate buffer, and 2 mmol per L tiopronin, flowing at 0.5 mL min −1 and detection limits of 2.0 ng L −1 for Ag I , 3.1 ng L −1 for 10 nm Ag NPs, and 2.2 ng L −1 for 30 nm AgNPs were estimated. A linear relationship was found between the Ag NP retention time and log particle diameter, up to 40 nm, and the authors propose this can be used for Ag NP particle size determination in extracts of real samples.…”