Resolving power of NTA

Malvern’s latest version of NanoSight NTA software provides peak-to-peak resolving capabilities, above and beyond the resolution provided through tracking particles on a particle-by-particle basis. This feature provides excellent resolving capabilities, combined with the ability to measure particle concentration, single particle zeta potential and the characterization of fluorescently-labeled particles.

Introduction

Malvern Instruments' Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) technology provides industry-leading single particle characterization. The ability to measure on a particle-by-particle basis provides inherent advantages to those customers interested in high resolution particle counting, size distribution analysis, single particle zeta potential measurement, either with or without fluorescence labeling. The technology works by tracking the Brownian motion of individual particles in solution, then applying the Stokes-Einstein equation to calculate particle size. Malvern’s latest version of NanoSight NTA software also provides excellent peak-to-peak resolving capabilities.

Key capabilities of NanoSight technology:

  • Minimal sample preparation
  • High-resolution particle sizing
  • Measurement of particle concentration
  • Visualization of particles down to 10 nm
  • Fluorescence mode (whilst simultaneously measuring size and concentration)
  • High-resolution Zeta Potential measurement (whilst simultaneously measuring size and concentration)

Enhanced measurement of polydispersed samples

Particle-by-particle techniques are especially useful when measuring polydispersed samples. When considering a broad size mixture of polystyrene standards of 100 nm, 200 nm, 400 nm and 600 nm at a ratio of 6:3:2:1, it is typical to obtain some distinction between the individual sizes present, as shown in Figure 1. When this sample mixture is measured using a NanoSight instrument, superior resolution of the mixture is obtained, as shown in Figure 2.

Image of sample resolving power possible through typical single particle tracking measurements of Brownian motion for a broad size mixture of polystyrene size standards of 100nm, 200nm, 400nm and 600nm

Figure 1: Resolving power possible via typical single particle tracking measurements by Brownian motion for a broad size mixture of polystyrene size standards of 100 nm, 200 nm, 400 nm and 600 nm at a ratio of 6:3:2:1

Image of sample resolving power possible using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis software and NanoSight instrument to measure the particle size from Brownian motion for a broad range mixture of polystyrene size standards of 100nm, 200nm, 400nm and 600nm at a ratio of 6:3:2:1

Figure 2: Resolving power possible using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis software and NanoSight instrument to measure the particle size by Brownian motion for a broad range mixture of polystyrene size standards of 100 nm, 200 nm, 400 nm and 600 nm at a ratio of 6:3:2:1

This fine resolution of differently sized particles is obtained even when the standards in the mixture are much closer in size, at 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm and 400 nm, as shown in Figure 3, and also when used to measure a mixture of 300 nm and 1000 nm polystyrene, as shown in Figure 4. These figures demonstrate the use of the technology over a broad dynamic range.

Image of the sample resolving power possible using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis software and NanoSight instrument to measure the particle size from Brownian motion for a narrow mixture of polystyrene size standards of 100nm, 200nm, 300nm and 400nm

Figure 3: Resolving power possible using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis software and NanoSight instrument to measure the particle size by Brownian motion for a narrow mixture of polystyrene size standards of 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm and 400 nm

Image of sample resolving power possible using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis software and NanoSight instrument to measure the particle size from Brownian motion for a mixture of polystyrene size standards of 300nm and 1000nm

Figure 4: Resolving power possible using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis software and NanoSight instrument to measure the particle size by Brownian motion for a mixture of polystyrene size standards of 300 nm and 1000 nm

Summary

Malvern Instruments' Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) technology provides industry-leading single particle characterization with the ability to generate high resolution sample data and particle counting. It is particularly useful when resolving polydispersed samples of even very similarly-sized particles. This technology can provide important benefits to those interested in product quality and stability issues, amongst a wide variety of other applications.

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