We are delighted to welcome Dr Serena Corr as a new Associate Editor for Nanoscale.
Dr Corr is a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, and her research focuses on the design, synthesis and structure determination of functional materials, in particular metal oxide nanostructures.
Dr Corr will be handling papers soon and so we encourage you to submit to her editorial office.
In this HOT Nanoscale article the authors report on the biodistribution of gold nanoparticles (Au@DTDTPA) after intravenous injection into healthy rats.
Gold nanoparticles have shown great potential as radiosensitisers for radiotherapy so the biodistribution of the nanoparticles in healthy tissues constitutes a crucial issue that must be addressed to guarantee the optimal use of these particles. Owing to the propensity of gold for absorbing X-ray photons, these nanoparticles behave as contrast agents for X-ray imaging. Moreover, Au@DTDTPA-Gd nanoparticles can be followed up by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), since the organic shell, DTDTPA, is composed of polyaminocarboxylate ligands which are well known for entrapping gadolinium ions. Both complementary imaging modalities are well suited for monitoring the accumulation in a specific tissue or in a tumor. However scintigraphy appears better suited for a complete biodistribution study because of its greater sensitivity and the possibility to image the whole body for a duration that is compatible with the pharmacokinetics. The authors demonstrated that the replacement of the gadolinium ions by 99mTc and 111In ions renders the Au@DTDTPA nanoparticles suitable for the study of the biodistribution by scintigraphy. The radiolabeled gold nanoparticles (Au@DTDTPA-X, with X = 99mTc and 111In) exhibit high radiochemical purities and radiolabeling stabilities.
The tracking of the radiolabeled Au@DTDTPA nanoparticles by planar scintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) after intravenous injection associated to the post-mortem analysis showed that these particles exhibit safe behavior: the nanoparticles are removed from the body essentially by renal clearance while no accumulation is observed in the organs (except those involved in the renal clearance (kidneys, bladder)). Moreover the physicochemical properties of Au@DTDTPA-X nanoparticles impede any reticuloendothelial system uptake as reflected by the low uptake by phagocyte-rich organs (liver and spleen).
The follow-up by at least three different imaging modalities (X-ray imaging, MRI, scintigraphy), the absence of undesirable accumulation and the removal by urine suggest Au@DTDTPA nanoparticles are very promising for in vivo applications, especially for image-guided radiotherapy.
Read this HOT article in full today:
The biodistribution of gold nanoparticles designed for renal clearance
Christophe Alric, Imen Miladi, David Kryza, Jacqueline Taleb, Francois Lux, Rana Bazzi, Claire Billotey, Marc Janier, Pascal Perriat, Stéphane Roux and Olivier Tillement
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR00012E
This month sees the following articles in Nanoscale that are in the top ten most accessed for March:
Nanostructured carbon–metal oxide composite electrodes for supercapacitors: a review
Mingjia Zhi, Chengcheng Xiang, Jiangtian Li, Ming Li and Nianqiang Wu
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 72-88
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR32040A
A review of fabrication and applications of carbon nanotube film-based flexible electronics
Steve Park, Michael Vosguerichian and Zhenan Bao
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 1727-1752
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR33560G
Lithium/sulfur batteries with high specific energy: old challenges and new opportunities
Min-Kyu Song, Elton J. Cairns and Yuegang Zhang
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 2186-2204
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR33044J
Graphene synthesis: relationship to applications
Rebecca S. Edwards and Karl S. Coleman
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 38-51
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR32629A
Recent progress in graphene-based nanomaterials as advanced electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction
Chengzhou Zhu and Shaojun Dong
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 1753-1767
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR33839D
Recent advances in the efficient reduction of graphene oxide and its application as energy storage electrode materials
Tapas Kuila, Ananta Kumar Mishra, Partha Khanra, Nam Hoon Kim and Joong Hee Lee
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 52-71
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR32703A
Graphene-related nanomaterials: tuning properties by functionalization
Qing Tang, Zhen Zhou and Zhongfang Chen
Nanoscale, 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR33218G
Graphene transfer: key for applications
Junmo Kang, Dolly Shin, Sukang Bae and Byung Hee Hong
Nanoscale, 2012,4, 5527-5537
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR31317K
Synthesis of Fe3O4@C core–shell nanorings and their enhanced electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries
Lili Wang, Jianwen Liang, Yongchun Zhu, Tao Mei, Xing Zhang, Qing Yang and Yitai Qian
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 3627-3631
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR00353A
All-solid-state hybrid solar cells based on a new organometal halide perovskite sensitizer and one-dimensional TiO2 nanowire arrays
Jianhang Qiu, Yongcai Qiu, Keyou Yan, Min Zhong, Cheng Mu, He Yan and Shihe Yang
Nanoscale, 2013,5, 3245-3248
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR00218G
Why not take a look at the articles today and blog your thoughts and comments below.
Fancy submitting an article to Nanoscale? Then why not submit to us today!
Researchers from Spain have investigated surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) as a potential tool for the simultaneous detection of two metal pollutants, Co(II) and Cu(II), at ultratrace levels.
The authors functionalized silver nanoparticles with a metal ion receptor molecule, terpyridine (TPY), which is known to bind to first-row transition metal ions with high affinity. Dithiocarbamate (DTC) is introduced to the TPY structure in order to facilitate adsorption onto the nanoparticle surface. Upon addition of metal ions, such as Co(II) and Cu(II), a conformational change takes place, which can be detected as a peak shift in the Raman spectra. This shift is unique to the ion that is conjugated to the TPY-DTC ligand, allowing the simultaneous detection of both Co(II) and Cu(II) ions, which are known to cause teratogenic or carcinogenic effects when bioaccumulated to high concentrations.
The authors demonstrate a limit of detection of 6.5 ppb and 60 ppt for Cu(II) and Co(II), respectively. This sensitivity is significantly higher when compared to analogous techniques, such as AAS or AES, demonstrating the applicability of SERS as tool for the sensitive detection of metal ions.
by Dr Lee Barrett
Full details can be found in the Nanoscale article:
Simultaneous SERS detection of copper and cobalt at ultratrace levels
Dionysia Tsoutsi, Luca Guerrini, Jose Manuel Hermida-Ramon, Vincenzo Giannini, Luis M. Liz-Marzán, Alex Wei and Ramon A Alvarez-Puebla
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR01518A
Scientists based in The Netherlands report a series of novel reversible photoswitches based on diarylethene embedded in a matrix of dodecanethiol on Au(111). The authors used scanning tunneling microscopy to study the effect as the “on” state appears higher than the “off” state by several Ångstroms.
Such switches are being used in the important field of molecular electronics.
Read the full details of this exciting work today:
Reversible light induced conductance switching of asymmetric diarylethenes on gold: surface and electronic studies
Arramel, Thomas C. Pijper, Tibor Kudernac, Nathalie Katsonis, Minko van der Maas, Ben L. Feringa and Bart J. van Wees
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR00832K
circuits from single zinc oxide nanowires, in combination with Al2O3, gold and indium tin oxide.
The excellent performance of the nanowires suggests that using long single nanowires could lead to further exciting developments in the nano-electronics field.
Full details can be found in this HOT Nanoscale Communication:
Long single ZnO nanowire for logic and memory circuits: NOT, NAND, NOR gate, and SRAM
Young Tack Lee, Syed Raza Ali Raza, Pyo Jin Jeon, Ryong Ha, Heon-Jin Choib and Seongil Im
DOI: 10.1039/C3NR01015E
