Pratsinis S.E. – TechConnect Briefs

Cytotoxicity and biointeractions of nanosilver in macrophages

Pratsinis A., Pratsinis S.E., Hervella P., Leroux J.-C., Pratsinis A., Pratsinis S.E., Sotiriou G.A., ETH Zürich, CH

Silver nanoparticles (nanosilver) are broadly used today in textiles, food packaging, household devices and bioapplications, prompting a better understanding of their toxicity and biological interactions. Here, nanosilver of well-defined size (5.7 to 20.4 nm) supported [...]

A safer-by-design formulation concept for flame-generated engineered nanomaterials

Gass S., Pyrgiotakis G., Cohen J.M., Sotiriou G.A., Pratsinis S.E., Demokritou P., Harvard School of Public Health, US

As more consumers and factory workers become exposed to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), the question of exposure risks is rapidly gaining importance. Engineering less toxic ENMs that maintain valuable functional properties is therefore crucial to the [...]

Aerosol manufacturing of plasmonic biosensors with silica coated nanosilver

Sotiriou G.A., Blattmann C.O., Pratsinis S.E., ETH Zürich, CH

Development of biosensors for medical applications is an on-going research field of great importance. In particular localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensors show a high potential to detect analytes at low concentrations in biological fluids. [...]

Antioxidant and Antiradical SiO2 Nanoparticles Covalently Functionalized with Gallic Acid

Sotiriou G.A., Deligiannakis Y., Pratsinis S.E., ETH Zürich, CH

Gallic acid (GA) and its derivatives are natural polyphenolic substances widely used as antioxidants in nutrients, medicine and polymers. Here, nanoantioxidant materials are engineered by covalently grafting GA on SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). A proof-of-concept is [...]

Multifunctional plasmonic nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Sotiriou G.A., Pratsinis S.E., ETH Zürich, CH

Plasmonic nanoparticles play an important role in biomedical applications today as they can serve as superior optically-stable bioimaging agents, be employed in biosensor devices for the early diagnosis of diseases, and exhibit promising results for [...]

A safer formulation concept for flame-generated engineered nanomaterials

Gass S., Pyrgiotakis G., Cohen J.M., Sotiriou G.A., Pratsinis S.E., Demokritou P., Harvard School of Public Health, US

Engineering less toxic ENMs that maintain valuable functional properties is crucial to the sustainability of the nanotech industry. Core-shell nanoparticles are particularly interesting in this regard. They exhibit the surface properties of their shells while [...]

Cytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles

Sotiriou G.A., Pratsinis A., Pratsinis S.E., Leroux J.-C., Pratsinis A., Pratsinis S.E., Particle Technology Laboratory, ETH Zürich, CH

Silver nanoparticles are receiving more and more attention for their plasmonic colors and their antibacterial effects [1]. The addition of a nanothin SiO2 shell minimizes the release of toxic Ag ions and the contact of [...]

Quantifying the origin of nanosilver ions and their antibacterial activity

Sotiriou G.A., Meyer A., Knijnenburg J., Panke S., Pratsinis S.E., Particle Technology Laboratory, ETH Zürich, CH

Nanosilver is prominent in nanotechnology products [1]. Concerns however about leached Ag ions from its surface into aquatic environments have challenged its broad use. The origin of these ions is explored here by conditioning the [...]

Breath acetone monitoring by portable Si:WO3 gas sensors

Righettoni M., Tricoli A., Gass S., Schmid A., Amann A., Pratsinis S.E., ETH Zürich, CH

Breath analysis has the potential for early stage detection and monitoring of illnesses to drastically reduce the corresponding medical diagnostic costs. In particular, the detection of acetone in the human breath is promising for non-invasive [...]

The Structure of Agglomerates consisting of Polydisperse Particles

Eggersdorfer M.L., Pratsinis S.E., ETH Zürich, CH

Agglomeration is encountered in many natural or industrial processes, like growth of aerosol particles in the atmosphere, material synthesis by aerosol processes or even colloidal particles. These particles collide by different mechanisms and stick together [...]