Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Functionalized with a Cardio-Specific Peptide.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, highliting the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Peptide-based therapies have demonstrated significant potential for treating CVDs; however, their clinical application is hindered by their limited stability in physiological fluids. To overcome this challenge, an effective drug delivery system is essential to protect and efficiently transport peptides to their intended targets.

Substrate stiffness modulates extracellular vesicles' release in a triple-negative breast cancer model.

Aim: The microenvironment effect on the tumoral-derived Extracellular Vesicle release, which is of significant interest for biomedical applications, still represents a rather unexplored field. The aim of the present work is to investigate the interrelation between extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness and the release of small EVs from cancer cells. Here, we focus on the interrelation between the ECM and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), specifically investigating the unexplored aspect of the influence of ECM stiffness on the release of sEVs.

Physicochemical characterization and quantification of nanoplastics: applicability, limitations and complementarity of batch and fractionation methods.

A comprehensive physicochemical characterization of heterogeneous nanoplastic (NPL) samples remains an analytical challenge requiring a combination of orthogonal measurement techniques to improve the accuracy and robustness of the results. Here, batch methods, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), tunable resistive pulse sensing (TRPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as separation/fractionation methods such as centrifugal liquid sedimentation (CLS) and field-flow fractionation (FFF)-multi-angle light scattering (MALS) combined with pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry (pyGC-MS) or Raman microspectroscopy (RM) were evaluated for NPL size, shape, and chemical composition measurements and for quantification. A set of representative/test particles of different chemical natures, including (i) polydisperse polyethylene (PE), (ii) (doped) polystyrene (PS) NPLs, (iii) titanium dioxide, and (iv) iron oxide nanoparticles (spherical and elongated), was used to assess the applicability and limitations of the selected methodologies.

Determination of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) traces using passive samplers in combination with GC-MS and GC-PCI-MS/MS methods.

The use of organic peroxides for the preparation of homemade explosives (HMEs) is common among terrorists due to inexpensive precursor chemicals and simple synthetic procedures. Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) is the most notable peroxide explosive, and has been deployed in several terrorist attacks as explosive filling of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Forensic identification of TATP in pre-blast and post-blast residues, including on-site analysis, poses significant analytical challenges and induces demand for practicable and sensitive detection techniques.

Inter-Individual Variations: A Challenge for the Standardisation of Complement Activation Assays.

Introduction: The role of the human immune system in pathologic responses to chemicals including nanomaterials was identified as a gap in current hazard assessments. However, the complexity of the human immune system as well as interspecies variations make the development of predictive toxicity tests challenging. In the present study, we have analysed to what extent fluctuations of the complement system of different individuals will have an impact on the standardisation of immunological tests.

Determination of the Transport Efficiency in spICP-MS Analysis Using Conventional Sample Introduction Systems: An Interlaboratory Comparison Study.

In single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS), the transport efficiency is fundamental for the correct determination of both particle number concentration and size. In the present study, transport efficiency was systematically determined on three different days with six carefully characterised gold nanoparticle (AuNP) suspensions and in seven European and US expert laboratories using different ICP-MS instruments and spICP-MS software. Both particle size-(TES)-and particle frequency-(TEF)-methods were applied.

TiO@BSA nano-composites investigated through orthogonal multi-techniques characterization platform.

Biocompatible coating based on bovine serum albumin (BSA) was applied on two different TiO nanoparticles (aeroxide P25 and food grade E171) to investigate properties and stability of resulting TiO@BSA composites, under the final perspective to create a "Safe-by-Design" coating, able to uniform, level off and mitigate surface chemistry related phenomena, as naturally occurring when nano-phases come in touch with proteins enriched biological fluids. The first step towards validating the proposed approach is a detailed characterization of surface chemistry with the quantification of amount and stability of BSA coating deposited on nanoparticles' surfaces. At this purpose, we implemented an orthogonal multi-techniques characterization platform, providing important information on colloidal behavior, particle size distribution and BSA-coating structure of investigated TiO systems.

Particle size analysis of pristine food-grade titanium dioxide and E 171 in confectionery products: Interlaboratory testing of a single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry screening method and confirmation with transmission electron microscopy.

Titanium dioxide is a white colourant authorised as food additive E 171 in the EU, where it is used in a range of alimentary products. As these materials may contain a fraction of particulates with sizes below 100 nm and current EU regulation requires specific labelling of food ingredient to indicate the presence of engineered nanomaterials there is now a need for standardised and validated methods to appropriately size and quantify (nano)particles in food matrices. A single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) screening method for the determination of the size distribution and concentration of titanium dioxide particles in sugar-coated confectionery and pristine food-grade titanium dioxide was developed.

Measuring particle concentration of multimodal synthetic reference materials and extracellular vesicles with orthogonal techniques: Who is up to the challenge?

The measurement of physicochemical properties of polydisperse complex biological samples, for example, extracellular vesicles, is critical to assess their quality, for example, resulting from their production and isolation methods. The community is gradually becoming aware of the need to combine multiple orthogonal techniques to perform a robust characterization of complex biological samples. Three pillars of critical quality attribute characterization of EVs are sizing, concentration measurement and phenotyping.

Measuring particle size distribution and mass concentration of nanoplastics and microplastics: addressing some analytical challenges in the sub-micron size range.

Hypothesis: The implementation of the proposal from the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) to restrict the use of nanoplastics (NP) and microplastics (MP) in consumer products will require reliable methods to perform size and mass-based concentration measurements. Analytical challenges arise at the nanometre to micrometre interface, e.g.

Assessment of the opportunities for increasing the availability of EU data on consumer product-related injuries.

The availability of data on consumer products-related accidents and injuries is of interest to a wide range of stakeholders, such as consumer product safety and injury prevention policymakers, market surveillance authorities, consumer organisations, standardisation organisations, manufacturers and the public. While the amount of information available and potentially of use for product safety is considerable in some European Union (EU) countries, its usability at EU level is difficult due to high fragmentation of the data sources, the diversity of data collection methods and increasing data protection concerns. To satisfy the policy need for more timely information on consumer product-related incidents, apart from injury data that have been historically collected by the public health sector, a number of 'alternative' data sources were assessed as potential sources of interest.

Indoor air monitoring: Sharing and accessing data via the Information Platform for chemical monitoring (IPCHEM).

Background: The European Commission has developed and put in place the Information Platform for Chemical Monitoring Data (IPCHEM), to promote a more coherent approach to the generation, collection, storage and use of chemical monitoring data in relation to humans and the environment.

Objectives: This paper describes the specific development of the IPCHEM thematic module "Products and Indoor Air Data" which aims to facilitate the retrieval of and access to existing and future chemical monitoring data sources stemming from e.g.

Characterisation of food grade titania with respect to nanoparticle content in pristine additives and in their related food products.

Titanium dioxide is a white colourant authorised as food additive E171 in the EU and is applied in a range of food products. Currently the EU specifications for E171 do not refer to the characterisation of particle size distribution; however, this may be requested in the near future. Only a few studies have been published to date reporting data on the size distribution of food grade titanium dioxide.

Challenges in isolating silica particles from organic food matrices with microwave-assisted acidic digestion.

Synthetic amorphous silica is widely used in food processing as a food additive (E551) due to its properties as a flavour carrier and anti-caking agent. The direct measurement of E551 suspended or embedded in complex matrices is difficult without prior removal of the matrix components. The isolation of nanoparticles from the matrix is hence the first step towards their comprehensive characterization.

A fast and selective method for the determination of 8 carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rubber and plastic materials.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected in rubber and plastic components of a number of consumer products such as toys, tools for domestic use, sports equipment, and footwear, with carbon black and extender oils having been identified as principal sources. In response to these findings, the European Union Regulation (EU) No. 1272/2013 was adopted in December 2013, amending entry 50 in Annex XVII to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directive establishing a restriction on the content of eight individual carcinogenic PAHs in plastic and rubber parts of products supplied to the public.

Quantification and size characterisation of silver nanoparticles in environmental aqueous samples and consumer products by single particle-ICPMS.

Single particle-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICPMS) is a promising technique able to generate the number based-particle size distribution (PSD) of nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous suspensions. However, SP-ICPMS analysis is not consolidated as routine-technique yet and is not typically applied to real test samples with unknown composition. This work presents a methodology to detect, quantify and characterise the number-based PSD of Ag-NPs in different environmental aqueous samples (drinking and lake waters), aqueous samples derived from migration tests and consumer products using SP-ICPMS.

Analytical ultracentrifugation for analysis of doxorubicin loaded liposomes.

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) is a powerful tool for the study of particle size distributions and interactions with high accuracy and resolution. In this work, we show how the analysis of sedimentation velocity data from the AUC can be used to characterize nanocarrier drug delivery systems used in nanomedicine. Nanocarrier size distribution and the ratio of free versus nanoparticle-encapsulated drug in a commercially available liposomal doxorubicin formulation are determined using interference and absorbance based AUC measurements and compared with results generated with conventional techniques.

Correlation of volatile carbonyl yields emitted by e-cigarettes with the temperature of the heating coil and the perceived sensorial quality of the generated vapours.

E-liquids generally contain four main components: nicotine, flavours, water and carrier liquids. The carrier liquid dissolves flavours and nicotine and vaporises at a certain temperature on the atomizer of the e-cigarette. Propylene glycol and glycerol, the principal carriers used in e-liquids, undergo decomposition in contact with the atomizer heating-coil forming volatile carbonyls.

Multimethod approach for the detection and characterisation of food-grade synthetic amorphous silica nanoparticles.

Synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) has been used as food additive under the code E551 for decades and the agrifood sector is considered a main exposure vector for humans and environment. However, there is still a lack of detailed methodologies for the determination of SAS' particle size and concentration. This work presents the detection and characterization of NPs in eleven different food-grade SAS samples, following a reasoned and detailed sequential methodology.

Simultaneous determination of size and quantification of silica nanoparticles by asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled to ICPMS using silica nanoparticles standards.

This work proposes the use of multimodal mixtures of monodispersed silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) standards for the simultaneous determination of size and concentration of SiO2-NPs in aqueous suspensions by asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). For such a purpose, suspensions of SiO2-NPs standards of 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 150 nm were characterized by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), centrifugal liquid sedimentation (CLS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and by measuring the Z-potential of the particles as well as the exact concentration of NPs by offline ICPMS. An online AF4-ICPMS method which allowed the separation of all the different sized SiO2-NPs contained in the mixture of standards was developed and the analytical figures of merit were systematically evaluated.

Characterisation of mainstream and passive vapours emitted by selected electronic cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes have achieved growing popularity since their introduction onto the European market. They are promoted by manufacturers as healthier alternatives to tobacco cigarettes, however debate among scientists and public health experts about their possible impact on health and indoor air quality means further research into the product is required to ensure decisions of policymakers, health care providers and consumers are based on sound science. This study investigated and characterised the impact of 'vaping' (using electronic cigarettes) on indoor environments under controlled conditions using a 30m(3) emission chamber.

Size and mass determination of silver nanoparticles in an aqueous matrix using asymmetric flow field flow fractionation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and ultraviolet-visible detectors.

The powerful antibacterial properties of engineered silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have, in recent years, led to a great increase in their use in consumer products such as textiles and personal care products offers. This widespread and often indiscriminate use of nano-silver is inevitably increasing the probability that such materials be accidentally or deliberately lost into the environment. Once present in the environment the normally useful antibacterial properties of the silver may instead become a potential hazard to both man and the environment.

Measurements of volatile organic compounds in car showrooms in the province of Varese (Northern Italy).

Unlabelled: Car dealer showrooms furnished with desk areas are a work place whose occupants may be exposed to evaporative emissions from the exhibited cars. The aim of the study was to identify and quantify the main organic compounds present in car dealer showrooms as a result of evaporative emissions from the exhibited cars and to evaluate the personal exposure concentrations of car vendors working in these areas. A total of 19 volatile organic compounds (aromatic compounds, aldehydes and terpenes) were investigated and quantified.

Characterisation of urban inhalation exposures to benzene, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in the European Union: comparison of measured and modelled exposure data.

Background, Aim And Scope: All across Europe, people live and work in indoor environments. On average, people spend around 90% of their time indoors (homes, workplaces, cars and public transport means, etc.) and are exposed to a complex mixture of pollutants at concentration levels that are often several times higher than outdoors.