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Stabilizing gold nanoparticles for use in X-ray computed tomography imaging of soil systems.

ABSTRACT: This investigation establishes a system of gold nanoparticles that show good colloidal stability as an X-ray computed tomography (XCT) contrast agent under soil conditions. Gold nanoparticles offer numerous beneficial traits for experiments in biology including: comparatively minimal phytotoxicity, X-ray attenuation of the material and the capacity for functionalization. However, soil salinity, acidity and surface charges can induce aggregation and destabilize gold nanoparticles, hence in biomedical applications polymer coatings are commonly applied to gold nanoparticles to enhance stability in the in vivo environment. Here we first demonstrate non-coated nanoparticles aggregate in soil-water solutions. We then show coating with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) layer prevents this aggregation. To demonstrate this, PEG-coated nanoparticles were drawn through flow columns containing soil and were shown to be stable; this is in contrast with control experiments using silica and alumina-packed columns. We further determined that a suspension of coated gold nanoparticles which fully saturated soil maintained stability over at least 5 days. Finally, we used time resolved XCT imaging and image based models to approximate nanoparticle diffusion as similar to that of other typical plant nutrients diffusing in water. Together, these results establish the PEGylated gold nanoparticles as potential contrast agents for XCT imaging in soil.

SUBMITTER: Scotson CP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6837195 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Stabilizing gold nanoparticles for use in X-ray computed tomography imaging of soil systems.

Scotson Callum P CP Munoz-Hernando Maria M Duncan Simon J SJ Ruiz Siul A SA Keyes Samuel D SD van Veelen Arjen A Dunlop Iain E IE Roose Tiina T

Royal Society open science 20191016 10

This investigation establishes a system of gold nanoparticles that show good colloidal stability as an X-ray computed tomography (XCT) contrast agent under soil conditions. Gold nanoparticles offer numerous beneficial traits for experiments in biology including: comparatively minimal phytotoxicity, X-ray attenuation of the material and the capacity for functionalization. However, soil salinity, acidity and surface charges can induce aggregation and destabilize gold nanoparticles, hence in biomed ...[more]

PMID: 31824700

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Project description:Nanostructures have potential for use in biomedical applications such as sensing, imaging, therapeutics, and drug delivery. Among nanomaterials, gold nanostructures are of considerable interest for biomedical research, owing to their bio-inertness, controllable surface chemistry, X-ray opacity, and optical properties. Gold nanocages are particularly attractive for imaging and therapeutic applications, because they strongly absorb light in the near infra-red region which has high light transmission in tissue. However, the X-ray attenuation of nanocages is relatively low due to their hollow structure. In this study, for the first time, we sought to combine the attractive optical properties of nanoshells with the high payloads of solid nanoparticles and investigated their biomedical applications. Here, we report the engineering of Wulff in a cage nanoparticles via converting gold Wulff-shaped seeds into gold-silver core-shell structures and then performing a galvanic replacement reaction. The structure of these nanoparticles was determined using transition electron microscopy. This morphological transformation of gold nanoparticles shaped as truncated octahedrons into a complex Wulff in a cage nanoparticles during the reaction resulted in extensive changes in their optical properties that made these unique structures a potential contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging. We found that the Wulff in a cage nanoparticles had no adverse effects on the viabilities of J774A.1, Renca, and HepG2 cells at any of the concentrations tested. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed robust signals in both photoacoustic imaging and computed tomography. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Wulff in a cage nanoparticles serving as a platform for multiple imaging modalities. This unique multifunctional nanostructure, which integrates the competencies of both core and shell structures, allows their use as contrast agents for photoacoustic imaging, computed tomography and as a potential agent for photothermal therapy.

Dataset Information

Stabilizing gold nanoparticles for use in X-ray computed tomography imaging of soil systems.

Publications

Stabilizing gold nanoparticles for use in X-ray computed tomography imaging of soil systems.

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