Portable nanoparticle quantization using a resizable nanopore instrument - the IZON qNano™.

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biophysics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Accurate nanoparticle characterization is crucial for various scientific fields.
• Existing methods for nanoparticle detection and quantization can be complex or require labeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel instrument, the qNano, for label-free nanoparticle detection and quantization.
• To demonstrate the instrument's capability in measuring liposome and polystyrene particles within the 200-400 nm range.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a nanopore within an elastomeric membrane, controlled by mechanical stretching.
• Employing electrophoresis via trans-membrane voltage to drive particle translocation through the nanopore.
• Measuring ionic current changes during particle translocation and applying pressure control for enhanced capture rates.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful quantization of liposome and polystyrene particles (200-400 nm).
• Established a linear relationship between capture rate and applied pressure/membrane stretching.
• Observed that translocation event amplitude decreases with increasing pressure but is independent of membrane stretching.

Conclusions:

• The qNano instrument provides a robust, label-free method for nanoparticle analysis.
• The instrument's performance is tunable via pressure and pore size, offering flexibility in particle characterization.
• Initial results show promise for the qNano in quantitative nanoparticle detection.