Objective Nanoparticles , NPs, are being used to produce novel materials with unique physico-chemical properties with many applications in fields such as medicine, energy and electronics, consumer goods, among others. Some studies have revealed that the same specific properties that make NPs so unique could also be responsible for potential harmful effects on the environment and human health. Currently, the assessment of their impact is hampered by limited analytical capabilities to detect them in complex natural matrices. New sensitive and selective analytical methods must be developed and validated in order to elucidate their toxicological effects prior to increasing and promoting the NPs production. Herein, new analytical methodologies based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are proposed to evaluate the toxicity of metallic NPs in cells, one of the most powerful and attractive model systems for toxicological assays. The proposed methodology consists on the use of laser ablation (LA) coupled to ICP-MS for spatially resolved bioimaging of the distribution of NPs in single cells upon different NPs incubation experiments; furthermore, a micro-droplet generator (µDG) for sample introduction of single cells into a sector field ICP-MS will be employed to improve the NPs detection sensitivity. The expected results will give essential insights into nanoparticle/cell interactions and will have implications for the development of analytical methods based on applications of nano-particles for medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactionsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsnatural scienceschemical sciencesanalytical chemistrymass spectrometrynatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physics Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2014-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator BUNDESANSTALT FUER MATERIALFORSCHUNG UND -PRUEFUNG Net EU contribution € 159 460,80 Address Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany See on map Region Berlin Berlin Berlin Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 159 460,80
