Syringe Pump Capabilities Added to Nanoparticle Characterisation Systems

Always looking for ways to enhance the capabilities of their Nanoparticle Tracking Ananlysis (NTA) systems, NanoSight announces the addition of a syringe pump to its range of accessories. This is available for use with all models of NTA systems, meaning even the oldest users may enjoy the benefits of upgrading. Enhancing reproducibility of sizing and counting data and combating photobleaching when using fluorophore labels underscores the reliability of NTA as one of the most used nanoparticle characterisation systems today.

Improving measurement repeatability is always most important to analysts. The syringe pump allows an increased number of sample particles that are detected and tracked during an analysis. This gives a more representative sample population and increases the repeatability of the size distribution results, especially for polydisperse samples. It also improves the repeatability of concentration measurements, by continually introducing fresh sample volumes during analysis. This, in combination with the SCRIPT batch analysis procedure, ensures consistent standard operation procedures for the most accurate and reproducible concentration measurements, especially for counting larger particles and aggregates.

Furthermore, increasing the sampling population allows for more accurate analysis of extremely dilute systems, which would otherwise require extremely long capture durations to detect and track sufficient particles for statistically robust measurements.

Using the syringe pump reduces the photo-bleaching effect seen by fluorescent nanoparticles illuminated by the laser beam under static flow conditions. Flowing fluorescently labelled samples through the beam reduces the time each particle is being illuminated by the laser and is therefore highly recommended for fluorescent labelling studies. A fresh population of un-bleached nanoparticles is continually introduced into the instrument field of view, giving improved statistics for fluorescence measurements.

Speaking about the new capability for NTA, NanoSight Head of Development, Dr Patrick Hole, said "the syringe pump has greatly increased the performance of our NTA systems and meets the requests from our users worldwide who have been asking for better reproducibility as they have come to rely upon NTA as their ‘go to’ test method when sizing and counting their nanoparticles."