Why do Nanoparticle Analysis and Characterization?
The challenges you might meet:
- High complexity of the drug delivery bioparticle forms including dispersions, powders, and microcapsules requiring several methods for analysis and characterizations
- Lack of experiences of drug delivery system so that having no idea which technique to use
- Low quality and low accuracy of results
- Concerns about less-than-optimal techniques only available in-house
- Lack of understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles they have
- Uncertainty about whether the optimized nanoparticles have achieved the optimization purpose
- Unclear about the safety and repeatability of certain nanoparticles
After nanoparticle analysis and characterization, you can overcome these challenges. Because the measured and characterized nanoparticles can let researchers know exactly what the nanoparticles are like, and so what they’re good for. The measurements of sizes, shape, surface charge and composition can be tuned to improve the function of nanoparticles and minimize the risk associated with usage —all very important aspects for safe and successful use of nanoparticles in drug delivery.
What are Nanoparticle Analysis and Characterization Methods?
Nanoparticle characterization and analysis techniques: These are any set of techniques and approaches to investigate the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of nanoparticles (between 1 and 100 nm in size). These are the techniques needed to make sense of how nanoparticles behave and perform in applications.
| Technology Name | Technical Features | Equipment | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| mRNA-LNP Vaccine Laboratory Process Development Assay | Development and optimization of mRNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles (LNPs); formulation, encapsulation, and stability studies. | PCR, Liposome Extruder, Cryo-TEM, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) | mRNA vaccine development, formulation testing, process optimization. |
| Toxicity Measurement | Evaluates cell viability, cytotoxicity, and organ toxicity of nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo. | MTT Assay, LDH Release Assay, Flow Cytometry, Animal Models | Safety evaluation of nanoparticles for drug delivery systems and biomedical applications. |
| Drug In Vitro Testing | Assessing the release profiles, efficacy, and cell uptake of drug-loaded nanoparticles in cell cultures. | Cell Cultures, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer, Flow Cytometry | Testing of drug-loaded nanoparticles, efficacy studies, drug delivery optimization. |
| Lamellarity Determination | Identifying and quantifying the number of lipid bilayers in liposomal nanoparticles to assess their structure and stability. | Cryo-TEM, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) | Structural analysis of liposomes for drug delivery, cosmetic formulations, and gene delivery systems. |
| Drug Localization Analysis | Analyzing the distribution of nanoparticles and their drug payload within cells or tissues to understand drug uptake and delivery efficiency. | Confocal Microscopy, Fluorescence Microscopy, Imaging Systems | Drug delivery studies, pharmacokinetics, bioimaging of drug localization. |
| Bioparticles Stability Studies | Evaluation of the long-term physical, chemical, and functional stability of nanoparticles under various conditions. | Zeta Potential Analyzer, DLS, UV-Vis Spectrometer | Nanoparticle stability testing for drug delivery, vaccine formulations, and long-term storage. |
| Bioparticle Component Analysis | Characterizing the chemical composition and components (e.g., lipids, polymers, drugs) of nanoparticles. | Mass Spectrometry, HPLC, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) | Nanoparticle formulation analysis, quality control, and purity testing. |
| Bioparticles Zeta Potential Analysis | Measures the surface charge of nanoparticles, indicating their dispersion stability and interactions with cells or biological membranes. | Zeta Potential Analyzer (e.g., Malvern Zetasizer) | Stability studies, surface charge analysis, understanding interactions with biological systems. |
| Bioparticle Size and Morphology Analysis | Determines the size distribution and shape of nanoparticles, key for understanding their behavior in biological systems. | DLS, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) | Size optimization for drug delivery, gene therapy, and imaging contrast agents. |
| Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics Test | Studies the biological effects and movement of nanoparticles, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). | High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Animal Models | Drug efficacy testing, therapeutic monitoring, and biodistribution studies. |
| Bioparticles Penetration and Permeation Test | Evaluates the ability of nanoparticles to penetrate cell membranes and permeate biological barriers like skin or the blood-brain barrier. | Franz Diffusion Cell, Confocal Microscopy, Microfluidics | Drug delivery through biological barriers, skin permeation, blood-brain barrier studies. |
| Bioparticles Encapsulation Efficiency Analysis | Quantifies the amount of drug or therapeutic agent encapsulated within nanoparticles, assessing loading efficiency and release potential. | HPLC, UV-Vis Spectrophotometry, Centrifugation | Drug delivery optimization, encapsulation techniques, efficiency studies. |
| In Vivo Fates Prediction Study | Predicts the biodistribution, clearance, and long-term fate of nanoparticles in living organisms. | Animal Models, Radioisotope Labeling, MRI, PET, SPECT | Predictive toxicology, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetic studies for nanoparticle-based therapies. |
| Bioimaging Services for Nanoparticles | Visualizes and tracks the behavior of nanoparticles within biological systems, using advanced imaging techniques. | Confocal Microscopy, Fluorescence Imaging, MRI, PET, CT | In vivo tracking, monitoring drug delivery efficiency, real-time bioimaging. |
| Animal Model Construction | Develops animal models that replicate human diseases for testing the effectiveness and safety of nanoparticles. | Animal Surgery, Injection Systems, Imaging Tools | Preclinical testing of nanoparticles for drug delivery, gene therapy, and therapeutic applications. |
| Animal Models Evaluation | Assesses the therapeutic outcomes, safety, and pharmacokinetics of nanoparticles in animal models to simulate human responses. | Animal Monitoring Systems, Imaging, Blood Sampling | Efficacy testing, biodistribution, and safety evaluation of nanoparticle-based treatments. |
| Protein Binding Affinity Analysis on Artificial Lipid Droplets | Evaluates the binding affinity of proteins (e.g., antibodies, enzymes) to lipid droplets or lipid-coated nanoparticles, helping to understand bio-interactions. | Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Fluorescence Polarization | Drug formulation optimization, protein-lipid interaction studies, nanomedicine design. |
Popular Nanoparticle Analysis and Characterization Services
Advantages of Nanoparticle Analysis and Characterization Techniques
- Bulk Analysis and Characterization services including descriptive data analysis
- Our long-term experience and advanced metrology platforms can help you determine and optimize the most applicable technique, or the combination of techniques to solve your problem
- We can help you to optimize an experiment based on the most cost-effective strategies and provide you the deep data analysis based on descriptive and inferential statistics. We will help you to know your materials better and provide you the solutions to solve your problems from every aspect.
- The quality and accuracy of analysis results are taken seriously. The design of experiments follows the principles of statistics
- Quick turnaround time
- No concerns about the scale of analysis. Analysis ranging from one-sample request to large-scope or multiple runs are all acceptable
- We offer customized analysis strategies and protocols development
Drug Delivery Nanoparticle Analysis and Characterization Process
The drug delivery nanoparticle analysis and characterization refer to a set of methods to test and optimize the performance of nanoparticles for drug delivery. These are steps that make nanoparticles safe, effective and have the therapeutic effects envisioned. Here is a rundown of the main steps:
| Step No. | Process | Objective | Techniques Involved | Key Parameters |
| 1 | Nanoparticle Formulation & Synthesis | To develop nanoparticles that can encapsulate drugs effectively, ensuring controlled release, stability, and targeted delivery. | - Solvent Evaporation - Nanoprecipitation - Emulsion-based methods | Particle size, surface charge, and morphology |
| 2 | Nanoparticle Size & Morphology Analysis | To assess the physical characteristics of nanoparticles, which affect their stability, drug release, and cellular uptake. | - Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) - Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) - Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) | Particle size, shape, and distribution |
| 3 | Zeta Potential Analysis | To evaluate the surface charge of nanoparticles, which influences their stability, dispersion, and interaction with biological membranes. | - Zeta Potential Analyzer (e.g., Malvern Zetasizer) | Surface charge (zeta potential), stability in suspension |
| 4 | Encapsulation Efficiency & Drug Loading Capacity | To determine how much drug is encapsulated within the nanoparticle and assess its release profile. | - High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) - UV-Vis Spectrophotometry | Encapsulation efficiency, drug loading capacity |
| 5 | Drug Release Kinetics | To measure the release profile of the encapsulated drug over time, simulating physiological conditions. | - In Vitro Release Studies (Dialysis or Franz diffusion cells) - UV-Vis Spectrophotometry | Release rate, controlled or sustained release behavior |
| 6 | Bioparticle Stability Studies | To evaluate the long-term stability of nanoparticles under different conditions (e.g., temperature, pH, ionic strength). | - DLS - Zeta Potential Measurement - Freeze-drying & Rehydration Studies | Particle size, charge, aggregation, and physical integrity |
| 7 | Toxicity Assessment | To assess the cytotoxicity and potential toxicological effects of nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo. | - MTT Assay - LDH Release Assay - Flow Cytometry - Animal Models | Cell viability, organ toxicity, biocompatibility |
| 8 | Pharmacokinetics & Biodistribution | To determine how nanoparticles are distributed, metabolized, and eliminated in the body, as well as their therapeutic effectiveness. | - In Vivo Imaging (MRI, PET, SPECT, or fluorescence imaging) - Biodistribution Studies | Circulation time, organ accumulation, clearance rate |
| 9 | Bioimaging & Drug Localization | To visualize the distribution of nanoparticles and their drug payload within tissues or cells. | - Confocal Microscopy - Fluorescence Imaging | Localization efficiency, cellular uptake |
| 10 | Lamellarity Determination | To determine the number of lipid bilayers in liposomal nanoparticles, which impacts drug release and stability. | - Cryo-TEM - DLS | Number of bilayers, lamellarity type |
| 11 | Pharmacodynamics & Therapeutic Efficacy Testing | To study the effect of drug-loaded nanoparticles on biological systems and assess their therapeutic effectiveness. | - In Vitro Cell Proliferation Assays (e.g., MTT, BrdU) - In Vivo Efficacy Studies | Therapeutic index, efficacy, dose-response relationship |
| 12 | Penetration & Permeation Studies | To evaluate the ability of nanoparticles to penetrate biological membranes or barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier or skin. | - Franz Diffusion Cell (skin permeation studies) - In Vivo Studies (blood-brain barrier penetration) | Permeation rate, penetration depth |
| 13 | In Vivo Fates Prediction | To predict the fate of nanoparticles in living organisms, including their clearance, distribution, and potential accumulation. | - Radioactive Labeling (e.g., isotopes) - Non-invasive Imaging (e.g., PET, MRI) | Distribution profile, organ accumulation, excretion |
| 14 | Animal Models Construction & Evaluation | To develop and evaluate animal models that mimic human diseases for testing nanoparticle-based therapies. | - Animal Surgery & Induction of Disease Models - Histology & Immunohistochemistry | Disease modeling, therapeutic outcomes, nanoparticle interaction with diseased tissues |
Instrument Platform
Instrument platforms used in nanoparticle analysis are crucial for characterizing drug delivery systems. DLS measures particle size and distribution which are stabilized. High-resolution pictures of nanoparticle structure are also available from TEM and SEM. Zeta Potential Analyzers measure surface charge to measure stability and dispersion. Encapsulation efficiency and drug profiles are measured with HPLC and UV-Vis Spectrophotometers. Such platforms provide detailed nanoparticle information that helps in designing effective and safe drug delivery systems.
1. What is nanoparticle size analysis and why is it important?
Nanoparticle size analysis is essential for determining the size distribution and uniformity of nanoparticles. Size affects the stability, drug release rate, and ability to penetrate biological barriers. Techniques like Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Electron Microscopy (TEM/SEM) are commonly used to measure nanoparticle size.
2. How is the surface charge of nanoparticles determined?
The surface charge of nanoparticles is measured through Zeta Potential Analysis, which helps assess nanoparticle stability. A higher surface charge usually results in better dispersion and prevents aggregation, crucial for maintaining effective drug delivery properties.
3. Why is encapsulation efficiency important in drug delivery systems?
Encapsulation efficiency refers to the percentage of the drug that is successfully loaded into the nanoparticle carrier. High encapsulation efficiency ensures that the delivery system can carry sufficient therapeutic payload. HPLC and UV-Vis Spectrophotometry are used to quantify this parameter.
4. What is drug release kinetic testing?
Drug release kinetic testing evaluates how quickly and to what extent a drug is released from a nanoparticle carrier. Techniques like Franz Diffusion Cells and UV-Vis Spectrophotometry help monitor the release profile, which is essential for controlled and sustained drug delivery.
5. How is nanoparticle stability tested?
Nanoparticle stability is assessed through size and surface charge measurements over time. DLS and Zeta Potential Analysis are commonly used to track changes in particle size and charge, indicating aggregation or instability.
6. What is the role of in vivo biodistribution studies in nanoparticle development?
In vivo biodistribution studies, using imaging techniques like MRI, PET, and SPECT, track how nanoparticles travel through the body, their tissue accumulation, and therapeutic effectiveness. This is crucial for understanding the targeting and release of drugs in real-world conditions.