Development of total consumption systems for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in single particle and single cell modes

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Metal nanoparticles are increasingly used in cosmetics, food packaging, textiles, toothpaste, and other ubiquitous products. These nanoparticles may end up in the potable water of rural and indigenous communities without water treatment plants, putting these populations at risk. The impact of these nanoparticles on our environment, our food, and our health is largely unknown because measuring nanoparticles in environmental and biological systems is very difficult. Similarly, measuring the uptake of metal-containing drugs by cells to develop smart therapeutics targeting tumors is also difficult because it requires analysis of numerous individual cells to assess the selectivity of the drug uptake by diseased cells versus healthy cells. This partnership aims to develop sample introduction systems (one for the analysis of nanoparticles, one for the analysis of cells) allowing the quick analysis of every nanoparticle or cell in each sample, which is not currently possible, to provide a complete picture. The systems to be developed are expected to facilitate the analysis of real samples, such as natural waters and other environmental samples by reducing or eliminating the sample pretreatment that is currently required with standard sample introduction systems, thereby increasing the number of samples that can be analyzed daily. The system that will be optimized for the analysis of cells will be used to assess the efficiency and selectivity of new drugs being designed by collaborators. Such analysis will allow drug dosage to be adjusted so that cancerous cells are preferentially targeted. It would in turn allow the advancement of copper- and nickel-containing targeted therapeutics to treat cancer and neurological disorders. A switch from platinum (currently used in anti-cancer drugs) to copper or nickel in therapeutic candidates would greatly benefit patients' access to more affordable (hence equitable) and safer medication. The intention is to patent the resulting systems and allow Burgener Research, a Canadian manufacturer of sample introduction systems, to sell them. Canada would then become a world leader in the measurement of nanoparticles and cells.