Zetasizer Ultra for Advanced Characterization of Microplastics, Nanomaterials and Biocolloids

我们要求Zetasizer Ultra能够测量多种不同类型的介质(如海水、淡水、土壤孔隙、缓冲液、培养介质、有机溶剂)中各种微纳颗粒(如金属、聚合物、细菌、病毒、蛋白质)的大小、表面电荷和浓度。这项技术将使我们能够推进由NSERC资助的正在进行的研究活动，并在许多具有全球意义的领域取得新发现：例如，微塑料污染、环境纳米技术、药物输送系统、外切体信号、细胞培养材料和纳米生物材料。这一最先进的系统将是加拿大的第一个系统，将支持麦吉尔化学、材料和生物医学工程系的3名共同申请者以及麦吉尔和魁北克其他几个工程和科学系的其他用户的积极研究计划。该系统的主要优点是分辨率显著提高，最大限度地减少了样品污染物的影响，无损分析，超低样品体积测量能力，以及无需校准的颗粒计数。将Zetasizer Ultra添加到我们现有的材料表征工具套件中，确保了一个独特的、最先进的环境，在这个环境中，至少25名学生将有机会立即接受处理和表征胶体和生物胶体的动手培训。这些都是非常有市场价值的技能，可以在许多研究和开发领域转让：例如，纳米技术、生物医学科学、化学品制造、油漆和涂料、制药、个人护理产品、食品和饮料以及环境行业。因此，资助这一仪器将是将最先进的设备和专业知识带给加拿大研究界的一种相对廉价的手段。该仪器带来的研究将对加拿大人的生活产生积极影响，提供必要的信息，以规范潜在有害物质的生产、使用和处置，彻底改变用于治疗和诊断疾病的生物材料和技术的发展，并改变能量存储和收集设备的效率。

We are requesting a Zetasizer Ultra with the capability to measure size, surface charge and concentration of a wide range of micro- and nano-particles (e.g., metals, polymers, bacteria, viruses, proteins) in many different types of media (e.g., seawaters, freshwaters, soil porewaters, buffers, culture media, organic solvents). This technology will allow us to advance our ongoing NSERC-funded research activities and make new discoveries in many areas of global significance: e.g., microplastic pollution, environmental nanotechnology, drug delivery systems, exosome signalling, materials for cell culture, and nanobiomaterials. This state-of-the-art system will be the first in Canada and will support the active research programs of 3 co-applicants in the Departments of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering at McGill and several other users in Engineering and Science at McGill and elsewhere in Quebec. Major advantages of this system are the significantly improved resolution, the minimization of the influence of sample contaminants, non-destructive analysis, ultra-low sample volume measurement capability, and particle counting without calibration. The addition of the Zetasizer Ultra to our existing suite of materials characterisation tools ensures a unique and state-of-the-art environment where at least 25 students will have the opportunity for immediate hands-on training in handling and characterization of colloids and biocolloids. These are highly marketable skills that are transferrable in many areas of research and development: e.g., nanotechnologies, biomedical sciences, manufacturing of chemicals, paints and coatings, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, food and beverage, and environmental industries. Thus, funding of this instrument would be a relatively inexpensive means to bring state-of-the-art equipment and expertise to the Canadian research community. The research enabled by this instrument will positively impact the lives of Canadians by providing the information needed to regulate the production, use, and disposal of potentially harmful materials, revolutionize the development of biomaterials and technologies for treatment and diagnosis of diseases, and transform the efficiency of energy storage and harvesting devices.