Characterization and Determination of Nanoparticles in Commercial Processed Foods

A wide variety of foods manufactured by nanotechnology are commercially available on the market and labeled as nanoproducts. However, it is challenging to determine the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) in complex food matrices and processed foods. In this study, top-down-approach-produced (TD)-NP products and nanobubble waters (NBWs) were chosen as representative powdered and liquid nanoproducts, respectively. The characterization and determination of NPs in TD-NP products and NBWs were carried out by measuring constituent particle sizes, hydrodynamic diameters, zeta potentials, and surface chemistry. The results show that most NBWs had different characteristics compared with those of conventional sparkling waters, but nanobubbles were unstable during storage. On the other hand, powdered TD-NP products were found to be highly aggregated, and the constituent particle sizes less than 100 nm were remarkably observed after dispersion compared with counterpart conventional bulk-sized products by scanning electron microscopy at low acceleration voltage and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The differences in chemical composition and chemical state between TD-NPs and their counterpart conventional bulk products were also found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These findings will provide basic information about the presence of NPs in nano-labeled products and be useful to understand and predict the potential toxicity of NPs applied to the food industry.

Determination of Two Differently Manufactured Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles by Cloud Point Extraction Approach in Intestinal Cells, Intestinal Barriers and Tissues

Food additive amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2) particles are manufactured by two different methods—precipitated and fumed procedures—which can induce different physicochemical properties and biological fates. In this study, precipitated and fumed SiO2 particles were characterized in terms of constituent particle size, hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, surface area, and solubility. Their fates in intestinal cells, intestinal barriers, and tissues after oral administration in rats were determined by optimizing Triton X-114-based cloud point extraction (CPE). The results demonstrate that the constituent particle sizes of precipitated and fumed SiO2 particles were similar, but their aggregate states differed from biofluid types, which also affect dissolution properties. Significantly higher cellular uptake, intestinal transport amount, and tissue accumulation of precipitated SiO2 than of fumed SiO2 was found. The intracellular fates of both types of particles in intestinal cells were primarily particle forms, but slowly decomposed into ions during intestinal transport and after distribution in the liver, and completely dissolved in the bloodstream and kidneys. These findings will provide crucial information for understanding and predicting the potential toxicity of food additive SiO2 after oral intake.

Modelling Microstructure and Properties during Annealing of Cold-Rolled Al-Mn-Fe-Si-Alloys with Different Microchemistries

The physical basis and a mathematical formulation of a softening model nicknamedAlsoft, accounting for the combined effect of recovery and recrystallization during annealing of heavily deformed aluminium alloys have been presented. The prediction power of the model is tested against experiments in terms of softening kinetics and final grain structure of selected Al-Mn-Fe-Si-model alloys with different as homogenized microchemistries in terms solid solution levels of Mn (potential of concurrent precipitation) and different constituent particle and dispersoid structures. It is demonstrated that good model predictions may be obtained for alloys and conditions which are not or too a limited extent influenced by particle drag effects and concurrent precipitation while conditions strongly affected by these effects are increasingly difficult to model and in the most extreme cases impossible with reasonable input model parameters.

Effect of Strain and Strain Rate on the Evolution of Dispersoid Particles in Al-Mn-Fe-Si Alloy during Hot Deformation

The development of both dispersoid and constituent particle types during high temperature deformation has been investigated. Using torsion testing, which enables good temperature and strain rate control, the development of particles in terms of individual properties and the overall population has been examined during extended high strain rate deformation. Torsion tests also allow material that has the same thermal history but different levels of strain within a single sample to be compared. Quantitative comparison of particles has been performed using high resolution SEM imaging. Strain has been shown to have an important influence on particle evolution, beyond changing the kinetics of particle evolution alone. It has been demonstrated that the shape of the dispersoids is altered when they are evolving under the action of strain compared to that obtained from a thermal effect.

Influence of Solution Treatment on Microstructure and Quench Cracking in a Water-Quenched Aluminium Alloy 7150

In this work, the influence of multi-step solution (MSS) treatments on the constituent particle dissolution, overheating and associated quench cracking behaviour in room temperature water-quenched 7150 Al alloy has been investigated. For comparison, the microstructure and quench cracking behaviour of single step solution treated samples water-quenched from 505°C were also investigated. Based on optical microscopy of differently quenched samples, the quench cracking mode and the influence of overheating of constituents on the quench cracking behaviour have been demonstrated. The results reveal that the constituent particles can be effectively dissolved in the MSS-505°C samples. When the quench temperature of MSS-505°C samples is equal to or higher than 485°C , macro quench cracks can be clearly observed. Moreover, the density and length of the quench cracks increase with increasing quench temperature. Etched microstructures indicate that the quench crack propagation mode is intergranular. However, for samples directly heated to 505°C , typical overheating can be observed at the triple junctions and these regions preferentially act as crack propagation routes.