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A team of researchers have created an innovative analytical platform combining asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) with native mass spectrometry (nMS) to characterize non-covalent protein complexes, providing valuable insights into their stability and higher-order structures.

Characterizing Non-covalent Protein Complexes Using Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation On-Line Coupled to Native Mass Spectrometry

Waters Corporation has purchased Wyatt Technology, expanding both parties' reach in biopharmaceutical development and creating better healthcare technology for all.

Waters Corporation Purchases Wyatt Technology in Billion-Dollar Deal

In this extended special feature to celebrate the 35th anniversary edition of LCGC Europe, key opinion leaders from the separation science community explore contemporary trends in separation science and identify possible future developments.

Separation Science: The State of the Art: Field-Flow Fractionation: Extended Frontiers to Supramolecular and Complex Polymer Materials

Field-flow fractionation (FFF) coupled to light scattering is a powerful method to separate and characterize nanoparticles, proteins, and polymers from a few nanometres to a few micrometres. The technique is one of the few that can cover the full size range of nanomaterials and provide high-resolution size distributions and additional characterization. New developments in FFF enhance performance and productivity.

Developments in Field‑Flow Fractionation Coupled to Light Scattering

Flow-field flow fractionation (flow-FFF) offers highly versatile separations for the analysis of complex fluids, covering a size range of macromolecules and particles from 1 nm to 10,000 nm. However, flow-FFF is often perceived as a difficult technique to learn because of the multiple parameters available for adjustment. Recent advances in software for simulating flow-FFF overcome this obstacle, enabling the virtual optimization of flow-FFF methods and opening up the power of flow-FFF separations to non-experts. An added benefit is the ability to easily analyze particle size distributions by elution time from first principles.

Field-Flow Fractionation: Virtual Optimization for Versatile Separation Methods

The evaluation of the oral uptake of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) contained in personal care products like mouthwashes is of great relevance to estimate the potential hazards and the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Various experiments were performed while two commercially available mouthwash products (named M1 and M2) were selected as samples of interest. Asymmetric flow field‑flow fractionation (AF4) was chosen and optimized as the particle separation technique and two detectors were on-line coupled while dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used for evaluation and signals obtained by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) detection at 254 nm were used to gather additional information about the fate of the ENPs.

Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation Analysis of Engineered Nanoparticles in Mouthwashes and Their Interaction with Saliva

The evaluation of the oral uptake of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) contained in personal care products like mouthwashes is of great relevance to estimate the potential hazards and the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Various experiments were carried out while two commercially available mouthwash products (named M1 and M2) were selected as samples of interest. Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) was chosen and optimized as particle separation technique and two detectors were on-line coupled while dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used for evaluation and signals obtained by UV-vis at 254 nm were used to gather additional information about the fate of the ENPs.

Daniel Some, PhD, is director of marketing and principal scientist, at Wyatt Technology Corporation, 6300 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara, CA 93117-3253.

Nanoparticles hold enormous potential for targeted, well-controlled drug delivery. Extensive characterization of nanoscale drug-delivery vehicles is essential to ensure their efficacy and reproducibility. While various methods are available to characterize nanoparticle size, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), electron microscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis, field-flow fractionation–multi-angle light scattering (FFF–MALS) is one of the most versatile techniques to determine size, structure, and other properties. This article highlights a study demonstrating the benefits of FFF–MALS–DLS for the characterization of nanolipid particles.

Robust and Repeatable Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Characterization with FFF–MALS–DLS

This review highlights applications for which AF4 is particularly well suited, and explains when not to use the technique.

Practical Applications of Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation: A Review

Characterization of macromolecules and colloids is an area of considerable interest. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) has become a well-established method, but many potential users possess limited knowledge of its capabilities, and that it can provide additional information or serve as validation to the traditional analytical techniques. This review article highlights several practical applications in which AF4 should be given special consideration, and discusses benefits and drawbacks of the different methods.

Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF) | Topics