Quantitative separation of polystyrene nanoparticles in environmental matrices with picogram detection limits using capillary electrophoresis

Abstract

We developed a capillary electrophoresis method to separate polystyrene particles (PSPs) with different sizes or different surface functionalities. Separations were performed in buffer and 100 mg L⁻¹ clay or 100 mg L⁻¹ Suwanee River humic acid. In all solutions, PSPs were baseline or near-baseline resolved in less than 15 minutes.