Hi guys.
I'm currently studying the toxicity effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3) on freshwater fish. The NP I used is in powder form, purchased from Sigma 544884 with particle size of
I don't have a solution for your problem, but: bare iron oxide nanoparticles will always tend to agglomerate and precipitate in water within a few hours, depending on contentration and size. To avoid agglomeration and to produce a stable colloidal suspension, you have to coat the particles with surfactants to reduce the attractive particle-particle interaction.
See the positive effect: the toxicity of your NPs is reduced due to agglomeration within a few hours, and that is what is observed usually for many kind of NPs when distributed in the environment.
I can suggest that you do the following to reduce the sedimentation of Fe2O3:
1- Use hematite form of this oxide because the maghemite form is magnetic and the NPs have more tendecy to attract each other and form larger particles.
2- Take iron oxide with smaller sizes that can form stable suspension.
3- Use less amount of the oxide and their is no need to use largr amount.
4- Perhaps gentle stirring can help.
Good luck!
I agree with mister Kooti, his suggestions should decrease aggregation, but you should also consider that the answer about toxicity of bare NP answered itself to you. It is practically impossible to keep them colloidally stable so they aggregate and sediment they would act that way in lab environment or in nature.
If you do want to study the toxicity of nano-particles they will have to be coated. You can use coatings that are not toxic like citric acid or polysaccharide (dextran...)
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