Characterization of TiO2 NPs in Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) by Single-Particle ICP-QQQ-MS

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) are increasingly used in a wide range of consumer products and industrial applications, causing their presence in the environment, where they can interact with plants including edible ones. In addition, the released TiO₂ NPs can undergo chemical and physical transformations, which may influence their potential toxicity. However, the study of TiO₂ NPs in environmental samples by the technique offering the highest sensitivity, ICP-MS, is hampered by the presence of some elements (such as, e.g., Ca abundant in plant tissues) that cause polyatomic and/or isobaric interferences. This study proposed, for the first time, the use of a triple-quadrupole ICP operating in tandem mass spectrometry and single-particle mode (SP-ICP-QQQ-MS) to study the uptake, translocation, and possible transformations of TiO₂ NPs with two different nominal sizes in a model plant (Raphanus sativus L.).

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