Nanobubble Applications and Characterization Using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis

Introduction

The generation, measurement, and applied technologies of so-called nanobubbles or ultra-fine bubbles, with diameter ranging from tens to hundreds of nanometers, are evolving dramatically in recent years. The unique properties of nanobubbles makes them attractive for a number of applications such as facility cleaning, food disinfection, and water treatment, as well as possibilities in fields such as disinfecting food products, pharmaceutical delivery, decontamination, and manufacturing of functional materials. Preliminary market research conducted by the Fine Bubble Industries Association shows the size of the fine bubble business increasing from USD 20 million in 2010 to USD 4.3 billion in 2020.

The Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) technique is particularly adept at the detection and analysis (size, size distribution, number concentration) of these relatively low concentration structures of extremely small size (compared to ‘conventional’ bubbles). NTA offers a unique capability to characterize nanobubbles by directly visualizing nanoscale particles in suspension (10 nm to 2000 nm) with high-resolution, in real-time, and with minimal sample preparation. The NanoSight models from Malvern Instruments pioneered this technique and continue to be the industry’s primary choice.The existence of surface nanobubbles is becoming fairly well established following investigation from a number of groups. Following earlier skepticism about their actual existence, confirmation of bulk nanobubbles in solution and their characterization has more recently seen more publications. Kaneo Chiba and Masayoshi Takahashi have shown that in the presence of electrolytes and with the correct physical stimulus, stable nanobubbles can be formed from conventional microbubbles [1]. The latter tend to coalesce to large buoyant bubbles which either float away or collapse under intense surface tension-derived pressure to the point that they vanish, as predicted by theory.

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