Chapter 11: Nuclear-based Metallomics in Metallic Nanomaterials: Nanometallomics

The main object of this chapter is to extend the research field of metallomic to a fast developing research area as nanoscience and technology. This chapter is divided into 6 sections. The systematic study of metallic nanomaterials, nanometallomics, is first proposed in section 1. Then the definition and research area of nanometallomics is discussed in section 2. The application of nuclear techniques in characterization, oxidation state analysis and electronic configuration of metallic nanomaterials is introduced in section 3 while the application of nuclear techniques like neutron activation analysis, ICP-MS, X-ray fluorescence analysis, and isotopic tracing techniques in the quantification and biodistribution of metallic nanomaterials is reported in section 4. In section 5, the structural analysis for bio-nano interaction is reviewed which shows X-ray absorption spectroscopy is a powerful tool in this area. Finally in section 6, the outlook of nanometallomics as an emerging research field is demonstrated. The integrated techniques provide a useful platform for the quantification, biodistribution and structural analysis of metallic nanomaterials.