Summary For many nanoparticle applications it is important to understand dispersion in liquids. For nanomedicinal and nanotoxicological research this is complicated by the often complex nature of the biological dispersant and ultimately this leads to severe limitations in the analysis of the nanoparticle dispersion by light scattering techniques. Here we present an alternative analysis and associated workflow which utilises electron microscopy. The need to collect large, statistically relevant datasets by imaging vacuum dried, plunge frozen aliquots of suspension was accomplished by developing an automated STEM imaging protocol implemented in an SEM fitted with a transmission detector. Automated analysis of images of agglomerates was achieved by machine learning using two free open‐source software tools: CellProfiler and ilastik. The specific results and overall workflow described enable accurate nanoparticle agglomerate analysis of particles suspended in aqueous media containing other potential confounding components such as salts, vitamins and proteins. Lay Description In order to further advance studies in both nanomedicine and nanotoxicology, we need to continue to understand the dispersion of nanoparticles in biological fluids. These biological environments often contain a number of components such as salts, vitamins and proteins which can lead to difficulties when using traditional techniques to monitor dispersion. Here we present an alternative analysis which utilises electron microscopy. In order to use this approach statistically relevant large image datasets were collected from appropriately prepared samples of nanoparticle suspensions by implementing an automated imaging protocol. Automated analysis of these images was achieved through machine learning using two readily accessible freeware; CellProfiler and ilastik. The workflow presented enables accurate nanoparticle dispersion analysis of particles suspended in more complex biological media.

中文翻译：

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应用自动电子显微镜成像和机器学习来表征和量化纳米颗粒在水介质中的分散

总结 对于许多纳米颗粒应用，了解在液体中的分散非常重要。对于纳米医学和纳米毒理学研究，由于生物分散剂的性质通常很复杂，这会变得复杂，最终这会导致通过光散射技术分析纳米颗粒分散体的严重限制。在这里，我们提出了一种利用电子显微镜的替代分析和相关工作流程。通过对悬浮液的真空干燥、冷冻等分试样进行成像来收集大型统计相关数据集的需要是通过开发在配备透射检测器的 SEM 中实施的自动化 STEM 成像协议来实现的。使用两个免费的开源软件工具 CellProfiler 和 ilastik 通过机器学习实现了对团块图像的自动分析。所描述的具体结果和整体工作流程能够对悬浮在含有其他潜在混杂成分（如盐、维生素和蛋白质）的水性介质中的颗粒进行准确的纳米颗粒团聚分析。描述 为了进一步推进纳米医学和纳米毒理学的研究，我们需要继续了解纳米粒子在生物体液中的分散情况。这些生物环境通常包含许多成分，例如盐、维生素和蛋白质，这可能会导致使用传统技术来监测分散时出现困难。在这里，我们提出了一种利用电子显微镜的替代分析。为了使用这种方法，通过实施自动化成像协议，从适当制备的纳米颗粒悬浮液样本中收集统计相关的大图像数据集。这些图像的自动分析是通过机器学习使用两个易于访问的免费软件实现的；CellProfiler 和 ilastik。提供的工作流程可以对悬浮在更复杂的生物介质中的颗粒进行准确的纳米颗粒分散分析。