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Tuesday, 3rd November 2009 (438 views)

High school students in the United States have created their own gold colloid as part of a Nanotechnology Day at Clarkson University in New York.

The group included 18 chemistry students who have been examining the characteristics of microscopic nanoparticles as part of the National Science Foundation's GK12 programme, which supports fellowships and training in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As part of the Nanotechnology Day, PhD student John Njagi and a team of undergraduates explained their research to the students and led them through a series of practical lessons designed to highlight nanotechnology's various applications.

They also highlighted the use of gold nanoparticles for everything from removing arsenic from ground water to delivering drugs directly to cancerous cells.

The visitors got the chance to examine the effect of nanoparticles on the growth of bacteria, view nanoparticles under a high-power scanning electron microscope and create their own colloidal gold.

Also known as nanogold, colloidal gold is nanoparticles of the precious metal suspended in a solution. It is usually red or amber in appearance.

 

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