Nanoparticles as analytical tools for in-vitro antioxidant-capacity assessment and beyond

The current review describes the creative use of metallic nanoparticles (mostly gold and silver) and quantum dots as novel tools for reliable assessment of antioxidant activity in food and biological samples. Since evaluation of antioxidant capacity is a complex issue, these nanomaterials emerge as novel, simple and inexpensive tools in the field, becoming not only a valuable alternative to classical approaches but also a complementary one. (C) 2014 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.