Ratna Tantra
Current Interests
- Nanomaterial (NM) characterisation using a wide range of techniques
- Method/protocol development: dispersion and characterisation of NMs in complex media
- Development of new tools for nanomaterial characterisation
- Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Biography
Ratna Tantra is currently active in various projects related to nanoparticle characterisation, to include PROSPEcT (as part of the UK's contribution towards nanomaterial testing for ecotoxicological investigations); she currently manages NPL's contribution towards this OECD driven programme. She has wide collaborative links and currently the industrial supervisor to three studentships, with Imperial College and University of Birmingham. Before coming to NPL, she did two postdoctoral posts, which involved the development of novel Lab-On Chip devices. At NPL she had worked in the Biotechnology group before moving into the Surface and Nano-Analysis, where her research interest broadened into the applications of nanomaterials in Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and particle detection using Microelectromechanical based systems. Her Phd was in electroanalytical chemistry, in particular the development of novel sensors for glucose measurements (UCL, London).
Selected Publications
- Strategy to improve the reproducibility of colloidal SERS
R. Tantra, R. J. C. Brown, M. J. T. Milton
Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 38 (11), pages 1469-1479 (2007) - Integrated Potentiometric Detector for Use in Chip-Based Flow Cells
R. Tantra and A. Manz
Analytical Chemistry, 72 (13), pages 2875 – 2878 (2000) - The detection of airborne carbon nanotubes in relation to toxicology and workplace safety
R. Tantra and P. Cumpson
Nanotoxicology, 1 (4), pages 251-265 (2007) - Characterisation of the de-agglomeration effects of bovine serum albumin on nanoparticles in aqueous suspension
R. Tantra, J. Tompkins and P. Quincey
Colloids Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 75 (1), pages 275-281 (2010)
Contact details
Email: ratna.tantra@npl.co.uk
Tel: 020 8943 6489