In this study, we report an investigation for the charging and collection of aerosol nanoparticles in an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) according to particle charging and diffusion effects. The competition between charging probability and diffusion effect determines the collection efficiency of nanoparticles in the ESP. In conclusion, collection efficiency continuously decreased with the reduction in the particle size. This indicates that poor partial charging effect of nanoparticles is more dominant than their diffusion effect in the ESP for the nanoparticles in the particle size range of 4-20 nm. Theoretical calculations using a unipolar diffusion charing theory were in good agreement with the experimental data for the nanoparticles less than 20 nm in diameter.