Correction: Development of electrochemical sensors for quick detection of environmental (soil and water) NPK ions.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D4RA00034J.].

Development of electrochemical sensors for quick detection of environmental (soil and water) NPK ions.

All over the world, technology is becoming more and more prevalent in agriculture. Different types of instruments are already being used in this sector. For the time being, every farmer is trying to produce more crops on a piece of land. Eventually, soil loses its nutrients; however, to grow more crops, farmers use more fertilizers without knowing the proper conditions of the soil in real time. To overcome this issue, many scientists have recently focused on developing electrochemical sensors to detect macronutrients, i.e., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), in soil or water rapidly. In this review, we focus mainly on the recent developments in electrochemical sensors used for the detection of nutrients (NPK) in different types of samples. As it is outlined, the use of smart and portable electrochemical sensors can be helpful for the reduction of excess fertilizer and can play a vital role in maintaining suitable conditions in soils and water. We are optimistic that this review can guide researchers in the development of a portable and suitable NPK detection system for soil nutrients.

Zinc oxide nanorod/rutin modified electrode for the detection of Thiourea in real samples.

In this work, a novel electrochemical detection strategy was developed based on a metal-organic framework of zinc oxide nanorod nanoparticles and rutin for selective screening of Thiourea as toxic chemicals. The zinc oxide nanorod were synthesized by following direct chemical precipitation methods and characterized by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The surface of modified electrodes was also characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopes, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and attenuated total reflectance flourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the electrochemical activity of the developed sensor was tested by cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The modified electrode showed outstanding electro-catalytic activity towards the detection of Thiourea in phosphate buffer saline at a high pH level of 12.0. The proposed sensor showed a linear range of linearity in a concentration ranging from 5.0 × 10-6 - 900 × 10-6 molL-1 and a detection limit of 2.0 × 10-6 molL-1. Moreover, the selectivity of the developed electrochemical sensor was investigated for the detection of Thiourea in the presence of organic compounds and a group of anions. Furthermore, the proposed strategy demonstrated an excellent recovery value in the spiked farmland water and fruit juice sample.

Nanostructured wearable electrochemical and biosensor towards healthcare management: a review.

In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in demand for wearable sensors, particularly these tracking the surroundings, fitness, and health of people. Thus, selective detection in human body fluid is a demand for a smart lifestyle by quick monitoring of electrolytes, drugs, toxins, metabolites and biomolecules, proteins, and the immune system. In this review, these parameters along with the main features of the latest and mostly cited research work on nanostructured wearable electrochemical and biosensors are surveyed. This study aims to help researchers and engineers choose the most suitable selective and sensitive sensor. Wearable sensors have broad and effective sensing platforms, such as contact lenses, Google Glass, skin-patch, mouth gourds, smartwatches, underwear, wristbands, and others. For increasing sensor reliability, additional advancements in electrochemical and biosensor precision, stability in uncontrolled environments, and reproducible sample conveyance are necessary. In addition, the optimistic future of wearable electrochemical sensors in fields, such as remote and customized healthcare and well-being is discussed. Overall, wearable electrochemical and biosensing technologies hold great promise for improving personal healthcare and monitoring performance with the potential to have a significant impact on daily lives. These technologies enable real-time body sensing and the communication of comprehensive physiological information.

Copper oxide nanoflowers/poly-l-glutamic acid modified advanced electrochemical sensor for selective detection of l-tryptophan in real samples.

The main objective of this research work is to develop a low-cost sensor to detect l-tryptophan (L-tryp) in real sample medium based on a modified glassy carbon electrode. For this, copper oxide nanoflowers (CuONFs) and poly-l-glutamic acid (PGA) were used to modify GCE. The prepared NFs and PGA coated electrode was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the electrochemical activity was performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The modified electrode showed excellent electro-catalytic activity towards L-tryp detection in PBS solution at neutral pH 7.0. Based on the physiological pH condition, the proposed electrochemical sensor can detect L-tryp concentration with a linear range of 1.0 × 10-4-8.0 × 10-8 molL-1 with having a detection limit of 5.0 × 10-8 molL-1 and sensitivity of 0.6µA/µMcm2. The selectivity of L-tryp was tested with a mixture of salt and uric acid solution at the above conditions. Finally, this strategy demonstrated excellent recovery value in real sample analysis like milk and urine.

Label free flexible electrochemical DNA biosensor for selective detection of Shigella flexneri in real food samples.

An effective tool for early-stage selective detection of the foodborne bacterial pathogen Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri) is essential for diagnosing infectious diseases and controlling outbreaks. Here, a label-free electrochemical DNA biosensor for monitoring S. flexneri is developed. To fabricate the biosensor, detection probe (capture probe) is immobilized on the surface of poly melamine (P-Mel) and poly glutamic acid (PGA), and disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS) functionalized flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. Anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid monohydrate sodium salt (AQMS) is used as a signal indicator for the detection of S. flexneri. The proposed DNA biosensor exhibits a wide dynamic range with concentration of the targets ranging from 1 × 10-6 to 1 × 10-21 molL-1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 7.4 × 10-22 molL-1 in the complementary linear target of S. flexneri, and a detection range of 8 × 1010-80 cells/ml with a LOD of 10 cells/ml in real S. flexneri sample. The proposed flexible biosensor provides high specificity for the detection of S. flexneri compared to other target signals such as discrete base mismatches and different bacterial species. The developed biosensor displayed excellent recoveries in detecting S. flexneri in spiked food samples. Therefore, the proposed biosensor can serve as a model methodology for the detection of other pathogens in a broad span of industries.

Development of a hematite nanotube and tyramine-based drug carrier against drug-resistant bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae.

In this study, hematite nanotube (HNT) and tyramine-based advanced nano-drug carriers were developed for inhibiting the growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). The HNT was synthesized by following the Teflon line autoclaved assisted hydrothermal process and tyramine was incorporated on the surface of the HNT to fabricate the formulated nano-drug. The nano-drug was prepared by conjugating meropenem (MP) on the surface of Tyramine-HNT and characterized using different techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), etc. Furthermore, the drug-loading efficiency and loading capacity were measured using a UV-vis spectrometer. The pH, amount of Tyr, and HNT required for drug loading were optimized. A controlled and gradual manner of pH-sensitive release profiles was found after investigating the release profile of MP from the carrier drug. The antibacterial activity of MP@Tyramine-HNT and MP was compared through the agar disc diffusion method which indicates that antibacterial properties of antibiotics are enhanced after conjugating. Surprisingly, the MP@Tyramine-HNT exhibits a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of K. pneumoniae lower than MP itself. These results indicate the nanocarrier can reduce the amount of MP dosed to eradicate K. pneumoniae.

Graphitic carbon nitride and APTES modified advanced electrochemical biosensor for detection of 17ß-estradiol in spiked food samples.

This work demonstrates a simple and inexpensive electrochemical biosensing pathway for selective and sensitive recognition of 17ß-estradiol (E2) in environmental and food samples. The biosensing system is based on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and a conductive polymer 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The proposed biosensor shows the ability to detect E2 in attomolar levels within a wide linear logarithm concentration range of 1 × 10-6 to 1 × 10-18 mol L-1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 9.9 × 10-19 mol L-1. The selectivity of the developed biosensor was confirmed by conducting the DPV of similarly structured hormones and naturally occurring substances. The proposed biosensor is highly stable and applicable to detect E2 in the presence of spiked food and environmental samples with satisfactory recoveries ranging from 95.1 to 104.8%. So, the designed electrochemical biosensor might be an effective alternative tool for the detection of E2 and other endogenous substances to attain food safety.

A DNA functionalized advanced electrochemical biosensor for identification of the foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in real samples.

An efficient platform for the detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) is essential for early-stage diagnosis of typhoid to prevent and contain outbreaks. Here, we fabricated an electrochemical DNA biosensor for selective identification of S. Typhi in real samples. The biosensor has been fabricated by immobilizing an amine labelled S. Typhi specific single-strand capture probe on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and poly cysteine (P-Cys) modified screen-printed electrode. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) of anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid monohydrate sodium salt (AQMS) as a signal indicator was monitored to detect S. Typhi by hybridization of target DNA with the probe DNA. The fabricated biosensor shows a detection range of 1 × 10-6 to 1 × 10-22 molL-1 with a LOD of 6.8 × 10-25 molL-1 in S. Typhi complementary linear target and 1.8 × 105 to 1.8 CFUml-1 with a LOD of 1 CFUml-1 in a real S. Typhi sample. The biosensor shows excellent discrimination ability to some bases mismatched and different bacterial cultures (same and distant genera). The most beneficial points of the proposed DNA biosensor are the lower limit of detection and the ability to reuse the biosensor more than 6 to 7 times. In addition, the practicability of the biosensor was investigated via detecting S. Typhi in blood, poultry feces, egg, and milk whereby excellent recoveries ranging from 96.54 to 103.47% were demonstrated indicating that this biosensor might be the most promising diagnostic tool for monitoring S. Typhi in clinical and food samples.

Ceftizoxime loaded ZnO/L-cysteine based an advanced nanocarrier drug for growth inhibition of Salmonella typhimurium.

L-Cysteine coated zinc oxide (ZnO) nano hollow spheres were prepared as a potent drug delivery agent to eradicate Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium). The ZnO nano hollow spheres were synthesized by following the environmentally-friendly trisodium citrate assisted method and L-cysteine (L-Cys) conjugate with its surface. ZnO/L-Cys@CFX nanocarrier drug has been fabricated by incorporating ceftizoxime with L-Cys coated ZnO nano hollow spheres and characterized using different techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) etc. Furthermore, the drug-loading and encapsulation efficiency at different pH levels was measured using UV-vis spectrometer and optimized. A control and gradual manner of pH-sensitive release profile was found after investigating the release profile of CFX from the carrier drug. The antibacterial activity of ZnO/L-Cys@CFX and CFX were evaluated through the agar disc diffusion method and the broth dilution method, which indicate the antibacterial properties of antibiotics enhance after conjugating. Surprisingly, the ZnO/L-Cys@CFX exhibits a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5 µg/ml against S. typhimurium is lower than CFX (20 µg/ml) itself. These results indicate the nanocarrier can reduce the amount of CFX dosed to eradicate S. typhimurium.

Development of an advanced DNA biosensor for pathogenic Vibrio cholerae detection in real sample.

Due to the epidemics of emerging microbial diseases worldwide, the accurate and rapid quantification of pathogenic bacteria is extremely critical. In this work, a highly sensitive DNA-based electrochemical biosensor has been developed to detect Vibrio cholerae using gold nanocube and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with DNA carrier matrix. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) experiments were performed to interrogate the proposed sensor at each stage of preparation. The biosensor has demonstrated high sensitivity with a wide linear response range to target DNA from 10-8 to 10-14 (R2= 0.992) and 10-14 to 10-27 molL-1 (R2= 0.993) with a limit of detection (LOD) value of 7.41 × 10-30 molL-1 (S/N = 5). The biosensor also exhibits a selective detection behavior in bacterial cultures that belong to the same and distant genera. Moreover, the proposed sensor can be used for six consecutive DNA assays with a repeatability relative standard deviations (RSD) value of 5% (n = 5). Besides, the DNA biosensor shows excellent recovery for detecting V. cholerae in poultry feces, indicating that the designed biosensor could become a powerful tool for pathogenic microorganisms screening in clinical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring.

N-Hydroxysuccinimide crosslinked graphene oxide-gold nanoflower modified SPE electrode for sensitive detection of chloramphenicol antibiotic.

Here we introduce a composite material that consists of graphene oxide (GO) sheets crosslinked with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and functionalized with gold nanoflowers (AuNFs). Furthermore, a screen printed electrode (SPE) modified with the introduced composite is electrochemically reduced to obtain an SPE/rGO-NHS-AuNFs electrode for sensitive and selective determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) antibiotic drug. The morphological structure of the as-prepared nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The proposed sensor demonstrated excellent performance with a linear concentration range of 0.05 to 100 µM and a detection limit of 1 nM. The proposed electrode offers a high level of selectivity, stability, reproducibility and a satisfactory recovery rate for electrochemical detection of CAP in real samples such as blood serum, poultry feed, milk, eggs, honey and powdered milk samples. This further demonstrates the practical feasibility of the proposed sensor in food analysis.

A highly sensitive poly-arginine based MIP as an electrochemical sensor for selective detection of dimetridazole.

In this experiment, a highly effective electrochemical sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer has been developed for ultrasensitive detection of dimetridazole. The sensor was made by incorporating of dimetridazole as a template molecule during the electropolymerization of poly-arginine on a glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrode GCE/P-Arg@MIP was characterized by voltammetric and microscopic techniques. Differential pulse voltammetry method was used to detect target analyte under the optimum condition. The DPV response to dimetridazole was linear at 0.1 × 10-9 to 10 × 10-6 mol L-1 (R2 = 0.996), with a method detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.1 × 10-9 mol L-1. Moreover, the proposed sensor shows satisfactory recovery ranges for the determination dimetridazole in commercially available egg, milk and honey samples.

Immunohistochemical study to detect glucagon and insulin hormones in pancreas of camel and buffalo.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Glucagon plays a significant role in glucose homeostasis by controlling hepatic glucose output in terms of both hypoglycemic and normoglycemic conditions. This study aimed to determine the amount and intensity of insulin and glucagon in addition to estimating the relationship between α- and ß-cells for two animals, camel and buffalo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty fresh pancreas samples were collected from 10 buffalo and 10 camel adults immediately after slaughter from AL-Kut abattoir, Al- Kut, Iraq. Hematoxylin and eosin staining technique and the immunohistochemistry technique were used. RESULTS: The histological results, for both animals, showed the cells of the pancreatic islet could be differentiated from the exocrine cells by their paler appearance. The pancreatic islets were round, oval, and irregular shaped. In the camel, the pancreatic islets had a larger diameter than that in the buffalo. The average diameter of ß-cells and their percentage was higher than those of the α-cells in the camel. In the buffalo, glucagon-immunoreactive cells were found in abundance with high intensity, whereas insulin-immunoreactive cells were more prominent with high intensity in the camel. In both animals, the α-cells and glucagon-immunoreactive cells were distributed on the peripheries of the pancreatic islets, whereas the ß-cells were distributed throughout the pancreatic islets. CONCLUSION: The study inferences that these differences may be due to the differences in the environment of the animals which affect the structures of body organs.

Novel determination of spa gene diversity and its molecular typing among Staphylococcus aureus Iraqi isolates obtained from different clinical samples.

Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent agent causing nosocomial infections in Baghdad hospitals. This study aimed to determine S. aureus methicillin resistance, spa gene typing and phylogenic analysis in Iraqi S. aureus isolates. Two hundred samples including clinical (n = 100) and environmental (n = 100) specimens were collected. S. aureus isolates were identified using multiplex PCR amplification of femA and mecA (for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains) genes. The spa gene was also amplified. Sequence alignment and identification of spa types was then obtained. Of 74 studied S. aureus isolates, 61 (82.43%) harboured the mecA gene (p < 0.001). A spa gene variation was detected in 41 (67.2%) of 61 (p 0.0011) MRSA and 6 (46.15%) of 13 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed a great change in amino acid pattern among local isolates compared to National Center for Biotechnology Information control. Some of the MRSA isolates had high-level similarity with t10214. No genetic relationship with the infection sources was observed. None of the environmental isolates had spa gene variations. Most S. aureus isolates were MRSA. The spa gene variations was significantly higher among clinical isolates. spa sequencing showed different tandem repeats in local MRSA isolates compared to global spa types. We conclude that there was no outbreak in hospital settings in the city of Baghdad. However, our data suggest that isolates from the hospital environment are highly clonal.

Development and validation of TaqMan real-time PCR for the detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolates from Malaysia.

Rapid detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei, the etiologic agent of melioidosis, allows for timely initiation of appropriate treatment and better clinical outcomes. In the current gold standard, the culture method is time consuming and suffers from low sensitivity. Meanwhile, previously reported molecular assays are fast and sensitive, but their performance on isolates from Malaysia, an endemic region of melioidosis is under reported. This study designed oligonucleotides targeting orf2 of Type III secretion system (TTSS) genes cluster for the detection of Malaysian B. pseudomallei isolates and evaluated the assay on 95 local B. pseudomallei strains, 58 other microorganisms and 71 clinical specimens from patients. The developed assay exclusively detected all tested B. pseudomallei isolates with a detection limit of 20 fg per reaction (equivalent to ~2.5 copies). Subsequent testing on clinical samples showed that the assay detected all confirmed specimens with the growth of B. pseudomallei (n = 10/10). None of the negative specimens had a detectable signal of our TTSS-orf2 assay (n = 0/61). In conclusion, the present study provides crucial preliminary data for a subsequent study and should be considered as a potential alternative to current time-consuming culture method for the detection of B. pseudomallei.

Emergence of two novel sublineages Ind2001BD1 and Ind2001BD2 of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype O in Bangladesh.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in Bangladesh, and the implementation of a control programme for this disease is at an early stage, according to the FAO- and OIE-proposed Progressive Control Pathway for FMD (PCP-FMD) Roadmap. To develop an effective control programme, understanding of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes, even subtypes within the serotypes is essential. The present investigation aims at viral VP1 coding region sequence-based analysis of FMD samples collected from 34 FMD outbreaks during 2012-2016 in Bangladesh. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O was responsible for 82% of the outbreaks in Bangladesh, showing its dominance over serotype A and Asia1. The VP1 phylogeny revealed the emergence of two novel sublineages of serotype O, named as Ind2001BD1 and Ind2001BD2, within the Ind2001 lineage along with the circulation of Ind2001d sublineage in Bangladesh, which was further supported by the multidimensional scaling with distinct clusters for each sublineage. The novel sublineages had evident genetic variability with other established sublineages within Ind2001 lineage. Ten mutations with three or more amino acid variations were detected within B-C loop, G-H loop and C-terminal region of the VP1 protein of FMDV serotype O viruses isolated exclusively from Bangladesh. Furthermore, two amino acid substitutions at positions 197 and 198 within the VP1 C-terminal region are unique to the novel sublineages. The existence of widespread genetic variations among circulatory FMDV serotype O viruses makes the FMD control programme complex in Bangladesh. Adequate epidemiological data, disease reporting, animal movement control, appropriate vaccination and above all stringent policies of the government are necessary to combat FMD in Bangladesh.

Evaluation of 4-methyl-2-[(2-methylbenzyl) amino]-1,3-thiazole-5-carboxylic acid against hyperglycemia, insulin sensitivity, and oxidative stress-induced inflammatory responses and ß-cell damage in the pancreas of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

4-Methyl-2-[(2-methylbenzyl) amino]-1,3-thiazole-5-carboxylic acid (bioactive compound (BAC)), a novel thiazole derivative, is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor and free radical scavenging agent. Effects of BAC on hyperglycemia, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory mediators were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced neonatal models of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) rats where NIDDM was induced in neonatal pups with single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (100 mg/kg). The effect of BAC (10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o.) for 3 weeks was evaluated by the determination of blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), HbA1c level, insulin level, insulin sensitivity, and insulin resistance (IR). Furthermore, inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6) and oxidative stress were estimated in serum and pancreatic tissue, respectively. Significant alteration in the level of blood glucose, OGTT, HbA1c, insulin level, insulin sensitivity, in addition variation in the antioxidant status and inflammatory mediators, and alteration in histoarchitecture of pancreatic tissue confirmed the potential of BAC in STZ-induced neonatal models of NIDDM rats. Pretreatment with BAC restored the level of glucose by decreasing the IR and increasing the insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, BAC balanced the antioxidant status and preserved the inflammatory mediators. Histological studies of pancreatic tissues showed normal architecture after BAC administration to diabetic rats. Altogether, our results suggest that BAC successfully reduces the blood glucose level and possesses antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory activities. This leads to decreased histological damage in diabetic pancreatic tissues, suggesting the possibility of future diabetes treatments.