Traceability of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) of the Baltic-Nordic region using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS): DFT simulation-based DNA analysis.

Food traceability is a major issue in the industry. We investigated whether bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) from 4 different locations within the Baltic-Nordic region could be effectively differentiated using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based spectral data and chemometric analyses. Furthermore, we aimed to determine if nucleobase (adenine and cytosine) methylation could be responsible for any observed variation. Our experiment was successful in that both principal component (PCA) and discriminant function analyses (DFA) showed differentiation between bilberry DNA from all 4 geographical regions. Density functional theory (DFT) based simulations allowed us to analyze whether DNA's spectral data dissimilarities may be due to nucleobase methylation. Although results were inconclusive on this, our investigation provides valuable data on simulated versus experimental DNA and DNA component spectra. Further research will be directed towards understanding what other epigenetic changes could be responsible for the observed DNA variation as well as determining the optimal parameters for using DFT simulations in upcoming projects.

Influence of TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles on α-Synuclein and ß-Amyloid Aggregation and Formation of Protein Fibrils.

The most common neurological disorders, i.e., Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), are characterized by degeneration of cognitive functions due to the loss of neurons in the central nervous system. The aggregation of amyloid proteins is an important pathological feature of neurological disorders.The aggregation process involves a series of complex structural transitions from monomeric to the formation of fibrils. Despite its potential importance in understanding the pathobiology of PD and AD diseases, the details of the aggregation process are still unclear. Nanoparticles (NPs) absorbed by the human circulatory system can interact with amyloid proteins in the human brain and cause PD. In this work, we report the study of the interaction between TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the aggregation kinetics of ß-amyloid fragment 1-40 (ßA) and α-synuclein protein using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). The characterizations of ZnO-NPs and TiO2-NPs were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The interaction of nanoparticles with amyloid proteins was investigated by SERS. Our study showed that exposure of amyloid protein molecules to TiO2-NPs and ZnO-NPs after incubation at 37 °C caused morphological changes and stimulated aggregation and fibrillation. In addition, significant differences in the intensity and location of active Raman frequencies in the amide I domain were found. The principal component analysis (PCA) results show that the effect of NPs after incubation at 4 °C does not cause changes in ßA structure.

Assessment of TiO2 Nanoparticle Impact on Surface Morphology of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells.

The process of nanoparticles entering the cells of living organisms is an important step in understanding the influence of nanoparticles on biological processes. The interaction of nanoparticles with the cell membrane is the first step in the penetration of nanoparticles into cells; however, the penetration mechanism is not yet fully understood. This work reported the study of the interaction between TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using an in vitro model. The characterization of crystalline phases of TiO2 NPs was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Interaction of these TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2- NPs) with the CHO cell membrane was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD analysis result showed that the structure of the TiO2 particles was in the rutile phase with a crystallite size of 60 nm, while the AFM result showed that the particle size distribution had two peaks with 12.1 nm and 60.5 nm. The TEM analysis confirmed the rutile phase of TiO2 powder. Our study showed that exposure of CHO cells to TiO2-NPs caused morphological changes in the cell membranes and influenced the viability of cells. The TiO2-NPs impacted the cell membrane surface; images obtained by AFM revealed an 'ultra structure' with increased roughness and pits on the surface of the membrane. The depth of the pits varied in the range of 40-80 nm. The maximal depth of the pits after the treatment with TiO2-NPs was 100% higher than the control values. It is assumed that these pits were caveolae participating in the endocytosis of TiO2-NPs. The research results suggest that the higher maximal depth of the pits after the exposure of TiO2-NPs was determined by the interaction of these TiO2-NPs with the cell's plasma membrane. Moreover, some of pits may have been due to plasma membrane damage (hole) caused by the interaction of TiO2-NPs with membrane constituents. The analysis of AFM images demonstrated that the membrane roughness was increased with exposure time of the cells to TiO2-NPs dose. The average roughness after the treatment for 60 min with TiO2-NPs increased from 40 nm to 78 nm. The investigation of the membrane by Raman spectroscopy enabled us to conclude that TiO2-NPs interacted with cell proteins, modified their conformation, and potentially influenced the structural damage of the plasma membrane.

Endophytes from blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) fruit: Characterization of yeast and bacteria via label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) are consumed all around the globe, however, their endophytic community has not been thoroughly researched, specifically their fruit endophytes. We aimed to isolate and analyze easily cultivable blueberry fruit endophytes to help in future research, concerning probiotic microorganisms. Twelve strains were isolated in this pilot study, genetically homologous with Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus cohnii, Salmonella enterica, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and [Candida] santamariae. To determine the molecular composition of these isolates we used label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). To our knowledge, this is the first time that SERS spectra for L. mesenteroides and C. santamariae are presented, as well as the first report of Candida yeast, isolated specifically from blueberry fruits. Our findings suggest that the differences in tested yeast and bacteria SERS spectra and subsequent differentiation are facilitated by minor shifts in spectral peak positions as well as their intensities. Moreover, we used principal component and discriminant function analyses to differentiate chemotypes within our isolate group, proving the sensitivity of the technique and its usefulness to recognize different strains in plant-associated microbe samples, which will aid to streamline future studies in biofertilizers and biocontrol agents.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors for biomedical and molecular detection applications in space.

The detection of molecular traces in the environment is a technical problem that is critical in pollutant control procedures at all stages of spacecraft assembly, in space flight, as well as in other technological processes such as food production, medical diagnostics, environmental control, warfare. However, in the aerospace industry, it is necessary to detect molecular traces of contaminants with extreme sensitivity, as even concentrations as low as part-per-billion (ppb) can be critical during long missions. The high sensitivity of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) detection within the air can be a challenge because of the poor affinity of VOC's to the metal surface of the sensor substrate. In this work, we present a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy technique as a highly sensitive and selective molecular sensor for gas trace detection not sensitive to molecules adsorbtion on sensing element. The developed hybrid SERS platform for molecular trace detection is supported by the hybrid nanoplasmonic porous silicon membrane in conjunction with micropump to achieve the trace level detection of VOCs in the environment. The combination of silicon membrane, made by electrochemical etching of the microchannels in the silicon chip, with chemical deposition of the silver nanoparticles inside the channels, produce a porous Ag nanoparticles membrane with a high density of plasmonic nanostructures ("hot spots"). The micropump integrated with the SERS sensor, pump the air with VOC's molecules through the plasmonic membrane "hot spots" to increase the probability of interaction of VOC's molecules with SERS substrate and to increase the enhancement factor. The sensor chip structure was designed, gas flow in the sensor was simulated, and the sensor was fabricated using 3D printing. The limit of detection of hydrazine with concentration level 10-12 M from solution and the vapor phase 0.1 ppm was demonstrated. The anisole vapors with concentration 0.5 ppb spectra in the air were recorded. Our results demonstrate that plasmonic membrane can be used as a high enhancement factor SERS sensor for many pollutants molecules detection with the nanomolar sensitivity and can be applied in the design of sensors for space applications, environment control, biomedical diagnostic. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12567-021-00356-6.

Differentiation of Closely Related Oak-Associated Gram-Negative Bacteria by Label-Free Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).

Due to the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the need for an eco-friendly solution to improve soil fertility has become a necessity, thus microbial biofertilizer research is on the rise. Plant endophytic bacteria inhabiting internal tissues represent a novel niche for research into new biofertilizer strains. However, the number of species and strains that need to be differentiated and identified to facilitate faster screening in future plant-bacteria interaction studies, is enormous. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) may provide a platform for bacterial discrimination and identification, which, compared with the traditional methods, is relatively rapid, uncomplicated and ensures high specificity. In this study, we attempted to differentiate 18 bacterial isolates from two oaks via morphological, physiological, biochemical tests and SERS spectra analysis. Previous 16S rRNA gene fragment sequencing showed that three isolates belong to Paenibacillus, 3-to Pantoea and 12-to Pseudomonas genera. Additional tests were not able to further sort these bacteria into strain-specific groups. However, the obtained label-free SERS bacterial spectra along with the high-accuracy principal component (PCA) and discriminant function analyses (DFA) demonstrated the possibility to differentiate these bacteria into variant strains. Furthermore, we collected information about the biochemical characteristics of selected isolates. The results of this study suggest a promising application of SERS in combination with PCA/DFA as a rapid, non-expensive and sensitive method for the detection and identification of plant-associated bacteria.

Impact of graphene oxide functionalized with doxorubicin on viability of mouse hepatoma MH-22A cells.

The evaluation of the cyto- and bio-compatibility is a critical step in the development of graphene oxide (GO) as a new promising material for in vivo biomedical applications. In this study, we report the impact of GO, with and without the addition of bovine serum albumin and anticancer drug- doxorubicin (DOX) on cancer (mouse hepatoma MH-22A) cells viability and the estimation of the intracellular distribution of GO inside the cells in vitro. The viability tests were performed using a colony formation assay. The intracellular distribution of GO was estimated using Raman spectroscopy and imaging. It was found that the functionalized GO with doxorubicin strengthens Doxorubicin, as anticancer drug effect. Therefore, it was revealed that a statistically significant result - the viability of MH-22A cells was approx. 20% lower than using DOX separately (from 57% to 79%, respectively). The results of viability tests correlate with results of atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy and imaging findings.

SERS based monitoring of toluene vapors at ambient and elevated temperatures by using a ruffled silver nanolayer as a substrate.

The authors describe a Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based method for the detection of gaseous toluene at different temperature regimes using 3D ruffled silver SERS substrates and a commercially available handheld Raman system equipped with a 785 nm laser. The 3D silver SERS substrates were synthesized via electroless deposition of silver on the ruffled sandpaper and HF-etched silicon wafers. The morphological characterization of the silver SERS substrates was carried out by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. UV-Vis spectroscopy absorption spectra of the silver nanostructures showed plasmonic peaks at 522 nm and 731 nm. Toluene vapors were collected with a syringe at ambient temperature and at 100 °C, while SERS detection was always performed at room temperature. Toluene detection was based on the measurement of the Raman bands at 787 cm-1 and 1003 cm-1 (in the fingerprint region). The method allow gaseous toluene to be detected at its vapor concentrations of 522 ppm (mg/L), 261 ppm (mg/L) and 26 ppm (mg/L). Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of an original method for the detection of toluene vapors by SERS technique. The collection of toluene vapors was carried out at room and at high temperatures. The vapors were transferred to methanol by bubbling. The SERS measurements were carried out at room temperature.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of self-assembled layers of lipid molecules on nanostructured Au and Ag substrates.

In this work surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been used for the investigation of the self-assembled layers of lipid molecules (SALLMs) deposited on the nanostructured Au and Ag surfaces. The SALLMs were prepared from one part of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine (DOPS) and four parts of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) lipids. The synthesis of Au and Ag SERS substrates was based on the direct gold and silver ions reduction onto HF etched silicon wafers. Au SERS substrates were not suitable for the formation of SALLMs because of the inappropriate contact angle of surface. It was found that the formation of the SALLM does not take place on Au SERS substrate. However, it has been shown that the modification of Au SERS substrate with 1-dodecanothiol layer allows building the SALLM on its surface. In the case of Ag SERS substrate, the SALLM was deposited directly on its surface. The SERS spectra of the SALLMs were recorded in the CH stretching (2800-3000cm-1) and the fingerprint (<1.800cm-1) regions. It has been demonstrated that the SERS spectra of the SALLM recorded on Au substrate differs from that one recorded on Ag SERS substrate. These spectral differences were found to be determined by the different interaction mechanisms of the lipid molecules with nanostructured surfaces.

Localized Plasmon-Stimulated Nanochemistry of Graphene Oxide on a SERS Substrate.

In recent years, there has been remarkable progress in the reduction and functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) using nanoparticles and high-energy optical photons. Most of these reactions are carried out in solutions, whereas the local modification of GO on solid substrates still remains a challenge. In this work, we demonstrate the local reduction of GO and its further destruction, leading to the synthesis of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) stimulated by localized surface plasmons (LSPs). The reduction of GO and the synthesis of PAHs have been carried out on a substrate designed for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). We found that LSPs initiate the destruction of water molecules entrapped in the nanogaps between silver nanoparticles after the deposition of GO from the aqueous suspension. It was demonstrated that OH radicals, as a result of water decomposition, initiate the reduction of GO, leading to the synthesis of PAHs. The reactions have been observed in real time by using SERS. The measurement of current-voltage (I-V) characteristics through conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM), recorded in an LSP-stimulated area, have shown the increased electrical conductivity (more than ten times) compared with the conductivity of GO. The synthesis of new compounds in the LSP-stimulated area has been confirmed by the appearance of new peaks in the Raman spectra and nonlinear I-V characteristics typical for PAHs. We show that the used method allows the local modification of electrical properties of GO and controlled nanopattering of organic compounds on the surface.

Zinc oxide nanoparticle and bovine serum albumin interaction and nanoparticles influence on cytotoxicity in vitro.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are chosen as a model system to investigate NPs-protein corona complex formation. ZnO NPs with average size of ∼ 20 nm are coated with BSA using covalent and non-covalent conjugation at temperatures of 4 °C and 20 °C. The interaction mechanism between ZnO NPs and BSA is studied by using UV-vis absorption, fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra of BSA in the presence of ZnO NPs are registered for the first time and confirm decreased α-helix content, increased unstructured folding and ß-sheet content in BSA structure. The synchronous fluorescence spectra revealed that the hydrophobicity of the tyrosine residue is decreased and that of the tryptophan is increased. The relation of elucidated changes in BSA structure of BSA-coated ZnO NPs cytotoxicity is tested for CHO cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in vitro. Covalent and non-covalent binding of BSA to ZnO NPs reduces ZnO NPs cytotoxicity and ROS generation, however changes in BSA conformation makes corona less protective against ZnO NPs.

Impact of graphene oxide on viability of Chinese hamster ovary and mouse hepatoma MH-22A cells.

The evaluation of the cyto- and bio-compatibility is a critical step in the development of graphene oxide (GO) as a new promising material for in vivo biomedical applications. In this study, we report the impact of GO, with and without the addition of bovine serum albumin, on healthy (Chinese hamster ovary) and a cancer (mouse hepatoma MH-22A) cells viability and the estimation of the intracellular distribution of GO inside the cells in vitro. The viability tests were performed using a colony formation assay. The intracellular distribution of GO was estimated using Raman spectroscopy and imaging. The viability of both cell lines decreased with increasing concentration of graphene oxide (12.5-50.0 µg/ml): in the case of Chinese hamster ovary cells viability decreased from 44% to 11%, in the case of mouse hepatoma MH-22A cells--from 22% to 3%. These cell lines significantly differed in their response to GO and GO-BSA formulations. The results of viability tests correlate with results of atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy and imaging findings. The GO influence on cell morphology changes, cell structure, cells colony growth dynamics and GO accumulation inside the cells was higher in the case of mouse hepatoma MH-22A cells.

The synthesis of controlled shape nanoplasmonic silver-silica structures by combining sol-gel technique and direct silver reduction.

In this work, we have obtained nanoplasmonic silver structures deposited on the glass substrates by combining sol-gel technology and direct silver ion reduction on the film surfaces. The key point of the work was the usage of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) both as the pore former and reducing agent for silver ions. We have investigated the influence of PEG 400 amount on the formation of silver nanoparticles on the film surface. It was found that control of PEG 400 amount in the sols allows the creation of porous films with specific organized silver nanoparticles or clusters on the surface. Optical, morphological and structural characteristics of the structures were measured and studied. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for nanostructure size and shape characterization. We were able to form a 40- to 200-nm-diameter ring-type, spherical and self-assembled nanoparticles on the film surface. The results of UV-vis absorbance spectra have shown the high quality of plasmonic structures with plasmon resonance wavelength in the region between 470 and 480 nm. The synthesized silica films decorated with silver nanoparticles were tested as substrates for the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and showed an enhancement relative to micro-Raman of more than 200 times.

Transcriptional profiling identifies physicochemical properties of nanomaterials that are determinants of the in vivo pulmonary response.

We applied transcriptional profiling to elucidate the mechanisms associated with pulmonary responses to titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) of different sizes and surface coatings, and to determine if these responses are modified by NP size, surface area, surface modification, and embedding in paint matrices. Adult C57BL/6 mice were exposed via single intratracheal instillations to free forms of TiO2 NPs (10, 20.6, or 38 nm in diameter) with different surface coatings, or TiO2 NPs embedded in paint matrices. Controls were exposed to dispersion medium devoid of NPs. TiO2 NPs were characterized for size, surface area, chemical impurities, and agglomeration state in the exposure medium. Pulmonary transcriptional profiles were generated using microarrays from tissues collected one and 28 d postexposure. Property-specific pathway effects were identified. Pulmonary protein levels of specific inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were confirmed by ELISA. The data were collapsed to 659 differentially expressed genes (P ≤ 0.05; fold change ≥ 1.5). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of these genes revealed that TiO2 NPs clustered mainly by postexposure timepoint followed by particle type. A pathway-based meta-analysis showed that the combination of smaller size, large deposited surface area, and surface amidation contributes to TiO2 NP gene expression response. Embedding of TiO2 NP in paint dampens the overall transcriptional effects. The magnitude of the expression changes associated with pulmonary inflammation differed across all particles; however, the underlying pathway perturbations leading to inflammation were similar, suggesting a generalized mechanism-of-action for all TiO2 NPs. Thus, transcriptional profiling is an effective tool to determine the property-specific biological/toxicity responses induced by nanomaterials.

Evanescent-field-induced Raman scattering for bio-friendly fingerprinting at sub-cellular dimension.

Evanescent field induced chemical imaging concept has been realized in analytical platform based on the µ-tip-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (µ-TERS). The technique aimed to minimize thermal decomposition of dried biological sample as the result of huge concentration of optical field near the tip by increasing the size of an aperture-less "excitation source". µ-TERS technique is similar to classical biosensor systems based on propagating surface plasmon resonance phenomenon but with sensitive elements a few micrometers in size that can be targeted to the area of interest. The utility of the concept is exemplified by the analysis of dried single cell envelope of genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells, which do not have any heat-removing pathways, by water as in the case of the living cell. Practical excitation conditions effective for µ-TERS Raman observation of single layer dried biological samples without photodamage-related spectral distortion have been determined - the allowable limit is above 30s at 13 µW/µm(2). Finally, potential of µ-TERS spectroscopy as new bio-friendly instrumental platform for chemical fingerprinting and analytical characterization of buried nanoscale features is discussed.

In vivo characterization of protein uptake by yeast cell envelope: single cell AFM imaging and µ-tip-enhanced Raman scattering study.

Direct detection of biological transformations of single living cells in vivo has been performed by the advanced combination of local topographic imaging by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and label-free sub-surface chemical characterization using new µ-Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (µ-TERS). The enhancing mechanism for µ-TERS tips with micrometre range radius differs significantly to that of the conventional tapered structures terminated by a sharp apex and conditioned by the effects of propagating instead of localizing surface plasmon resonance phenomena. Sub-wavelength light confinement in the form of a nonradiative evanescent wave near the tip surface with penetration depth in the sub-micrometre range opens the way for monitoring of subsurface processes near or within the cell wall, inaccessible by other methods. The efficiency of the approach has been demonstrated by the analysis of the cell envelope of genetically modified (by glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) gene bearing Kluyveromyces lactis toxin signal sequence) yeast cells enriched by GDH protein. The presence of trans-membrane fragments in GDH together with the tendency to form active dimers and tetramers causes the accumulation of the proteins within the periplasmic space. These results demonstrate that the advanced combination of AFM imaging and subsurface chemical characterization by the novel µ-TERS technique provides a new analytical tool for the investigation of single living cells in vivo.

Graphene-enhanced Raman imaging of TiO2 nanoparticles.

The interaction of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) nanoparticles with chemical vapour deposited graphene sheets transferred on glass substrates is investigated by using atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and imaging. Significant electronic interactions between the nanoparticles of TiO(2) and graphene were found. The changes in the graphene Raman peak positions and intensity ratios indicate that charge transfer between graphene and TiO(2) nanoparticles occurred, increasing the Raman signal of the TiO(2) nanoparticles up to five times. The normalized Raman intensity of TiO(2) nanoparticles per their volume increased with the disorder of the graphene structure. The complementary reason for the observed enhancement is that due to the higher density of states in the defect sites of graphene, a higher electron transfer occurs from the graphene to the anatase TiO(2) nanoparticles.

Generation of diversiform gold nanostructures inspired by honey's components: growth mechanism, characterization, and shape separation by the centrifugation-assisted sedimentation.

The green synthesis of irregular-shaped nanomaterials used for various applications in nanoplasmonics, medicine, and biotechnology creates an economical and environmental challenge. We describe the rapid wet-chemical approach to synthesis of stable and water-soluble gold nanostructues at room temperature. In addition to spherical and road-like nanoparticles, gold decahedra and triangular plates were grown using the one-step synthesis process of HAuCl(4) in the presence of honey, in which main components act as reducing (glucose) and stabilizing (fructose) agents; the mechanism of the process is discussed in details. The requirements for anisotropic phase boundaries for generation of polyhedral gold nanocrystals in solutions are highlighted. The synthesis, morphology, and separation procedure of gold nanoparticles are examined using the techniques of optical spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. We demonstrate that centrifugation can be used for efficient separation of nanoparticles with different shapes from a mixture. It was found that while centrifuging, the spheres sediment at the bottom of the tube, segregating from rods that form a deposit on the side wall, whereas polygons remain in the solution.

Shear response of nanoconfined water on muscovite mica: role of cations.

By monitoring the thermal noise of a vertically oriented micromechanical force sensor, we detect the viscoelastic response to shear for water in a subnanometer confinement. Measurements in pure water as well as under acidic and high-ionic-strength conditions relate this response to the effect of surface-adsorbed cations, which, because of their hydration, act as pinning centers restricting the mobility of the confined water molecules.

Increase of the roughness of the stainless-steel anode surface due to the exposure to high-voltage electric pulses as revealed by atomic force microscopy.

The changes of the stainless-steel electrode surface morphology occurring due to dissolution of the anode under the action of electric pulses which are commonly utilized in cell electromanipulation procedures, have been studied by using atomic force microscopy. The surface of the polished electrode was rather smooth--the average roughness was 13-17 nm and the total roughness 140-180 nm. After the treatment of the chamber filled with 154 mM NaCl solution to a series of short (about 20 mus), high-voltage (4 kV) pulses, the roughness of the surface of the anode has increased, depending on the total amount of the electric charge that has passed through the unit area of the electrode, and exceeded 400 nm for the dissolution charge of 0.24 A s/cm(2). No changes of the cathode surface were detected. Well-defined peaks with the width of 1-2 mum and the height of over 400 nm have appeared. These peaks create local enhancements of the electric field at the interface between the solution and the electrode surface which can lead to the non-homogeneity treatment of cells by electric pulses and can facilitate the occurrence of the electrical breakdown of the liquid samples.