Polylevodopa nanoplatform for lateral flow immunochromatography assay of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus.

At the end of 2019, an unprecedented outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia ravaged the global landscape, inflicting profound harm upon society. Following numerous cycles of transmission, we find ourselves in an epoch where the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coexists alongside influenza viruses (Flu A). Swift and accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A is imperative to stem the spread of these maladies and administer appropriate treatment. Presently, colloidal gold-based lateral flow immunoassays (Au-LFIAs) constructed through electrostatic adsorption are beset by challenges such as diminished sensitivity and feeble binding stability. In this context, we propose the adoption of black polylevodopa nanoparticles (PLDA NPs) featuring abundant carboxyl groups as labeling nanomaterials in LFIA to bolster the stability and sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 antigens and influenza A virus identifications. The engineered PLDA-LFIAs exhibit the capacity to detect SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A within 30 min, boasting a detection threshold of 5 pg/ml for the SARS-CoV-2 antigen and 0.1 ng/ml for the Flu A H1N1 antigen, thereby underscoring their heightened sensitivity relative to Au-LFIAs. These PLDA-LFIAs hold promise for the early detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A, underscoring the potential of PLDA NPs as a discerning labeling probe to heighten the sensitivity of LFIA across diverse applications.

Morphology-dependent MnO2/nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposites for simultaneous detection of trace dopamine and uric acid.

Four nanostructured MnO2 with various controllable morphologies, including nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes and nanoflowers were synthesized, and then further composited with nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) with the assistance of ultrasonication. The surface morphologies, phase structures, and electrochemical performances of the proposed MnO2/NG nanohybrids were investigated by various techniques, and their catalytic activities on the electrooxidation of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) were compared systematically. The sensing performances were found to be highly correlated with their morphologies. Among these morphologies, the nanoflower-like MnO2, composited with NG, displayed the most sensitive response signals for DA and UA. The boosted electrocatalytic activity was ascribed to the unique porous structure, large electroactive area, and low charge transfer resistance (Rct), which facilitated the electron transfer between electrode and analytes. Two linear response ranges (0.1 µM-10 µM and 10 µM-100 µM) were accompanied with very low detection limits of 34 nM and 39 nM for DA and UA, respectively. Moreover, the successful application of the MnO2NFs/NG composites for the simultaneous detection of DA and UA in human serum was realized using second-derivative linear sweep voltammetry (SDLSV). These findings give valuable insights for understanding the morphology-dependent sensing properties of MnO2 based nanomaterials, which is conducive to the rapid development of ubiquitous MnO2-based electrochemical sensors.

Morphology-Dependent Electrochemical Sensing Properties of Iron Oxide-Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids for Dopamine and Uric Acid.

Various morphologies of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs), including cubic, thorhombic and discal shapes were synthesized by a facile meta-ion mediated hydrothermal route. To further improve the electrochemical sensing properties, discal Fe2O3 NPs with the highest electrocatalytic activity were coupled with graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The surface morphology, microstructures and electrochemical properties of the obtained Fe2O3 NPs and Fe2O3/GO nanohybrids were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. As expected, the electrochemical performances were found to be highly related to morphology. The discal Fe2O3 NPs coupled with GO showed remarkable electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA), due to their excellent synergistic effect. The electrochemical responses of both DA and UA were linear to their concentrations in the ranges of 0.02-10 µM and 10-100 µM, with very low limits of detection (LOD) of 3.2 nM and 2.5 nM for DA and UA, respectively. Moreover, the d-Fe2O3/GO nanohybrids showed good selectivity and reproducibility. The proposed d-Fe2O3/GO/GCE realized the simultaneous detection of DA and UA in human serum and urine samples with satisfactory recoveries.

Facile Synthesis of MnO2 Nanoflowers/N-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite and Its Application for Simultaneous Determination of Dopamine and Uric Acid.

This study reports facile synthesis of MnO2 nanoflowers/N-doped reduced graphene oxide (MnO2NFs/NrGO) composite and its application on the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA). The microstructures, morphologies, and electrochemical performances of MnO2NFs/NrGO were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), respectively. The electrochemical experiments showed that the MnO2NFs/NrGO composites have the largest effective electroactive area and lowest charge transfer resistance. MnO2NFs/NrGO nanocomposites displayed superior catalytic capacity toward the electro-oxidation of DA and UA due to the synergistic effect from MnO2NFs and NrGO. The anodic peak currents of DA and UA increase linearly with their concentrations varying from 0.2 µM to 6.0 µM. However, the anodic peak currents of DA and UA are highly correlated to the Napierian logarithm of their concentrations ranging from 6.0 µM to 100 µM. The detection limits are 0.036 µM and 0.029 µM for DA and UA, respectively. Furthermore, the DA and UA levels of human serum samples were accurately detected by the proposed sensor. Combining with prominent advantages such as facile preparation, good sensitivity, and high selectivity, the proposed MnO2NFs/NrGO nanocomposites have become the most promising candidates for the simultaneous determination of DA and UA from various actual samples.