Chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes as chiral selectors in multimode enantioselective sensors.

Single-walled carbon nanotube-(7,6) chirality was used for the design of multimode enantioselective sensors using different carbon matrices such as graphene paste, graphite paste, and carbon nanopowder-based paste. l- and d-malic acids were used as model analytes. The responses of the multimode sensors were evaluated for potentiometric and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) modes. When carbon nanopowder was used as matrix, the multimode sensor was enantioselective for d-malic acid in the concentration range 10-3 to 10-15 mol/L for the potentiometric mode and 10-5 to 10-8 mol/L for the DPV mode. The graphite paste-based sensor was enantioselective for l-malic acid in the ranges: 10-10 to 10-13 for the potentiometric mode and 10-4 to 10-7 mol/L for the DPV mode. The sensors based on graphene and chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes were enantioselective for d-malic acid, and a response was obtained only in the DPV mode. Accordingly, the matrix influenced both the enantioselectivity and the sensitivity of the measurements. The application of the sensors was for the enantioanalysis of malic acid in wines and apple juice samples. The proposed method is fast and reliable and allows the quantification of l- and d-malic acids using electrochemical methods based on different principles, from the real samples after a buffering of the samples. The enantioanalysis of malic acid in wine and juice samples was performed with high recoveries (higher than 90.00%) and low relative standard deviation (RSD) (%) values (lower than 1.00%).

Phthalocyanine-BODIPY dye: synthesis, characterization, and utilization for pattern recognition of CYFRA 21-1 in whole blood samples.

Phthalocyanine-BODIPY dye (BODIPY = boron dipyrromethene) was synthesized, fully characterized, and used for molecular recognition of CYFRA 21-1, a lung cancer biomarker, from whole blood samples. Thin films of three magnesium oxides ((MgO) n , where n = 8, 9, or 10)) were deposited on a paper substrate, and they were immersed in a solution of phthalocyanine-BODIPY dye (1.17 × 10-3 mol/L) for the design of stochastic sensors. Limits of determination of picograms per milliliter magnitude order were recorded for the proposed stochastic sensors. CYFRA 21-1 was reliably identified and determined with recoveries higher than 95% and RSD lower than 1% in whole blood samples.

Pattern recognition of neuron specific enolase and carcinoembryonic antigen in whole blood samples.

New tools and methods for pattern recognition of neuron specific enolase (NSE) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were proposed for the screening of whole blood samples. The new tools were based on stochastic sensors designed using nanoporous gold microspheres, graphite, graphene, diamond paste as well as α-CDs, and 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphyrin. The best sensor for the assay of CEA was the one based on P/graphite (the limit of determination was 16 fg/ml and sensitivity was 2.32 × 10(7) s mg(-1) ml), while for the assay of NSE the, best sensor was the one based on P/graphene (the limit of determination was 7.45 pg/ml and sensitivity was 2.49 × 10(8) s mg(-1) ml). The sensor of choice for simultaneous detection of NSE and CEA is the one based on P/graphene because we need high sensitivity and low limit of determination for NSE. To our knowledge, this is the only one screening test for early detection of lung cancer, by identification of NSE and CEA in whole blood samples.

Fast Screening of Whole Blood Samples and Pharmaceutical Compounds for Enantiorecognition of Free L-T3 , L-T4 , and D-T4.

A fast screening method of whole blood was proposed for enantiorecognition of free L-T3 , L-T4 , and D-T4 . Stochastic microsensors based on four inulins (IN, IQ, TEX, and HD) immobilized on diamond paste (DP) were used for recognition of free L-T3 , L-T4 , and D-T4 . For the enantiorecognition of free L-T4 and D-T4 in whole blood and pharmaceutical samples, the best microsensor was the one based on TEX/DP (wide linear concentration ranges, and low limits of quantification). The best limit of detection for the assay of free L-T3 (400 fmol/L) was recorded using the microsensors based on HD/DP, while for the assay of free L-T4, and D-T4 the best limit of determination (1 pmol/L) was recorded using the TX/DP-based microsensor. For the enantiorecognition of free L-T3 in whole blood and pharmaceutical samples the best microsensor was the one based on HD/DP (the wider linear concentration range, and the lower limit of quantification - of pmol/L magnitude order). For the enantiorecognition of free L-T3 in whole blood and pharmaceutical samples the best microsensor was the one based on HD/DP (the wider linear concentration range, and the lower limit of quantification - of pmol/L magnitude order). Free L-T3 , L-T4 , and D-T4 were recovered with high reliabilities in whole blood samples (recoveries higher than 99.00%, with RSD values lower than 1.00%) and pharmaceutical samples (recoveries higher than 95.00% with RSD values lower than 1.00%).

Simultaneous determination of anthracene and phenanthrene using a poly-alizarin red S/carbon paste electrode.

A polymer-based carbon paste electrode was constructed by electropolymerized Alizarin Red S (ARS) film on the carbon paste electrode (CPE) surface. The electrochemical properties of poly-ARS/CPE were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized for electrode characterization. The electropolymerization cycles for the construction of the sensor and the supporting electrolyte were optimized. With 0.1 M LiClO4 as a supporting electrolyte, poly-ARS/CPE was able to generate oxidation peaks for anthracene (ANT) and phenanthrene (PHE), that were clearly defined and easily distinguished from one to another when operating in square wave voltammetry (SWV). In the simultaneous detection the linear ranges of ANT and PHE were within 80-1000 µM, with detection limits of 24 µM. The variation of peak parameters with scan rate was investigated to determine the nature of electrooxidation and the number of electrons involved in the electrode process. Poly-ARS/CPE was successfully utilized for the detection of ANT and PHE in different water samples and the obtained results suggested the selectivity, stability and reproducibility of the modified electrode.

On the Identification of Rayon/Viscose as a Major Fraction of Microplastics in the Marine Environment: Discrimination between Natural and Manmade Cellulosic Fibers Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

This work was sparked by the reported identification of man-made cellulosic fibers (rayon/viscose) in the marine environment as a major fraction of plastic litter by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) transmission spectroscopy and library search. To assess the plausibility of such findings, both natural and man-made fibers were examined using FT-IR spectroscopy. Spectra acquired by transmission microscopy, attenuated total reflection (ATR) microscopy, and ATR spectroscopy were compared. Library search was employed and results show significant differences in the identification rate depending on the acquisition method of the spectra. Careful selection of search parameters and the choice of spectra acquisition method were found to be essential for optimization of the library search results. When using transmission spectra of fibers and ATR libraries it was not possible to differentiate between man-made and natural fibers. Successful differentiation of natural and man-made cellulosic fibers has been achieved for FT-IR spectra acquired by ATR microscopy and ATR spectroscopy, and application of ATR libraries. As an alternative, chemometric methods such as unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and partial least squares-discriminant analysis were employed to facilitate identification based on intrinsic relationships of sample spectra and successful discrimination of the fiber type could be achieved. Differences in the ATR spectra depending on the internal reflection element (Ge versus diamond) were observed as expected; however, these did not impair correct classification by chemometric analysis. Moreover, the effects of different levels of humidity on the IR spectra of natural and man-made fibers were investigated, too. It has been found that drying and re-humidification leads to intensity changes of absorption bands of the carbohydrate backbone, but does not impair the identification of the fiber type by library search or cluster analysis.

Nanostructured materials detect epidermal growth factor receptor, neuron specific enolase and carcinoembryonic antigen.

New nanostructured materials based on thin films of Cu and Ni deposited on textile material (veil), as well as gold nanostructured microspheres were used for the design of new stochastic sensors. The stochastic sensors were able to detect simultaneously a panel of biomarkers comprising epidermal growth factor receptor, neuron specific enolase, and carcinoembryonic antigen from whole blood samples with high reliabilities - recovery tests higher than 97.00%, with a RSD (%) lower than 0.1%. The stochastic sensors had shown high sensitivities and low determination levels for the detection of the proposed panel of biomarkers making early detection of lung cancer possible by fast screening of whole blood.