Electrochemical Behavior of MCF‐7 Cells on Carbon Nanotube Modified Electrode and Application in Evaluating the Effect of 5‐Fluorouracil

The electrochemical behavior of human breast cancer cells (MCF‐7) suspension on multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) modified graphite electrode was studied by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA). Compared with bare graphite electrode, the MWCNTs‐modified electrode showed electrocatalytic property to the oxidation of electroactive species in the cell suspension. One oxidative peak at about +0.74 V was observed in the cyclic voltammogram. PSA was proved to be more sensitive than CV for investigation of the electrochemical behavior of cells. And it was found that ultrasonication treatment of the cell suspension can significantly enhance the PSA signal. Factors influencing the PSA signal of cells, including deposition time, deposition potential and stripping current, were investigated in detail and the optimum conditions were obtained. The baseline corrected PSA signal was found to be related to the viability of cells and the technique was used for monitoring the growth of MCF‐7 cells. The effect of anticancer drug 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) on the growth of MCF‐7 cells was also investigated by PSA.     

Optimization of the biological component of a bioelectrochemical cell

The efficiency of electron transduction by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was investigated both in batch culture and in a dual-chambered electrochemical cell. Aerobically grown bacteria were inoculated into an insoluble FeOOH suspension in an anaerobic environment. As the bacteria reduced Fe(III) to Fe(II) there was a visible color change from red to bluish black; this simple color change assay proved to be a robust method for determining the electrochemical activity of S. oneidensis MR-1. In an effort to improve electricity production by S. oneidensis MR-1, the performance of the electrochemical cell with lactate as a fuel was first optimized with respect to both poised potential and fuel concentration. Ultimately, electricity production proved to be proportional to both the poised potential and to fuel concentration. In particular, higher poised potentials increased charge production. Finally, we attempted to optimize the bacteria themselves for the efficient transduction of reduced carbon sources into electricity. The batch culture underwent a series of serial dilutions; after the 4th dilution the microbe population exhibited a 30% increase in charge production. We are further exploring whether this increase was due to metabolic adaptations or to genetic mutations, and examining additional ways to evolve electrogenic organisms.     

Voltammetric determination of theophylline in pharmaceutical formulations using aligned carbon nanotubes (ACNTs) film modified electrode

A novel rapid, convenient and sensitive electrochemical method has been described for the determination of theophylline in pharmaceutical formulations, based on the extraordinary properties of an aligned carbon nanotubes (ACNTs) thin film. The voltammetric results suggest that the ACNTs-coated glass carbon electrode can exhibit excellent electrochemical activity for direct electrochemical oxidation of theophylline. Various experimental parameters such as solution pH value, amount of ACNTs suspension, accumulation conditions and scan rate were optimized for the determination of theophylline. Furthermore, it was found that the peak current increased linearly with the concentration of theophylline in the range of 8.0 × 10^?8?1.0 × 10^?5 M and the detection limit was 1.6 × 10^?8 M using differential pulse voltammetry. This newly proposed method has been applied successfully to the determination of theophylline in drugs.     

Synthesis of nanostructural electrocatalytic materials on various carbon substrates by ion plasma sputtering of platinum metals

Carbon-supported platinum electrocatalysts for electrochemical systems with a proton-exchange membrane were prepared by ion plasma sputtering in a DC magnetron sputtering unit. Vulcan XC-72, carbon nanotubes, and nanofibers were used as substrates. The starting substrates were occasionally subjected to preliminary chemical treatment or metallization. The synthesized electrocatalyst samples were analyzed by thermogravimetric, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray fluorescent analysis, scanning and transmission microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical activity of the synthesized Pt/C and Pt-Pd/C materials was studied in a fuel cell, water electrolyzer, and bifunctional fuel cell with a solid polymer electrolyte. Several samples were found to have high specific surface areas (up to 44 m²/g), chemical purity, and electrochemical activity. The qualitative dependences of the characteristics of the catalysts on the parameters of metal deposition and the properties of the starting substrate were found.     

Optimization of an electrochemical cell with an adsorption layer for NOx removal

The structure of a multilayer electrochemical cell with an adsorption layer was optimized by removing an yttria-stabilized zirconia cover layer. It was found that the NO_x removal properties of the electrochemical cell were dramatically enhanced through the optimization, especially under conditions of low voltage, intermediate temperature, and high O₂ concentration. The pronounced increase in activity and selectivity for NO_x decomposition after removing the ytrria-stabilized zirconia cover layer was attributed to the extensive release of selective reaction sites for NO_x species and a strong promotion for NO_x reduction from the interaction of the directly connected adsorption layer with both the Pt and catalytic layers. The optimized electrochemical cell may provide a promising solution for NO_x emission control.     

PEMFC商用催化剂电催化活性和寿命研究(英文)

采用自设计的特制H 形电解槽模拟单个氢 空气质子交换膜燃料电池运作,并以电化学方法、SEM及XRD等技术研究两种商用催化剂,即碳载铂(Pt/C)和纯铂钌(Pt Ru)的电催化活性、表面形貌及其结构和寿命.同时对比了两种催化剂分别放在H 形电解槽和常规电解槽中运行情况的测试结果.实验表明,经过H 形电解槽运行后的催化剂,其循环伏安曲线表征氢吸脱的特征峰分别发生了正偏移(Pt/C电极)和负偏移(Pt Ru电极),且对应的峰电流呈现减小的趋势(特别是Pt/C电极).一氧化碳的毒化造成纯铂钌的电催化活性显著下降,其影响是不可逆的.     

Electrophoresis and electric conduction in a salt-free suspension of charged particles

The electrophoresis and electric conduction of a suspension of charged spherical particles in a salt-free solution are analyzed by using a unit cell model. The linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation (valid for the cases of relatively low surface charge density or high volume fraction of the particles) and Laplace equation are solved for the equilibrium electric potential profile and its perturbation caused by the imposed electric field, respectively, in the fluid containing the counterions only around the particle, and the ionic continuity equation and modified Stokes equations are solved for the electrochemical potential energy and fluid flow fields, respectively. Explicit analytical formulas for the electrophoretic mobility of the particles and effective electric conductivity of the suspension are obtained, and the particle interaction effects on these transport properties are significant and interesting. The scaled zeta potential, electrophoretic mobility, and effective electric conductivity increase monotonically with an increase in the scaled surface charge density of the particles and in general decrease with an increase in the particle volume fraction, keeping each other parameter unchanged. Under the Debye-Hückel approximation, the dependence of the electrophoretic mobility normalized with the surface charge density on the ratio of the particle radius to the Debye screening length and particle volume fraction in a salt-free suspension is same as that in a salt-containing suspension, but the variation of the effective electric conductivity with the particle volume fraction in a salt-free suspension is found to be quite different from that in a suspension containing added electrolyte.     

Sedimentation velocity and potential in concentrated suspensions of charged porous spheres

The body-force-driven migration in a homogeneous suspension of polyelectrolyte molecules or charged flocs in an electrolyte solution is analyzed. The model used for the particle is a porous sphere in which the density of the hydrodynamic frictional segments, and therefore also that of the fixed charges, is constant. The effects of particle interactions are taken into account by employing a unit cell model. The overlap of the electric double layers of adjacent particles is allowed and the relaxation effect in the double layer surrounding each particle is considered. The electrokinetic equations which govern the electrostatic potential profile, the ionic concentration (or electrochemical potential energy) distributions, and the fluid velocity field inside and outside the porous particle in a unit cell are linearized by assuming that the system is only slightly distorted from equilibrium. Using a regular perturbation method, these linearized equations are solved for a symmetrically charged electrolyte with the density of the fixed charges as the small perturbation parameter. An analytical expression for the settling velocity of the charged porous sphere is obtained from a balance among its gravitational, electrostatic, and hydrodynamic forces. A closed-form formula for the sedimentation potential in a suspension of identical charged porous spheres is also derived by using the requirement of zero net electric current. The dependence of the sedimentation velocity and potential of the suspension on the particle volume fraction and other properties of the particle-solution system is found to be quite complicated.     

双波长微板法测定细胞悬浮液中的环氧化物

用双波长微板法研究了缓冲溶液与细胞悬浮液中吸光度与环氧化物浓度的关系,通过分析比较发现,在两种体系中的回归曲线相互平行。据此,可用缓冲体系中所测结果绘制标准曲线,计算细胞悬浮液中环氧化物的含量。在建立了双波长微板法测定混浊体系中环氧化物的基础上,环氧化物水解酶活力可以方便快速的检测。     

LiF-Ni纳米复合薄膜的电化学性能研究

采用脉冲激光沉积法在不锈钢基片上制备了LiF-Ni纳米复合薄膜, 用充放电和循环伏安实验测量了该薄膜的电化学性能. 首次充电容量为107 mAh•g−1, 它对应第一次释放锂的过程. 在充放电循环过程中, 锂的嵌入、脱出通过非原位高分辨电子显微和选区电子衍射得到证实. 这一结果为LiF可以由过渡金属Ni驱动分解提供了直接的实验证据.     

Microfluidic devices for electrochemical measurement of photosynthetic activity of cyanobacteria microcystis cells

A microfluidic device with analytical chambers for electrochemical measurements has been employed to detect photosynthetic activity at single cell level. The flowing cells (Microcystis viridis) in a main channel are individually guided to the chamber with microelectrodes by an electrophoretic manipulation. The reduction current of oxygen was continuously monitored to determine the photosynthetic activity upon light irradiation. The average rates for oxygen generation were estimated and found to be 10(-18) mol/s level.     

Electrochemical characterization of screen-printed carbonaceous electrodes for the determination of peroxidase activity in novel screen-printed flow-through modules

A novel totally screen-printed flow-through cell for immunoanalysis is presented. It contained screen-printed carbonaceous electrodes, which allowed the determination of peroxidase activity through the electrochemical reduction of p-benzoquinone. As different electrode materials differ strongly in their electrochemical properties, electrodes resulting from various screen-printable carbonaceous pastes were characterized using the hydroquinone/ p-benzoquinone redox couple. For most of the electrodes, cyclic voltammogram peak separations of between 550 and 670 mV were observed indicating only quasi-reversible electrochemical behavior. This was confirmed by variation of the peak separation with scan rate. Heterogeneous electron transfer rates of ca. 0.5 - 1 x 10(-3) cm s(-1) and electrochemical activation energies of ca. 20 kJ mol(-1) were found. These flow-through cells were not only applied to electrochemical peroxidase activity determinations but also, in combination with a separate detector, as affinity reactors. After biotinylation of screen-printed layers, streptavidin and then biotinylated peroxidase could be bound. However, as signals were only 10-20% of those obtained with a column filled with biotinylated glass beads, only the screen-printed electrochemical detector was applied to the detection of antibodies against the African Swine Fever Virus.     

Titanium nitride catalyst cathode in a Li-air fuel cell with an acidic aqueous solution

TiN was used as an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst in a Li-air fuel cell with a non-aqueous/acidic aqueous hybrid electrolyte. The electrochemical properties of the TiN based catalyst and the single cell were extensively investigated. It is suggested that TiN has considerable electrochemical catalytic activity for Li-air fuel cells in a weak acidic solution.     

Determination of phenolic antioxidants in pharmaceutical formulations by liquid chromatography and migration study on HDPE packagings

Summary The performance of UV diode-array, spectrometric and electrochemical detectors was compared in the chromatographic analysis of trace amounts of six phenolic antioxidants. Quantitative validation was undertaken; the linearity range was wider using UV detection although the limits of detection were lower with electrochemical detection. UV detection was applied both to identification of an antioxidant in a hydrophilic suspension and to a migration study.     

甲烷生物催化氧化制甲醇——几种化学物质对Methylosinus trichosporium 3011甲醇累积的影响

本文报导了在 Methylosinus trichosporium 3011细胞反应液中加入一些化学物质对甲醇累积的影响。结果表明,Na~+抑制甲烷单加氧酶的活性。当 M.trichosporium 3011细胞反应液中含高浓度磷酸根时,只有很少量甲醇累积下来。EDTA 和 Na_2EDTA 甲醇累积的促进作用小于甲酸钠或甲酸的作用。但由于 EDTA 不仅可以抑制甲醇脱氢酶的活性,而且可以螯合 Na~+,而甲酸则可使 NADH 辅酶再生。因此,反应液中含有2mM EDTA 和20mM 甲酸时甲醇累积量最高。     

Electrochemical degradation of tetracycline

Oxidation of tetracycline® in an electrochemical cell with separated cathodic and anodic compartments on smooth platinum was studied. The extent of electrochemical degradation of tetracycline and the energy consumption for eliminating the biological activity of its aqueous solutions were estimated.     

用稀土(镱)杂多酸盐/多壁碳纳米管修饰的玻碳电极测定亚硝酸根

将多壁碳纳米管分散在镱(Ⅲ)杂多酸盐溶液中,将上述获得的悬浊液滴涂在玻碳电极表面,制备了镱(Ⅲ)杂多酸盐/多壁碳纳米管修饰的玻碳电极(YbHS-MWCNT′s/GCE)。采用交流阻抗法对电极表面的性能进行了表征,采用循环伏安法对其电化学性能进行研究。研究发现,亚硝酸根在该修饰电极上出现一个氧化峰,氧化峰电位在-0.45V处,提出了用循环伏安法测定亚硝酸根的方法。亚硝酸根的浓度在5.0×10-6～1.0×10-4mol.L-1范围内,氧化峰电流与其浓度呈线性关系。修饰电极用于环境水样中亚硝酸根离子的测定,回收率在97.2%～98.0%之间。     

Evidence for shape-dependent deposition in crossflow microfiltration of microbial cells

Measurements of the mean cell volume and mean cell aspect ratio are reported for suspensions of the polymorphic yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus NRRLy2415 and for cakes of the same microorganism recovered after crossflow microfiltration with a tubular ceramic membrane at fixed trans-membrane pressure and crossflow velocity. The mean cell volume and the mean cell aspect ratio in the cake were determined using image analysis. The mean cell volume was found to be consistently smaller in the cake than in the suspension while tentative evidence was found that the mean cell aspect ratio was also smaller in the cake. Enhanced deposition of less elongated cells is likely to be a consequence of preferential deposition of small cells because, for the microorganism used in this study, the mean cell aspect ratio in a suspension increases with increasing mean cell volume. Close analysis of the data reveals that the mean cell aspect ratio is greater in the cake than would be expected based on the mean cell volume in the suspension, suggesting that the deposition of more elongated cells is favoured over less elongated cells of the same volume.     

Study of immobilized and extracellular invertase of lemon balm

Cell suspensions of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) were permeabilized by Tween 20, Tween 80, ethanol, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, and hexadecylpyridinium chloride, and immobilized by glutaraldehyde. The invertase pH optimum was 4.5 at temperature 50°C. The hydrolysis of substrate was linear for 4 h, reaching 60% conversion. The cells had high invertase activity and good stability, and in longterm storage they showed good physicomechanical properties. The culture medium (without cells) was used for the identification and determination of extracellular enzyme activity. Intracellular activity was estimated from the cell suspension. For the lemon balm cell suspension, the intracellular activity accounted for 83.7% of the total activity, and the extracellular one for 12.7%. The intracellular specific activity is 4.2 times higher. Our method permits the rapid, simple, and specific identification and determination of plant invertase. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 611-615, November-December, 2008.     

Parameters influencing the electrodeposition of a Ni-Cu coating on Fe powders. II. Effect of particle size fraction,suspension density and rotation speed

The composition of a two-component Ni-Cu coating and the efficiency of its electrochemical deposition on Fe powder was studied by constant current electrolysis. A fluidized bed arrangement was applied. The variable parameters were: the particle size fraction, the density of the suspension of the Fe powder in the plating bath, and the intensity of the stirring of the fluidized bed. Both the Cu and Ni contents in the deposit decrease with increase in the particle size, and with decrease in the suspension density. Thus, the surface area available for the electrochemical process proved to be of high importance. Another important factor is the quality of the contacts of the powder particles with the current carrying compact electrode during which the deposition of Ni is preferred. This influence is manifested in a decrease of the Ni-Cu ratio in the deposit with an increase in the particle size and rotation speed and, consequently, with a decrease in the suspension density. The current efficiency values on the powder for optimum conditions reached 80%.