Electrochemical sensing of heavy metals in biological media: A review

Trace metals are required in the body as they play a significant role in several biochemical processes. Moreover, certain heavy metals are beneficial at appropriate levels. Copper (Cu), for example, is essential for red blood cell formation, bone strength, and infant growth. Despite these fundamental roles, Cu can become toxic at high levels. Other heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and mercury (Hg), have been identified to cause acute and chronic health complications. For these reasons, rapid, real-time quantification of such metals in biological media is of interest to improving human health outcomes. Electrochemical methods offer numerous advantages, such as portability, capability to be miniaturized, low cost, and ease-of-use. In this review, we examine recent developments in electrochemical sensing for the detection of heavy metals in biological media. To meet the requirements for inclusion in this review, the electrochemical sensor must have been evaluated in biological media (blood, serum, sweat, saliva, urine, brain tissue/cells). Several applications are explored to examine recent advancements in electrochemical sensing within these matrices. Addressing the challenges through materials, device, and system innovations, it is expected that electrochemical sensing of heavy metals in biological media will facilitate future diagnoses and treatments in healthcare.     

Electrochromic Detection of Latent Fingermarks on Metal Surface Using 1,1′-Dibenzyl-4,4′-bipyridinium Dichloride

The electrochromic detection of latent fingermarks on polished or unpolished, flat or curved metal surfaces is described using electrochromic material, 1,1’-dibenzyl-4,4’-bipyridinium dichloride. The surface area covered by fingermarks acts as an insulating mask, causing 1,1’-dibenzyl-4,4’-bipyridinium dichloride to change color and produce inversed images of the fingermark. By changing the applied potential, the optical properties of 1,1’-dibenzyl-4,4’-bipyridinium dichloride can be continuously and reversibly adjusted to optimize the visual contrast of fingermarks, so as to realize the detection of latent fingermarks on stainless steel surface. It is demonstrated that the fabricated electrochromic devices can detect the fingermarks on these types of surfaces within twenty seconds at −1.0∼−2.0 V. This work can qualify as a tangible improvement in fingermark detection of the natural fingermarks on the never-cleaned (more than 3 years) and curved surfaces of daily-used container, e. g. cup, and the handle of cleaning tool, mop.     

Zinc oxide nanostructured platform for electrochemical detection of heavy metals

ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) were prepared by a facile precipitation technique using di-isopropyl amine as precipitating agent. The morpho-structure and porosity of the as-prepared nano-powder were investigated by FT-IR analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and BET analysis. By drop-casting, a composite film was deposited to obtain ZnO-NP-Nafion/GCE modified electrode. The modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) for the detection of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe³⁺, and it was successfully applied for the detection of Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ in real water samples.     

便携式X射线荧光光谱仪在污染场地中重金属检测的应用

为探究便携式X射线荧光光谱法(Portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry method, PXRF)测定结果的不确定度, 应用PXRF法和传统实验室方法对湖南某典型有色金属污染场地及周边土壤中的重金属进行测定,通过建立线性回归模型对比分析两种方法的测定数据,探究了PXRF法测定数据的准确程度和置信区间。结果表明,PXRF法原位、异位测定值与传统实验室方法测定值均能呈现较好的线性相关性,As、Cu、Pb、Cd等元素的决定性系数(R2)均大于0.70,其检测数据质量均能达到定量水平;PXRF法与实验室方法测定值间比率的置信区间结果显示,Cd元素的准确性最好,其次为Pb、Cu、As,比率置信区间分别为(0.57, 1.89)、(0.38, 2.22)、(0.31, 2.25)、(0.20, 4.53)。由此可见,PXRF法是一种方便快捷且相对准确的土壤重金属现场检测方法,可广泛地应用于污染场地调查和土壤修复工程实践中。     

Development of an Organic Dye-Conjugated β-Diketonate-Europium Complex Luminescence Probe for Discrimination and Detection of Intracellular Biothiols

Small molecular biothiols, cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH), play important roles in organisms, and their concentration levels are indicative of some human diseases. Herein we report an organic dye-conjugated β-diketonate-Eu³⁺ complex, [Eu(NBD-keto)₃(DPBT)] (NBD-keto: 7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD)-conjugated to 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoro-5-phenyl-3,5-pentanedionate through a “O” ether bond; DPBT: 2-(N,N-diethylanilin-4-yl)-4,6-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine), which acts as a unique luminescent probe for detecting and discriminating biothiols. [Eu(NBD-keto)₃(DPBT)] itself is not luminescent due to intramolecular interactions between NBD and β-diketonate-Eu³⁺ moieties. Upon reaction with biothiols, the β-diketonate-Eu³⁺ complex [Eu(keto)₃(DPBT)] is generated, which emits long-lived red emission at 610 nm. Meanwhile, three biothiol-substituted NBD derivatives that exhibit different luminescence behaviors, green emissive (short-lived) NBD-NR (R=Cys or Hcy) at 540 nm and non-luminescent NBD-SR (R=GSH), are also generated. These luminescence response behaviors allow time-gated and steady-state luminescence modes to be combined for detecting total biothiols and discriminating GSH and Cys/Hcy. Using this probe, the quantitative detection and discrimination of GSH and Cys/Hcy in lysis solutions of HeLa cells were realized, which revealed the potential of the probe for biomedical applications.     

State-of-the-art molecular imprinted colorimetric sensors and their on-site inspecting applications

Molecular imprinted colorimetric sensors can realize visual semi-quantitative analysis without the use of any equipment. With the advantages of low cost, fast response, ease of handling, and excellent recognition ability, the molecular imprinted colorimetric sensor shows great application potential in the field of sample rapid assay. Molecular imprinted colorimetric sensors can be prepared in various forms to meet the needs of different sample determination, such as film, hydrogel, strip, and adsorption coating. In this review, the preparation methods for various types of molecularly imprinted colorimetric sensors are systematically introduced. Their applications in the field of on-site biological sample detection, drug detection, disease treatment, chiral substance detection and separation, environmental analysis, and food safety detection are introduced. The limitations encountered in the practical application are presented, and the future development directions prospect.     

Analyte Detection: A Decade of Progress in the Development of Optical/Fluorescent Sensing Probes

The development of selective and sensitive chemical sensors capable of detecting metal ions, anions, neutral species, explosives and hazardous substances, selectively and sensitively has attracted considerable interest of various research groups. The presence of such analytes within the permissible limits is often beneficial, but the excess amounts may lead to lethal effects to both the environment as well as the living organisms. Owing to the toxicity of the heavy metal ions, toxic anions and nitro-aromatics which are main constituents of explosives, the timely detection of these materials is most desirable to ensure safety and security of the mankind. In this personal account, we present several classes of molecular sensors that were specifically designed in our lab during the past decade for detecting several species in solutions, solid state as well as biological media. Modulation of the optical properties in response to the presence of guest species, led to selective and sensitive detection protocols, and was supported by the theoretical studies wherever possible. We have also extended the application of some of these probes for the on-site detection of analytes by developing the paper strips, glass slides and even the wool and cotton fabrics loaded with probes. One such development represents detection of palladium in human urine and blood samples collected from clinical samples. Additionally, the sensing events in some cases have successfully been reproduced in the live cancer cells. Based on the ease and cost-effective synthesis of the molecular probes, we hope that this account shall provide significant information to researchers in understanding the structure dependent sensing capabilities of the molecular probes.     

Synthesis of trichromatic carbon dots from a single precursor by solvent effect and its versatile applications

Multi-color is the fundamental for display, white LED (WLED), and bioimaging. Three kinds of carbon dots (co-doped of S and N elements) (S,N-CDs) with red (R), green (G) and blue (B) fluorescence were synthesized using 2,5-Diaminobenzenesulfonicacid as the only precursor by a simple, environmentally friendly solvent modulation method, which neither needed complex precursor formulations nor tedious post-processes to obtain multi-color performance. Compared to the previous S,N-CDs, our CDs has a higher fluorescence quantum yield and tunable colors which implies a higher resolution in detection and deeper penetration in tissue observation. We present their outstanding roles in chemical trace detection and light source application to demonstrate their application potential. The three CDs were highly sensitive and could selectively recognize Ag⁺ and Fe³⁺ with low limit of detection of up to 35 and 23 nM, respectively. The CDs were mixed to fabricate WLED in solution, solid (with lotus root powder) and xerogel forms, achieved satisfactory white light properties with CIE (1931) coordinates (0.32,0.33), (0.31, 0.32) and (0.33, 0.35), respectively, almost pure white light. This is digestible light source and fluorescent biomarker that open up possibilities for in vivo recycling-free imaging applications.     

离子色谱法-间接紫外检测离子液体中三种含氟酸根阴离子

建立了离子色谱-间接紫外检测法同时分析离子液体中的三氟乙酸根(CF3COO-)、四氟硼酸根(BF4-)和三氟甲烷磺酸根(CF3SO3-)的方法。用Shodex IC NI-424阴离子交换柱作为分离柱,探讨了影响上述三种离子保留和检测的因素及其保留规律。最终选用色谱条件为:以1.75 mmol·L-1邻苯二甲酸-1.68 mmol·L-1三(羟甲基)氨基甲烷为淋洗液,柱温45℃,流速1.0 m L·min-1,UV检测波长设定在265 nm。在此条件下,可实现上述三种阴离子的同时分析,且色谱峰形良好。所测阴离子的检出限(S/N=3)为0.39~1.57 mg·L-1,保留时间和峰面积的相对标准偏差(n=5)均在1%以下。将此方法应用于测定离子液体中的三氟乙酸根、四氟硼酸根及三氟甲烷磺酸根,加标回收率为99%~102%。该方法简单、准确、可靠,具有较好的实用性。     

基于色谱–光谱联用和斜投影法分析丹皮酚含量

将色谱–光谱仪联用(HPLC–UV)法与斜投影法结合,建立了丹皮酚含量快速分析方法。通过色谱–光谱联用采集丹皮酚结晶母液的紫外多波长光谱三维数据,构建不含丹皮酚的背景数据库以及丹皮酚光谱数据库,基于斜投影法步骤测定了批量样本中丹皮酚含量。结果表明:该方法计算结果和高效液相色谱分析结果接近,相对误差小于5.0%。测定结果的相对标准偏差为0.4%~1.0%(n=5),回收率为98.8%~101.3%。该方法快速、准确,操作简单,可为丹皮酚结晶产品及各种制剂质量控制提供可行方案。