Exploring the Role of Surface States in Emissive Carbon Nanodots: Analysis at Single-Particle Level

Fluorescent carbon nanodots (CDs) have been highlighted as promising semiconducting materials due to their outstanding chemical and optical properties. However, the intrinsic heterogeneity of CDs has impeded a clear understanding of the mechanisms behind their photophysical properties. In this study, as-prepared CDs are fractionated via chromatography to reduce their structural and chemical heterogeneity and analyzed through ensemble and single-particle spectroscopies. Many single particles reveal fluorescence intensity fluctuations between two or more discrete levels with bi-exponential decays. While the intrinsic τ₁ components are uniform among single particles, the τ₂ components from molecule-like emissions spans a wider range of lifetimes, reflecting the inhomogeneity of the surface states. Furthermore, it is concluded that the relative population and chemical states of surface functional groups in CDs have a significant impact on emissive states, brightness, blinking, stability, and lifetime distribution of photoluminescence.     

低浓度含铅细颗粒物暴露大鼠体内生物转运研究

食品接触性塑料制品、可再生资源、汽车尾气中含有低浓度铅。铅等重金属体内蓄积严重影响机体健康,但机体长期暴露于铅环境的代谢依然未知。以低剂量含铅细颗粒物暴露为场景,探讨其在大鼠体内的生物转运及体内分布。通过比较每日吸入染毒(7.05±0.83)μg/m~3及经口染毒0.42μg/d,连续染毒28d。结果显示含铅细颗粒物入血的速度比经口途径快,在肺内蓄积浓度达(4.2±0.67)μg/g,与经口染毒组比较有显著统计学差异(P0.01);排泄方面,吸入含铅细颗粒物以粪便、尿液形式排出为主,与经口染毒组比较具有体内蓄积量大、排泄慢、在股骨和肋骨内蓄积量大的特点。因此,吸入含铅细颗粒物暴露体内蓄积量大,代谢速度慢,暴露危害比经口途径更大。     

Functional graphene-gold nano-composite fabricated electrochemical biosensor for direct and rapid detection of bisphenol A

In this research, the graphene with excellent dispersity is prepared successfully by introducing gold nanoparticle to separate the individual sheets. Various techniques are adopted to characterize the prepared graphene and graphene-gold nanoparticle composite materials. This fabricated new composite material is used as the support material to construct a novel tyrosinase based biosensor for detection of bisphenol A (BPA). The electrochemical performances of the proposed new enzyme biosensor were investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The proposed biosensor exhibited excellent performance for BPA determination with a wide linear range (2.5 × 10⁻³–3.0 μM), a highly reproducible response (RSD of 2.7%), low interferences and long-term stability. And more importantly, the calculated detection limit of the proposed biosensor was as low as 1 nM. Compared with other detection methods, this graphene-gold nanoparticle composite based tyrosinase biosensor is proved to be a promising and reliable tool for rapid detection of BPA for on-site analysis of emergency BPA related pollution affairs.     

In Vitro Photodynamic Inactivation Effects of Ru(II) Complexes on Clinical Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus Planktonic and Biofilm Cultures

Photosensitizers (PSs) combined with light are able to generate antimicrobial effects. Ru(II) complexes have been recognized as a novel class of PSs. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) mediated by three Ru(II) polypyridine complexes, 1–3, against four isolates of clinical methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA‐1, MRSA‐2, MRSA‐3 and MRSA‐4). In PDI of a planktonic culture of MRSA‐1, compound 3 showed the highest efficacy, likely owing to its advantageous light absorption, ¹O₂ quantum yield and bacterial cellular binding. The PDI efficacy of 3 was further evaluated against all other strains and MRSA‐1 biofilms. At appropriate PS concentrations, viability reduction of 100% or 96.83% was observed in planktonic or biofilm forms of MRSA, respectively. The mechanisms of action were investigated using negative staining transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was demonstrated that PDI of planktonic bacteria was achieved primarily through damage to the cell envelope. Biofilms were eliminated through both the destruction of their structure and inactivation of the individual bacterial cells. In conclusion, Ru(II) complexes, especially 3, are potential candidates for the effective photodynamic control of MRSA infections.     

Glassy carbon electrode modified with gold nanoparticles and hemoglobin in a chitosan matrix for improved pH-switchable sensing of hydrogen peroxide

Hemoglobin (Hb) has been demonstrated to endow electrochemical sensors with pH-switchable response because of the presence of carboxyl and amino groups. Hb was deposited in a chitosan matrix on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) that was previously coated with clustered gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) by electrodeposition. The switching behavior is active (“on”) to the negatively charged probe [Fe(CN)₆ ³⁻] at pH 4.0, but inactive (“off”) to the probe at pH 8.0. This switch is fully reversible by simply changing the pH value of the solution and can be applied for pH-controlled reversible electrochemical reduction of H₂O₂ catalyzed by Hb. The modified electrode was tested for its response to the different electroactive probes. The response to these species strongly depends on pH which was cycled between 4 and 8. The effect is also attributed to the presence of pH dependent charges on the surface of the electrode which resulted in either electrostatic attraction or repulsion of the electroactive probes. The presence of Hb, in turn, enhances the pH-controllable response, and the electrodeposited Au-NPs improve the capability of switching. This study reveals the potential of protein based pH-switchable materials and also provides a simple and effective strategy for fabrication of switchable chemical sensors as exemplified in a pH-controllable electrode for hydrogen peroxide.

A pH “on-off” switchable nanobiosensor was fabricated by casting a chitosan-hemoglobin biocomposite onto nano-gold electrode. This composite film exhibits not only excellent pH-responsive on (pH 4.0)-off (pH 8.0) behavior but also excellent pH-tunable on-off bioelectrocatalysis of H₂O₂.

     

Electrodeposition and characterization of Zn–Sn alloy coatings from a deep eutectic solvent based on choline chloride for corrosion protection

With the aim of obtaining high corrosion resistant Zn–Sn alloy coatings from an ionic liquid, the effects of electrodeposition potential and electrolyte composition on the electrodeposition behavior, film composition, morphology and corrosion performance were investigated. Cyclic voltammograms indicate that Zn and Sn were co‐deposited at distinct reduction potentials as pure Zn and Sn elements. In addition, the phase composition analysis also showed that the obtained Zn–Sn alloy deposits (8 wt.%–45 wt.% Zn) consist of a two‐phase mechanical mixture of small aggregates of Zn and Sn metals. The Zn content of the alloy significantly increases as the electrodeposition potential and electrolyte Zn (II)/Sn (II) ratio increase. The corrosion performance study of the obtained Zn–Sn coatings showed that they have a passivation behavior and their corrosion resistance increases as the alloy‐Sn content increases. To improve their morphological properties, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid additive was introduced into the electrolyte and greatly improved the morphology and corrosion resistance of the deposits. For the first time, it was shown that high corrosion resistance Zn–Sn coatings can be obtained from ionic liquids. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid determination of products of phenol hydrogenation in a supercritical water system using headspace gas chromatography

This paper reports a headspace analysis technique for the determination of products, i.e., cyclohexanone (CE) and cyclohexanol (CL), of phenol hydrogenation in a supercritical water reaction system (SWRS) with water removal by hydrate formation. An addition of anhydrous calcium chloride leads to water absorption resulting in crystal water; thus, the samples can be quantitatively measured without the influence of water. After achieving equilibrium at 150°C and maintaining it for 5 min, the obtained results showed a relative standard deviation of less than 5.3% and the recovery ranged from 93% to 104%. The presented method is simple and accurate for the analysis of CL, CE and phenol in samples from phenol conversion in SWRS.     

自然光照下PEG/PAA凝胶在Fe~(3+)/CA溶液中的凝胶-溶胶转化行为

将PEG/PAA凝胶浸入铁/柠檬酸(Fe3+/CA)溶液中,自然光照一定时间可实现凝胶-溶胶的相互转化,而且转化行为受溶液的组成及其p H影响。只有当溶液中[Fe3+]0∶[CA]0≤1∶2,且溶液的p H在1~6之间,该转化才会发生,通过改变溶液中[Fe3+]0∶[CA]0的值或溶液的p H可以有效地控制其转化速率。此外,结果还表明,当凝胶转化为溶胶后,向其中加入高价金属阳离子,例如Fe3+、Al3+、Ce4+、Cu2+等,溶胶又会再次转化为凝胶。由于这种新颖的特性,该凝胶有望应用于药物释放、细胞培养等领域。