Recent advances in potentiometric biosensing

Potentiometric biosensors are incredibly versatile tools with budding uses in industry, security, environmental safety, and human health. This mini-review on recent (2018–2020) advances in the field of potentiometric biosensors is intended to give a general overview of the main types of potentiometric biosensors for novices while still providing a brief but thorough summary of the novel advances and trends for experienced practitioners. These trends include the incorporation of nanomaterials, graphene, and novel immobilization materials, as well as a strong push toward miniaturized, flexible, and self-powered devices for in-field or at-home use.     

Monoolein cubic phases containing hydrogen peroxide

Monoolein (MO) cubic phases were prepared by hydrating MO using distilled water or 12 wt.% H₂O₂ solution so that the content of aqueous phase in the cubic phase is 30 wt.%. The thermal transition of the isotropic cubic phase to reversed hexagonal phase was observed on a polarizing photomicroscope and the transition temperature was found to be around 65 °C on a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) patterns indicated the cubic phases had diamond surfaces. The cubic phase released H₂O₂ into an aqueous phase in a saturation manner so that approx. 50% of total loaded H₂O₂ release in the first 10 h and thereafter relatively slow was observed over 40 h. The cubic phase was stable at 45 °C for 56 days before it broke down into an oily phase and an aqueous phase in 70 days. According to ¹H NMR spectrum, glycerol moiety and ---CH₂=CH₂--- of the oily phase were detected less in number than those of intact MO. Therefore, the hydrolysis and the oxidation of MO would be responsible for the breakdown of the cubic phase. The tensile adhesive forces of the cubic phases were higher than a skin-adhesive patch prepared using polyacrylate. The cubic phase containing H₂O₂ could be used as a topical disinfected gel for a wounded skin.     

Cubic phases in surfactant and surfactant-like lipid systems

Cubic liquid crystalline phases are common in surfactant and surfactant-like lipid systems at temperatures above the Krafft point. They are optically isotropic and very stiff. Therefore, they are often not recognized as independent phases and separated in pure state. The liquid crystalline nature is evidenced by a low-angle diffraction pattern with sharp reflections having Bragg-values above 20 Å coupled with a diffuse wide-angle reflection at 4.5 Å, proving that the hydrocarbon moiety is in a liquid state. The cubic phases occur in a variety of lipid/water systems (also with liquid organic solvents), such as simple soaps, amphiphilic lipids of biological origin, and extracts from membrane lipids. The location of the cubic phases in a phase diagram varies.The original concept of a cubic structure composed of closed globular aggregates, either of oil-in-water or water-in-oil type in face-centered array seems to be obsolete. The present structure concepts include closed anisotropic aggregates, short rod-like aggregates forming continuous networks or lamellar aggregates with zero curvature forming networks of Infinite Periodic Minimal Surfaces (IPMS). The structure is mostly primitive or body-centered cubic.     

Glucose-Responsive Monoolein Cubic Phase Containing Glucose Oxidase

Glucose-responsive monoolein (MO) cubic phase was prepared by immobilizing proteinoid composed of Asp and Leu (PAL) and hydrophobically modified glucose oxidase (HmGOD) onto the MO bilayers. The hydrodynamic mean diameter of PAL aggregate in aqueous solution decreased with increasing the pH value. The number of pamitic acid residue per one molecule of HmGOD was determined to be 6.3 by a calorimetric method. HmGOD could acidify glucose solution in a few hours, possibly because it converted glucose to gluconic acid. PAL- and HmGOD-immobilized MO cubic phase was prepared by hydrating MO melt with the mixture aqueous solution of PAL and HmGOD. The cubic phase exhibited its phase transition around 62.5°C, determined by polarizing microscopy. The release of carboxylic fluorescein (CF) from the cubic phase was suppressed when the pH value of release medium decreased, possibly because PAL can aggregate more at a lower pH value. The release was suppressed when glucose concentration increased, possibly because the release medium can be more acidified and PAL will be more aggregated at a higher glucose concentration. The cubic phase could be used as a drug carrier which releases its content in a sustained manner when the glucose concentration is abnormally high.     

pH-Dependent Release from Monoolein Cubic Phase Containing Hydrophobically Modified Chitosan

Monoolein (MO) cubic phase incorporating hydrophobically modified chosan (Hm chitosan) was prepared to obtain a pH-dependent release. Following calorimetric study, Hm chitosan had little effect on the crystal structure of MO cubic phase under acidic condition where Hm chitosan is readily soluble. At a higher pH (e.g., pH 9.0), however, the crystal structure of MO cubic phase was disturbed, possibly due to the insolubilization of Hm chitosan at the alkali condition. Whether the dye included in the cubic phase is anionic (amaranth) or cationic (methylene blue), the release from the cubic phase was suppressed as the pH of release medium increased. The structural change of cubic phase caused by the insolubilization of Hm chitosan, or the blockage of the water channel of the cubic phase by precipitated Hm chitosan would be responsible for the suppressed released.     

Radical polymerization in biosensing

This review briefly summarizes recently published work on radical polymerization in biosensor-related applications. Advancements in surface modification aimed at improving sensor biocompatibility and reducing nonspecific background noises are discussed. Direct applications of polymers as one of the key sensing elements in which they are used either as detection probes for the biomolecular binding events or as signal transducers to amplify sensing signals are detailed. Initial applications of radical polymerization reactions in biosensing are evident and appear promising.     

Thermo- and UV Photo-Triggerable Monoolein Cubic Phase Bearing Poly(Hydroxyethyl Acrylate-co-Coumaryl Acrylate-co-Octadecyl Acrylate)

Thermo- and UV photo-triggerable monoolein (MO) cubic phases were developed by incorporating poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate-co-coumaryl acrylate-co-octadecyl acrylate) (P(HEA-CA-ODA)) in the cubic phases. P(HEA-CA-ODA)s, for which the HEA/CA/ODA molar ratio was 98.6:0:1.4, 96.7:2.0:1.3, 96.2:2.6:1.2, 95:3.8:1.2, and 92.8:6.1:1.1, calculated on the ¹H NMR spectra, were prepared by a free radical reaction. The air–water interfacial tension was inversely proportional to the CA content of the copolymer. The copolymers for which the CA content was 2.6%, 3.8%, and 6.1% exhibited their phase transition temperature in an aqueous solution in the temperature range from 25°C to 40°C. As the CA content was more, the temperature sensitivity was higher and the phase transition temperature was lower. The UV light (254 nm, 6 W)-induced dimerization degree of CA was proportional to its content in the copolymers. The release of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran from cubic phases containing P(HEA/CA/ODA)s was promoted by UV light irradiation, possibly due to the photo-induced collapse of the copolymer chains. The release from cubic phases incorporating copolymers, for which the CA content was 3.8% and 6.1%, was enhanced by increasing the releasing medium temperature from 23°C to 37°C, possibly due to the thermal collapse of the copolymer chains.     

立方规则孔道结构含锆介孔氧化硅的合成与表征

以三嵌段共聚物为模板剂, 利用溶剂挥发法合成了具有立方相的含锆介孔氧化硅材料, 并对其结构进行了表征, 初步研究了其生成机理.     

Electrochemical Sensors,a Bright Future in the Fabrication of Portable Kits in Analytical Systems

Analysis of food, pharmaceutical, and environmental compounds is an inevitable issue to evaluate quality of the compounds used in human life. Quality of drinking water, food products, and pharmaceutical compounds is directly associated with human health. Presence of forbidden additives in food products, toxic compounds in water samples and drugs with low quality lead to important problems for human health. Therefore, attention to analytical strategy for investigation of quality of food, pharmaceutical, and environmental compounds and monitoring presence of forbidden compounds in materials used by humans has increased in recent years. Analytical methods help to identify and quantify both permissible and unauthorized compounds present in the materials used in human daily life. Among analytical methods, electrochemical methods have been shown to have more advantages compared to other analytical methods due to their portability and low cost. Most of big companies have applied this type of analytical methods because of their fast and selective analysis. Due to simple operation and high diversity of electroanalytical sensors, these types of sensors are expected to be the future generation of analytical systems. Therefore, many scientists and researchers have focused on designing and fabrication of electroanalytical sensors with good selectivity and high sensitivity for different types of compounds such as drugs, food, and environmental pollutants. In this paper, we described the mechanism and different examples of DNA, enzymatic and electro‐catalytic methods for electroanalytical determination of drug, food and environmental compounds.     

Amperometric selective biosensing of dimethyl- and diethyldithiocarbamates based on inhibition processes in a medium of reversed micelles

An amperometric tyrosinase electrode has been used for biosensing of dimethyl- and diethyldithiocarbamates based on the inhibition effects of these substances on the catalytic activity of the enzyme. A working medium consisting of reversed micelles, and phenol as the substrate has been used. The tyrosinase electrode was constructed by direct adsorption of the enzyme on the surface of a graphite-disk electrode. Reversible inhibition processes are shown to be involved for ziram, diram and zinc diethyldithiocarbamate. Following a simple regeneration of the enzyme electrode, an acceptable reproducibility for the measurements of the inhibition response was obtained. Experimental variables, such as temperature, phenol concentration and the presence of chloroform, affecting the inhibition processes, were optimized. The type of enzyme inactivation for each inhibitor tested was studied, and the inhibition constants were calculated. Detection limits of 0.074, 1.3 and 1.7 μmol l⁻¹ were achieved for ziram, diram and zinc diethyldithiocarbamate, respectively. Other carbamates belonging to families different from dimethyl- and diethyldithiocarbamates showed no amperometric response at the tyrosinase electrode, except for pyrimidine-derivative carbamates. The developed analytical methodology was applied to determine ziram in spiked apple samples.     

Molecular lego for the assembly of biosensing layers

We propose a procedure to assemble monolayers of redox mediator, coenzyme, enzyme and stabilizing polyelectrolyte on an electrode surface using essentially electrostatic and complexing interactions. In a first step a monolayer of redox mediator, substituted nitrofluorenones, is adsorbed. In a second step, a layer of calcium cations is immobilized at the interface. It establishes a bridge between the redox mediator and the subsequently adsorbed coenzyme NAD⁺. In the next step we use the intrinsic affinity of the NAD⁺ monolayer for dehydrogenases to build up a multilayer composed of mediator/Ca²⁺/NAD⁺/dehydrogenase. The so obtained modified electrode can be used as a biosensor. Quartz crystal microbalance measurements allowed us to better understand the different parameters responsible for the adsorption. A more detailed investigation of the system made it possible to finally stabilize the assembly sufficiently by the adsorption of a polyelectrolyte layer in order to perform rotating disk electrode measurements with the whole supramolecular architecture on the electrode surface.     

脉冲激光诱导液-固界面反应制备立方相C3N4纳米晶

β-C3N4是由Liu和Cohen等[1～3]从第一性原理出发计算而预言的一种新型超硬材料,据Liu等提出的经验公式计算认为,β-C3N4的硬度为427 GPa,具有接近金刚石的体模量(理论值为435 GPa,实验值为443 GPa).     

Cubic phases as structures of disclinations

We look for possible ordered geometrical configurations with bicontinuous or cellular topologies, optimizing the frustration of a periodic system of frustrated fluid films. The solutions found have the same symmetries as those observed for cubic phases of amphiphilic molecules. This agreement leads to consider cubic structures as structures of defects of rotation, or disclinations.This paper was presented at the workshop Ringing gels and Cubic phases, University of Bayreuth, October 25–26th, 1988.     

Carbon nanospheres enhanced electrochemiluminescence of CdS quantum dots for biosensing of hypoxanthine

This work developed a novel method to greatly enhance the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of CdS quantum dots (QDs). The ECL amplification was achieved by the assembly of QDs on poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-functionalized carbon nanospheres (PFCNSs), and successfully employed for sensitive ECL biosensing of oxidase substrates. The carbon nanospheres were prepared by a “green” method, and the high loading of QDs on carbon nanospheres led to a 4-times increased ECL intensity with dissolved O₂ as the coreactant. Using xanthine oxidase (XOD) as a model, an ECL biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing the enzyme on the mixing membrane of PFCNSs and QDs. The ECL biosensor showed a fast response to hypoxanthine with a linear concentration range from 2.5 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.4 × 10⁻⁵ M. The limit of detection was 5 nM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The assay results of hypoxanthine in fish samples were in a good agreement with the reference values by amperometric technique. This facile approach to prepare the PFCNSs/QDs system for ECL biosensing could be of promising application in bioanalysis and electronic device.     

Trends in biosensing platforms for SARS-CoV-2 detection: A critical appraisal against standard detection tools

In this ongoing theme of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, highly sensitive analytical testing platforms are extremely necessary to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antiviral antibodies. To limit the viral spread, prompt and precise diagnosis is crucial to facilitate treatment and ensure effective isolation. Accurate detection of antibodies (IgG and IgM) is imperative to understand the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in public and to inspect the proportion of immune individuals. In this review, we demonstrate and evaluate some tests that have been used commonly to detect SARS-CoV-2. These include nucleic acid and serological tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and specific antibodies in infected people. Moreover, the vitality of biosensing technologies emphasizing on optical and electrochemical biosensors toward the detection of SARS-CoV-2 has also been discussed here. The early diagnosis of COVID-19 based on detection of reactive oxygen species overproduction because of virus-induced dysfunctioning of lung cells has also been highlighted.     

自催化三分子模型内噪声随机共振

The stochastic resonance in chemical reaction systems has recently attracted growing attentions. Using chemical Langevin equation,the effect of internal noise has been studied on the dynamical behavior of a single and a one-way coupled cubic autocatalator. For the single system,it is found that the internal noise can induce sustained oscillations,and the signal-to-noise ratio（SNR）undergoes a maximum with the variation of the system size. For the coupled system,the SNR passes through a maximum with changing coupling strengths as well as with changing system sizes,which demonstrates the occurrence of the internal noise stochastic resonance（INSR）and optimal size effect. In the presence or absence of influx into the system,the coupling enhanced or suppressed INSR is found in the coupled system. All cells of the coupled system appear to exhibit INSR at an approximately equal size at a suitable coupling strength,implying that the optimal system size and coupling strength can make the system reach an optimal chemical reaction state.     

Challenges in the electrochemical (bio)sensing of nonelectroactive food and environmental contaminants

Electrochemical detection of nonelectroactive contaminants can be successfully faced via the use of indirect detection strategies. These strategies can provide sensitive and selective responses often coupled with portable and user-friendly analytical tools. Indirect detection strategies are usually based on the change in the signal of an electroactive probe, induced by the presence of the target molecule at a modified electrode. This critical review aims at addressing the developments in indirect electrosensing strategies for nonelectroactive contaminants in food and environmental analysis in the last few years. Emphasis is given to the strategy design, the electrode modifiers used and the feasibility of technological transfer.     

立方形貌ITO粉体的水热法制备及光电性能

以金属In和SnCl_4·5H_2O为原料,采用水热法在120~140℃得到In(OH)_3前驱体,该前驱体在550℃下煅烧得到立方体形貌的氧化铟锡粉体.研究了水热反应温度和反应时间对粉体形貌和晶型的影响.通过热分析仪(TG-DSC)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、拉曼光谱仪(Raman)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、四探针电阻仪、X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)、紫外-可见-近红外分光光度计以及荧光光谱仪对粉体进行了表征,并对水热反应条件为140℃及12 h下制备的c-ITO的光电性能进行了分析.结果表明,随着水热反应温度的升高,ITO粉体形貌由立方体向不规则形貌转变,粉体晶型出现少量的六方相.在水热反应条件为140℃,12 h,铟离子与尿素的摩尔比为1∶5时,得到平均粒径为230 nm的立方体ITO粉体,其电阻率为1.247Ω·cm,光学能带间隙为3.685 e V,与c-In2O3相比其能带间隙更高,室温下260 nm激发波长下粉体出现光致发光,发射峰位于蓝光区域.     

P NMR investigation of a ringing gel phase and adjacent phases

The temperature-surfactant concentration phase diagram was examined for the dodecyltrimethylammonium dimethylphosphate/3-methyl-3-methoxybutanol/water ternary system. The phase diagram contained a highly elastic gel phase which is known as a “ringing gel phase”. The ringing gel phase and adjacent phases in the ternary system were investigated by polarized optical microscopy, freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy, and ³¹P NMR. Globular textures were observed in an optically isotropic gel phase. Since the globules were larger than those found in an isotropic solution, the texture consists of domains of aggregated units in the cubic (I₁) phase. Structure units of domains are equivalent to microemulsions which are constructed by surfactant molecules and swollen by alcohol in the isotropic (L₁) phase. Characteristic polarized microscopic textures were visualized in two phases with higher surfactant concentrations. These phases were identified as being hexagonal (H₁) and lamellar (L) liquid crystals which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The ³¹P NMR signal of the ringing gel showed a sharp singlet the same as that of the L₁ phase, indicating the fully averaged anisotropic interaction of the aggregates. The characteristic NMR signals of the anisotropic hexagonal and lamellar liquid crystal phases displayed chemical shielding with an asymmetric lineshape.     

混合表面活性剂模板法合成立方相介孔含钛氧化硅

自1992年Ｍｏｂｉｌ公司的Ｍ41Ｓ系列介孔氧化硅分子筛问世以来[1,2],借助表面活性剂液晶模板方法合成各种孔结构与不同大小孔径的硅基分子筛材料引起了人们的极大兴趣,目前多数工作仍然集中于六方相的介孔分子筛.具有双连续的三维交织立方排列孔道结构的ＭＣＭ48由于其孔道不易堵塞和良好的骨架结构稳定性[3,4],在催化、吸附和与其为载体的制备等方面具有独特的应用价值.但由于液晶模板形成立方相区的范围非常狭窄,相应的分子堆积比对模板剂分子几何结构要求较苛刻,采用单一表面活性剂为模板剂合成时,条件难以掌握,制备ＭＣＭ48十分困难.Ｈ…