Colorimetric detection of lysozyme based on its effect on the growth of gold nanoparticles induced by the reaction of chloroauric acid and hydroxylamine

The authors have developed a straightforward colorimetric method for the rapid determination of lysozyme by using citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with different particle sizes but without any further surface modification. It is found that AuNPs (15 nm i.d.) undergo aggregation in the presence of lysozyme owing to the high abundance of amino groups in lysozyme. Aggregation leads to a color change of the solution from red over purple to bluish-purple that can be detected visually or by photometry. The limit of detection is 20 nM. We further show that the use of AuNPs with 5 and 15 nm i.d. can improve the sensitivity of the assay compared to using bare AuNPs by adding HAuCl₄ and NH₂OH to the solution which induces the growth of AuNPs and leads to a smaller interparticle space between AuNPs. This gives rise to differently colored solutions, with color transitions from red to bluish-purple to colorless. The LODs are 0.1 nM for both the 5-nm and 15-nm AuNPs. Compared to the LOD when using a solution of 15-nm AuNPs and without chloroauric acid and hydroxylamine, the LOD (0.1 nM) is lower by a factor of 200. The method is sensitive, specific, and does not require sophisticated equipment. Its feasibility was demonstrated by analyzing lysozyme in samples of egg white.

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Graphical abstract We utilized 4 kinds of gold AuNPs with different particle sizes (5, 15, 30, and 50 nm) as colorimetric probes for lysozyme analysis.

     

Colorimetric determination of radical scavenging activity of antioxidants using Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles

We report the first use of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ MNPs) as a novel, alternative, simple and reliable agents for colorimetric measurement of radical scavenging activity of the antioxidants. In the presence of H₂O₂ and the peroxidase colorimetric substrate, Fe₃O₄ MNPs catalyzed the oxidation of colorless peroxidase substrate to form colorimetric products via the generation of hydroxyl radicals. After adding antioxidants, the catalytic activity of Fe₃O₄ MNPs was inhibited due to scavenging of hydroxyl radicals by the antioxidants, producing less colorimetric products resulting in the reduction of color intensity. Two model antioxidant standards including gallic acid (GA) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) were successfully evaluated for their hydroxyl radical scavenging activity using the developed assay. The performance of the developed method was validated against traditional antioxidant assays for 9 tea samples. Using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient method, the antioxidant activity of tea samples obtained from the Fe₃O₄ MNP assay correlated well with the traditional assays at the 95% confidence level. Furthermore, the developed assay was successfully carried out on a paper-based device to provide for high throughput analysis with low amounts of reagents and sample consumption and low analysis cost for screening of radical scavenging activity of the antioxidants. The results from the analysis of antioxidant activity in tea samples obtained from the Fe₃O₄ MNP paper-based assay were not significantly different to those obtained from the developed Fe₃O₄ MNP spectrophotometric assay indicating that the developed assay was also applicable in a low-cost analysis platform.     

Preparation and nonlinear optical properties of Au nanoparticles doped TiO2 thin films

Nano-sized noble metal nanoparticles doped dielectric composite films with large third-order nonlinear susceptibility due to the confinement and the enhancement of local field were considered to be applied for optical information processing devices, such as optical switch or all optical logical gates. In this paper, sol–gel titania thin films doped with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, ~10 nm in average size) were prepared. AuNPs were firstly synthesized from HAuCl₄ in aqueous solution at ~60 °C, using trisodium citrate as the reducing agent, polyvinylpyrrolidone as the stable agent; then the particle size and optical absorption spectra of the AuNPs in aqueous solutions were characterized by transmitting electron microscopy and UV–Vis–NIR spectrometry. Sol–gel 2AuNPs–100TiO₂ (in %mol) thin films (5 layers, ~1 μm in thickness) were deposited on silica glass slides by multilayer dip-coating. After heat-treated at 300–1,000 °C in air, the AuNPs–TiO₂ thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The nonlinear optical properties of the AuNPs–TiO₂ thin films were measured with the Z-scan technique, using a femtosecond laser (200 fs) at the wavelength of 800 nm. The third-order nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient of 2AuNPs–100TiO₂ films were at the order of 10^?12 cm²/W, and the order of 10^?6 cm/W, respectively, and the third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ was ~6.88 × 10^?10 esu.     

Determination of Trifloxystrobin,Tebufenozide, and Halofenozide in Foods by Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography

A simple and rapid micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography method of trifloxystrobin, tebufenozide, and halofenozide has been developed. The separation was performed in a 10 mM borate-18 mM SDS buffer solution (pH = 9.0), containing 22.5% v/v of acetonitrile, 25 kV and detection at 202 nm. The linear concentration range of application was 0.5–10.0 mg L^?1, with a detection limit of 0.094 mg kg^?1 for trifloxystrobin and 0.088 mg kg^?1 for tebufenozide and halofenozide. Analysis yielded good reproducibility (RSD between 1.7–8.7%). The applicability of the method was tested by analyzing several fortified samples of tomato, celery, and apple juices. Recovery levels were between 70.0 and 110.8%.     

Colorimetric determination of ofloxacin using unmodified aptamers and the aggregation of gold nanoparticles

A colorimetric method is presented for the determination of the antibiotic ofloxacin (OFL) in aqueous solution. It is based on the use of an aptamer and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). In the absence of OFL, the AuNPs are wrapped by the aptamer and maintain dispersed even at the high NaCl concentrations. The solution with colloidally dispersed AuNPs remains red and has an absorption peak at 520 nm. In the presence of OFL, it will bind to the aptamer which is then released from the AuNPs. Hence, AuNPs will aggregate in the salt solution, and color gradually turns to blue, with a new absorption peak at 650 nm. This convenient and specific colorimetric assay for OFL has a linear response in the 20 to 400 nM OFL concentration range and a 3.4 nM detection limit. The method has a large application potential for OFL detection in environmental and biological samples.

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Graphical abstract Schematic of a sensitive and simple colorimetric aptasensor for ofloxacin (OFL) detection in tap water and synthesic urine. The assay is based on the salt-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles which results in a color change from red to purple.

     

A simple AuNPs-based colorimetric aptasensor for chlorpyrifos detection

In this work, a simple gold nanoparticles(Au NPs) based colorimetric biosensor was developed for chlorpyrifos(Chl) detection using an aptamer as the capture probe. The Chl-aptamer with low dissociation constant(Kd) of 58.59 ± 6.08 nmol/L was selected by ss DNA library immobilized systematic evolution of ligands by enrichment(SELEX). In the absence of Chl, the Chl-aptamer acted as the stabilizer for Au NPs in salt solution. In the presence of Chl, the highly specific Chl-aptamer bound with Chl ta...     

Chemical composition,N-nitrosamine inhibition and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of essential oil from Coreopsis tinctoria flowering tops

Coreopsis tinctoria flowering (CTF) tops from the Kunlun Mountains in Xinjing (north-western China) have been used for tea production for about a century. This study was to assess antioxidant, nitrite-scavenging and N-nitrosamine inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil extracted from CTF tops. The essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation and its chemical compositions were analysed by GC–MS. Seventy compounds of the oil were identified, representing 81.87% of total oil. The antioxidant capacities of the oil with IC₅₀ values for scavenging DPPH and ABTS were 287.66 ± 12.60 and 1.251 ± 0.127 μg mL^? 1, respectively. The nitrite-scavenging and N-nitrosamine inhibitory activities (IC₅₀) were 0.3912 ± 0.0127 and 0.6564 ± 0.036 μg mL^? 1, respectively. The oil has a certain antimicrobial capacity, but its capacity was weaker than that of penicillinG (24 μg mL^? 1). The oil showed antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities and had a stronger nitrite-scavenging and N-nitrosamine inhibitory properties.     

Determination of galacturonic acid content in pectin from fruit juices by liquid chromatographydiode array detection-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is applied for the determination of galacturonic acid (GA) of pectins in different commercial fruit juices. The separation was carried out on a C₁₈ column using precolumn derivatization with p-aminobenzoic acid (p-ABA) and UV detection at 304 nm. The identification of GA was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) in positive ion mode. The concentration of GA in the samples analyzed ranged from 12.9 ± 0.5 to 49.4 ± 0.5 mg_GA L⁻¹. Amongst the samples analyzed, mango juice was found to be richest in GA content, and therefore a good source of pectins. Detection and quantification limits of the described methodology were 1.2 and 3.9 mg L⁻¹, respectively. Quantitative GA recoveries in the beverages had a range between 90 and 98%. The results showed that the HPLC method proposed was precise and suitable for the identification and quantification of GA in commercial fruit juices.     

Comparative study on the antioxidant activities of extracts of Coreopsis tinctoria flowering tops from Kunlun Mountains,Xinjiang, north-western China

Coreopsis tinctoria flowering tops (CTFs) from the Kunlun Mountains in Xinjing (north-western China) have been used for tea production for about a century. This study aims to assess the antioxidant activities and total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents of various solvent extracts of CTF. CTF was extracted using n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, 75% aqueous ethanol (AEE) and water. The antioxidant activities of the CTF extracts were investigated through DPPH, ABTS, ^*OH, ^*O₂^? , total antioxidant capacity and reducing power assays. The results showed that n-butanol extract showed the highest contents of total phenols and flavonoids, with DPPH, ABTS and ^*OH radical-scavenging activities with IC₅₀ values of 134, 90.72 and 13.8 μg mL^? 1, respectively. The AEE demonstrated the strongest DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities, with IC₅₀ values of 103 and 75.16 μg mL^? 1, respectively. Given its high antioxidant effect, CTF is a good source of natural antioxidants or functional food materials.     

Extract from Eugenia punicifolia is an Antioxidant and Inhibits Enzymes Related to Metabolic Syndrome

The present study aimed to investigate in vitro biological activities of extract of Eugenia punicifolia leaves (EEP), emphasizing the inhibitory activity of enzymes related to metabolic syndrome and its antioxidant effects. The antioxidant activity was analyzed by free radicals scavengers in vitro assays: DPPH·, ABTS^·+, O₂ ^·?, and NO· and a cell-based assay. EEP were tested in inhibitory colorimetric assays using α-amylase, α-glucosidase, xanthine oxidase, and pancreatic lipase enzymes. The EEP exhibited activity in ABTS^·+, DPPH·, and O₂ ^·? scavenger (IC₅₀?=?10.5?±?1.2, 28.84?±?0.54, and 38.12?±?2.6 μg/mL), respectively. EEP did not show cytotoxic effects, and it showed antioxidant activity in cells in a concentration-dependent manner. EEP exhibited inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and xanthine oxidase activities in vitro assays (IC₅₀?=?122.8?±?6.3; 2.9?±?0.1; 23.5?±?2.6), respectively; however, EEP did not inhibit the lipase activity. The findings supported that extract of E. punicifolia leaves is a natural antioxidant and inhibitor of enzymes, such as α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and xanthine oxidase, which can result in a reduction in the carbohydrate absorption rate and decrease of risks factors of cardiovascular disease, thereby providing a novel dietary opportunity for the prevention of metabolic syndrome.     

Flow Injection Analysis Determination of Ascorbic Acid with Spectrofluorimetric Detection

Abstract

A flow injection system for the fluorescence determination of low level of ascorbic acid is proposed. The method is based on the rapid oxidation of ascorbic acid by thallium(I). The fluorescence signal at 419 nm is proportional to the amount of ascorbic acid in the range of (1.4–28.0) × 10^?7 mole. The relative standard deviations for ten replicate measurements of 1.4 × 10^?6 mole of ascorbic acid was 1.3%. The sample rate of 45 ± 5 sample per hour was achieved. The usefulness of the method was tested in the determination of ascorbic acid in fruit juices and vitamin C tablets.     

Preparation,characterization and catalytic activity of biomaterial-supported copper nanoparticles

Synthesis of copper nanoparticles was carried out with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) as a support by reducing CuSO₄·5H₂O ions using hydrazine. Ascorbic acid and aqueous NaOH were also used as an antioxidant and pH controller, respectively. The synthesized copper nanoparticles supported on NCC (CuNPs@NCC) were characterized by UV–vis, XRD, TEM, XRF, TGA, DSC, N₂ adsorption-desorption method at 77 K and FTIR. The UV–vis confirmed the formation and stability of the CuNPs, which indicated that the maximum absorbance of CuNPs@NCC was at 590 nm due to the surface plasmon absorption of CuNPs. Morphological characterization clearly showed the formation of a spherical structure of the CuNPs with the mean diameter and standard deviation of 2.71 ± 1.12 nm. Similarly, XRD showed that the synthesized CuNPs@NCC was of high purity. The thermal analysis showed that the CuNPs@NCC exhibited better thermal behaviors than NCC. BET surface area revealed that the N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms of CuNPs@NCC featured a type IV isotherm with an H3 hysterisis loop. This chemical method is simple, cost effective, and environmentally friendly. Compared to NCC-supported CuNPs and unsupported CuNPs, the as-prepared CuNPs@NCC exhibit a superior catalytic activity and high sustainability for the reduction of methylene blue with NaBH₄ in aqueous solution at room temperature. The CuNPs@NCC achieved complete reduction of MB with completion time, rate constant and correlation coefficient (R ²) of 12 min, 0.7421 min^?1 and 0.9922, respectively.     

Synergetic effect of Prussian blue film with gold nanoparticle graphite–wax composite electrode for the enzyme-free ultrasensitive hydrogen peroxide sensor

Enzyme-free amperometric ultrasensitive determination of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was investigated using a Prussian blue (PB) film-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) graphite–wax composite electrode. A stable PB film was obtained on graphite surface through 2-aminoethanethiol (AET)-capped AuNPs by a simple approach. Field emission scanning electron microscope studies results in formation of PB nanoparticle in the size range of 60–80 nm. Surface modification of PB film on AET–AuNPs–GW composite electrode was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy studies. Highly sensitive determination of H₂O₂ at a peak potential of ?0.10 V (vs. SCE) in 0.1 M KCl PBS, pH?=?7.0) at a scan rate of 20 mVs^?1 with a sensitivity of 23.58 μA/mM was observed with the modified electrode using cyclic voltammetry. The synergetic effect of PB film with AuNPs has resulted in a linear range of 0.05 to 7,800 μM with a detection limit of 0.015 μM for H₂O₂ detection with the present electrode. Chronoamperometric studies recorded for the successive additions of H₂O₂ with the modified electrode showed an excellent linearity (R ²?=?0.9932) in the range of 4.8?×?10^?8 to 7.4?×?10^?8 M with a limit of detection of 1.4?×?10^?8 M. Selective determination of H₂O₂ in presence of various interferents was successfully demonstrated. Human urine samples and stain remover solutions were also investigated for H₂O₂ content.     

Antioxidant potential and authenticity of some commercial fruit juices studied by EPR and IRMS

Antioxidant status of foods, plant, or fruit products is generally characterized by means of spectroscopic methods. Methods like HPLC, UV-VIS, or MS spectroscopy are used to understand the chemical and physical properties of different samples, and also EPR spectroscopy seems to be a valuable tool to characterize antioxidant activity of juice beverages. In this technique, certain antioxidants present in fruit juices interact with free radicals interrupting the chain reaction that can possibly damage essential molecules. Recording the EPR signal decay caused by the reaction with a natural or artificial reducing agent, it is possible to draw conclusions about the antioxidant capability of materials. IRMS is a powerful tool to distinguish between an authentic fruit juice and a juice obtained by concentrate dilution. This technique allows also the detection of commercial C₄ cane or corn derived sugar syrups in C₃ fruit juices. In the present study, four commercial fruit juices were investigated using stable isotope measurements (oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon) and EPR measurements in order to check the correct labeling in the Romanian markets and to compare antioxidant activity of the studied juices and the reference. It was proven that the number of paramagnetic species decreases in time with different reaction rates and this was correlated with the antioxidant activity of the studied juices. Stable isotope ratio measurements have demonstrated that the fruit juices studied were reconstructed from concentrates with tap water, according to their label.     

Identification and in vitro antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds isolated from Cynoglossum cheirifolium L.

In an extensive search for bioactive compounds from plant sources, the quantitative and qualitative characterisation of the compounds present in Cynoglossum cheirifolium extracts was studied. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by spectrophotometric techniques. In vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging profiling was determined through DPPH^? scavenging activity and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Our study showed that leaves produce more phenolic compounds, followed by flowering aerial part. The butanolic fraction obtained from leaves extract exhibited the highest total phenolics (78.65 ± 3.58 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoids (22.15 ± 4.66 mg CE/g DW). In contrast, this fraction displayed the highest DPPH^? scavenging ability with IC₅₀ values of 0.06 ± 0.003 mg/mL. The RP-HPLC-PDA analysis of phenolic compounds from leaves of C. cheirifolium lets to identify: rosmarinic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid and rutin. The obtained results indicate that this plant represent a valuable source of natural antioxidants.     

Novel PEI–AuNPs–MnIIIPPIX nanocomposite with enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity in aqueous media

Mn porphyrin provides a possibility to constitute the novel mimic catalyst with peroxidase-like activity. A simple method for preparing a novel catalyst PEI–AuNPs–Mn^IIIPPIX, used in aqueous media, was presented in this paper. The covalent anchoring of Mn^IIIPPIX and PEI were verified, meanwhile gold nanoparticles with the diameter less than 10 nm were dispersed uniformly and stably. The remarkable peroxidase-like catalytic activity of PEI–AuNPs–Mn^IIIPPIX was displayed in the oxidative degradation of azo dye acid orange 7 (AO7) as the model reaction in the presence of trace of H₂O₂. The synergistic effects of PEI–AuNPs and Mn^IIIPPIX on the enhancement of catalytic activity were observed at pH 2.0. Possible pathways involving in the formation of active radicals are proposed. The construction of PEI–AuNPs–Mn^IIIPPIX nanocomposite offers a new insight into the application of Mn porphyrin upon activation of H₂O₂, which have potential applications in many fields.     

Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of Functional Gold Nanoparticle–Polymer Hybrids Using Ionic Block Copolymers as a Nanoreactor

A highly versatile approach to fabricate functional gold nanoparticle (AuNP)‐polymer hybrids is demonstrated by employing sulfonated block copolymers. The 3–5 nm sized ionic domain of the sulfonated poly(styrene‐block‐methylbutylene) (S_nMB_m) copolymers can be utilized as a nanoreactor where the Au ions can be selectively sequestered and reduced to AuNPs using a simple photochemical method. The size of the AuNPs can be adjusted in fine‐steps from 2.0 ± 0.3 to 3.9 ± 0.5 nm by changing the sulfonation levels of the S_nMB_m copolymers. Remarkably, significantly improved methanol oxidation properties are achieved with the hybrid materials owing to the ion conducting–SO₃H groups and the interconnected network of AuNPs confined within the self‐assembled microstructures, which provides electronic conductivity.     

Evaluation and Application of the Internal Standard Technique for the Direct Determination of Copper in Fruit Juices Employing Fast Sequential Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

The present paper describes the evaluation and application of internal standard for the determination of copper in fruit juices, employing Fast Sequential Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FS FAAS). The internal standards tested were indium, cobalt, and nickel using correlation graphs. However, indium was used, considering the composition of the samples. After this step, copper was determined in fruit juices using indium as internal standard. This method allows the determination of copper with a limit of quantification of 0.011 mg L^?1. The fruit juice samples selected for analysis were of grape, orange, pineapple, peach, cashew, and strawberry. The contents of copper in these samples varied from 0.02 to 0.42 mg L^?1. The analytical results were compared with the results obtained by analysis of these samples after complete mineralization using acid digestion and determination employing FS FAAS. The statistical comparison by a t-test (95% confidence level) showed no significant difference between the results. The relative standard deviations (RSD) with and without the use of the internal standard for a copper solution containing 0.4 mg L^?1 were of 0.62 and 1.94%, respectively. The use of indium as internal standard provided more accurate analytical results, as well as better analytical performance for the determination of copper in juice samples.     

Study of Tea Digitized Chromatographic Fingerprint Spectra Using Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography

IntroductionTeaisthemostwidelyconsumedbeverageinpeople’slife .Theheightenedpopularityofthisbeveragethroughouttheworldinrecentyearsmaybedueinparttotheevidenceofarelationshipbetweenteaconsumptionandpreventionofcertainformsofhumandisease .Themaincomponentsofteaarepolyphenoliccompounds ,commonlyknownascatechins ,whichrepresentagroupofcom poundsbelongingtotheflavonoidfamily .Thesecom poundsarewidelydistributedinthetealeavesandconsti tuteupto 30 %ofthedryleafweight.1Muchinteresthasbeenfocusedoncat…     

Ethanolics extracts of Moringa

The use of natural antioxidants has been widely promoted in the food industry, because it is economically viable and very attractive with consumers. In this study, we determined the extractable total phenolic content (FET) of crude ethanol extracts of the leaves (EL), flowers, and seed pods of Moringa oleifera Lam. We also evaluated the antioxidant effect of the extracts on oxidative stability of soybean oil, through the accelerated PDSC and Rancimat^® techniques using the synthetic antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) as positive control. The values of FET in the extracts ranged from 41.75 ± 3.35 to 53.69 ± 1.00 mg GAE g^?1, and EL extract exhibited best result. The results of oxidative stability in both techniques showed that the EL extract provided greater protection to the oil, indicating a correlation between the amount of FET and the protective effect. Comparison made between the synthetic antioxidants and extracts revealed that in the Rancimat technique, extracts were less effective than the synthetic antioxidants TBHQ and BHT, however, in the PDSC technique the EL extract was more effective than BHT, proving to be a good alternative for applications in the soybean oil, replacing this synthetic antioxidant.