Novel quasi-interpenetrating network/gold nanoparticles composite matrices for DNA sequencing by CE

In order to further improve ssDNA sequencing performances using quasi-interpenetrating network (quasi-IPN) as a matrix composed of linear polyacrylamide (LPA) with lower viscosity-average molecular mass (3.3 MDa) and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA), gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were prepared and added into this quasi-IPN to form polymer/metal composite sieving matrices. The studies of intrinsic viscosity and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on quasi-IPN and quasi-IPN/GNPs indicate that there were interactions between GNPs and polymer chains. The sequencing performances on ssDNA using quasi-IPN and quasi-IPN/GNPs (with different GNPs concentrations) as sieving matrices were studied and compared by CE at different temperatures. The results show that resolutions of quasi-IPN/GNPs were higher than those of quasi-IPN without GNPs and approximated those of quasi-IPN composed of LPA with higher MW (6.5 MDa) and PDMA without GNPs in the bare fused-silica capillaries. Furthermore, the sequencing time of quasi-IPN/GNPs was shorter than that of quasi-IPN under the same sequencing conditions. The influences of GNPs and sequencing temperature on the sequencing performances of ssDNA were also discussed. The separation reproducibility of quasi-IPN/GNPs solution was excellent and its shelf life was more than 8 months.     

Effects of novel quasi-interpenetrating network/gold nanoparticles composite matrices on DNA sequencing performances by CE

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with particle sizes of about 20, 40, and 60 nm were prepared and added into a quasi-interpenetrating network (quasi-IPN) composed of linear polyacrylamide (LPA) with different viscosity-average molecular masses of 1.5, 3.3, and 6.5 MDa and poly-N,N-dimethylacrylamide (PDMA) to form polymer/metal composite matrices, respectively. These novel matrices could improve ssDNA sequencing performances due to interactions between GNPs and polymer chains and the formation of physical cross-linking points as demonstrated by intrinsic viscosities and glass transition temperatures. The effects of the parameters in relation to quasi-IPN/GNPs matrices, such as GNP contents, GNP particle sizes, LPA molecular masses, and solution concentrations, on ssDNA sequencing performances were studied. In the presence of GNPs, the separation had the advantages of high resolution, speediness, excellent reproducibility, long shelf life and easy automation. Therefore, less viscous matrix solutions (with moderate size GNPs) due to lower solution concentration and lower-molecular-mass LPA could be used to replace more viscous solutions (without GNPs) due to higher solution concentration or higher-molecular-mass LPA to separate DNA, while the sieving performances were approximate even higher, which helped to achieve full automation especial for capillary array electrophoresis (CAE) and microchip electrophoresis (MCE).     

A new quasi-interpenetrating network formed by poly(N-acryloyl-tris-(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and polyvinylpyrrolidone: separation matrix for double-stranded DNA and single-stranded DNA fragments by capillary electrophoresis with UV detection

The preparation of a new separation matrix, quasi-interpenetrating networks (quasi-IPNs) formed by poly(N-acryloyl-Tris) (poly(tris-A)) and PVP, and its application for dsDNA and ssDNA fragments separation by CE with UV detection, are presented. This new quasi-IPN exhibited high sieving performance, good dynamic coating ability, and low viscosity. Single-base resolutions of dsDNA fragments (Rs = 0.92 for 123/124 bp) and ssDNA fragments (Rs = 0.65 for 123/124 base, Rs = 0.48 for 309/310 base) were achieved by using the quasi-IPN of poly(tris-A)/PVP (2% + 2%) solution in a 31 cm effective length linear polyacrylamide (LPA)-coated column. Single-base separation of dsDNA fragments (Rs = 0.92 for 123/124 bp) was also obtained within 28 min in a 46.7 cm effective length bare column at higher 160 V/cm electric field strength by using the same quasi-IPN solution. The RSD of the migration time measured for each DNA fragments was less than 1.5% in the bare column for nine continuous runs. The effects of temperature and electric field strength on the DNA separation were also investigated.     

Genotyping of α-thalassemia deletions using multiplex polymerase chain reactions and gold nanoparticle-filled capillary electrophoresis

A gold nanoparticle-filled capillary electrophoresis method combined with three multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) was established for simultaneous diagnosis of five common α-thalassemia deletions, including the -α^3.7 deletion, -α^4.2 deletion, Southeast Asian (- -^SEA), Filipino (- -^FIL) and Thai (- -^THAI) deletions. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were used as a pseudostationary phase to improve the resolution between DNA fragments in a low-viscosity polymer. To achieve the best CE separation, several parameters were evaluated for optimizing the separation conditions, including the capillary coating, the concentrations of polymer sieving matrix, the sizes and concentrations of GNPs, the buffer concentrations, and the pH. The final CE method for separating a 200-base pair (bp) DNA ladder and α-thalassemia deletions used a DB-17 capillary, 0.6% poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) prepared in a mixture of GNP_32nm solution and glycine buffer (25 mM, pH 9.0) (80:20, v/v) as the sieving matrix with 1 μM YO-PRO-1 for fluorescence detection; the applied voltage was −10 kV (detector at anode side) and the separation temperature was 25 °C. Under these optimal conditions, 15 DNA fragments with sizes ranging from 0.2 kb to 3.0 kb were resolved within 11.5 min. The RSDs of migration times were less than 2.81%. A total of 21 patients with α-thalassemia deletions were analyzed using this method, and all results showed good agreement with those obtained by gel electrophoresis.     

Hydrogen-bonding recognition-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles for the determination of the migration of melamine monomers using dynamic light scattering

The migration of melamine monomers from food contact materials has aroused particular attention since the 2008 melamine-tainted milk scandal in China. However, the determination of melamine monomer’s migratory quantity (MMMQ) has remained an open question because of the complex sample pretreatment and the low sensitivity. Based on the hydrogen bonding interaction between DNA thymine and melamine, this paper described a simple and rapid method focusing on the measurement of MMMQ from melamine tableware by gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). With the presence of probe DNA (p-DNA), the GNPs were stable in NaCl solution (0.06 M), whereas they became aggregated when the p-DNA hybridized with melamine. The change in the hydrodynamic diameter of GNPs could be detected by DLS technology. Under the optimal conditions, the average diameter increased linearly with the concentration of melamine over the range from 5.0 to 320.0 μg L⁻¹, and showed a detection limit of 2.0 μg  L⁻¹ (3σ/slope). The MMMQ was investigated within a range from 6.00 × 10⁻⁴ to 2.58 × 10⁻¹ mg dm⁻² (n ≥ 3) in four different food simulants at different temperatures and time points. The results suggest that the DLS method has great potential in the analysis of the migration of melamine monomers.     

N-Methylimidazolium modified magnetic particles as adsorbents for solid phase extraction of genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from genetically modified soybeans

N-Methylimidazolium modified magnetic particles (MIm-MPs) were prepared and applied in the solid phase extraction of genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from genetically modified soybeans. The adsorption of MIm-MPs for DNA mainly resulted from the strong electrostatic interaction between the positively charged MPs and the negatively charged DNA. The elution of DNA from MPs–DNA conjugates using phosphate buffer resulted from the stronger electrostatic interaction of phosphate ions with MPs than DNA. In the extraction procedure, no harmful reagents (e.g. phenol, chloroform and isopropanol, etc.) used, high yield (10.4 μg DNA per 30 mg sample) and high quality (A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀ = 1.82) of DNA can be realized. The as-prepared DNA was used as template for duplex-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the PCR products were analyzed by a sieving capillary electrophoresis method. Quick and high quality extraction of DNA template, and fast and high resolution detection of duplex PCR products can be realized using the developed method. No toxic reagents are used throughout the method.     

Electrochemical study of mono-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene capped on gold nanoparticles: Characterization and application to the design of glucose amperometric biosensor

A novel amperometric glucose sensor based on inclusion complex of mono-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene capped on gold nanoparticles (GNPs/CD-Fc) and glucose oxidase (GOD) was described. The inclusion complex of mono-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene capped on gold nanoparticles played an effective role of an electron shuttle and allowed the detection of glucose at 0.25 V (versus SCE), with dramatically reduced interference from easily oxidizable constituents. The sensor (GNPs/CD-Fc/GOD) showed a relatively fast response time (5 s), low detection limit (15 μM, S/N = 3), and high sensitivity (ca. 18.2 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻²) with a linear range of 0.08-11.5 mM of glucose. The excellent sensitivity was possibly attributed to the presence of the GNPs/CD-Fc film that can provide a convenient electron tunneling between the protein and the electrode. In addition, the biosensor demonstrated high anti-interference ability, stability and natural life. The good stability and natural life can be attributed to the following two aspects: on the one hand, the fabrication process was mild and no damage was made on the enzyme molecule, on the other hand, the GNPs possessed good biocompatibility that could retain the bioactivity of the enzyme molecules immobilized on the electrode.     

Study of interactions between actinomycin D and oligonucleotides by microchip electrophoresis and ESI-MS

In the present study, the interactions between actinomycin D (ActD) and single stranded DNA (ssDNA) 5′-CGTAACCAACTGCAACGT-3′ and a duplex stranded DNA (dsDNA) with this sequence were investigated by microchip-based non-gel sieving electrophoresis and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The ssDNA was designed according to the conserved regions of open reading frame 1b (replicase 1B) following the Tor 2 SARS genome sequence of 15611-15593. The binding constants of the interactions between ActD and ssDNA/dsDNA were (8.3 ± 0.32) × 10⁶ M⁻¹ (ssDNA) and (2.8 ± 0.02) × 10⁵ M⁻¹ (dsDNA), respectively, calculated from microchip electrophoresis via Scatchard plot. The binding stoichiometries were 1:1 (single/1ActD molecule) and 1:2 (duplex/2ActD molecules) calculated from microchip electrophoresis, and the results were further verified by ESI-MS. The results obtained by these two methods indicated that ActD bound much more tightly to ssDNA used in this work than dsDNA. Furthermore, this is shown that the microchip-based non-gel sieving electrophoresis method is a rapid, highly sensitive and convenient method for the studies of interactions between DNA and small molecule drugs.     

Chemiluminescence detection of label-free C-reactive protein based on catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles

A novel, quantitative analytical method for measuring C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in human serum has been developed based on the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and luminol-H₂O₂ chemiluminescence (CL). The CL intensity in the presence of CRP and its ligand, O-phosphorylethanolamine (PEA), was greatly enhanced due to the aggregation of GNPs after the addition of 0.5 M NaCl. Any pretreatment steps, such as covalent functionalization of GNPs, addition of antibodies, or labeling of CRP, were not needed for CL detection. The CL enhancement was linearly proportional to CRP concentration in the range of 1.88 fM to 1.925 pM. The detection limit of CRP in serum samples was estimated to be as low as 1.88 fM. The detection sensitivity was increased more than 164 times of magnitude over that of the conventional, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. This proposed GNP-based CL detection method offers the advantages of simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity.     

Quasi-interpenetrating network formed by polyacrylamide and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) used in high-performance DNA sequencing analysis by capillary electrophoresis

Quasi-interpenetrating network (IPN) formed by polyacrylamide and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) was designed, synthesized, and tested as a high-performance DNA separation medium by capillary electrophoresis. The performance of quasi-IPN on DNA sequencing was determined by the acrylamide to dimethylacrylamide molar ratio, polyacrylamide molecular weight, and its size distribution. Under optimal operating conditions, quasi-IPN was able to achieve one-color DNA sequencing up to 1000 bases in 39 min, or 1200 bases in 60 min. Its performance was compared with some of the existing commercialized products, such as POP6 from Applied Biosystems and MegaBACE matrix from Amersham Biosciences. By using the ABI 310 Genetic Analyzer, even without optimized base-calling software, quasi-IPN yielded a read length of up to 700 bases of contiguous sequence (50-750 bases) in 35 min with 99.6% accuracy, or 750 bases of contiguous sequence (50-800 bases) in 37 min with 98.0% accuracy.     

Gold nanoparticle–antibody conjugates for specific extraction and subsequent analysis by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry of malondialdehyde-modified low density lipoprotein as biomarker for cardiovascular risk

Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDLs) like malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) play a major role in atherosclerosis and have been proposed as useful biomarkers for oxidative stress. In this study, gold-nanoparticles (GNPs) were functionalized via distinct chemistries with anti-MDA-LDL antibodies (Abs) for selective recognition and capture of MDA-LDL from biological matrices. The study focused on optimization of binding affinities and saturation capacities of the antiMDA-LDL-Ab-GNP bioconjugate by exploring distinct random and oriented immobilization approaches, such as (i) direct adsorptive attachment of Abs on the GNP surface, (ii) covalent bonding by amide coupling of Abs to carboxy-terminated-pegylated GNPs, (iii) oriented immobilization via oxidized carbohydrate moiety of the Ab on hydrazide-derivatized GNPs and (iv) cysteine-tagged protein A (cProtA)-bonded GNPs. Depending on immobilization chemistry, up to 3 antibodies per GNP could be immobilized as determined by ELISA. The highest binding capacity was achieved with the GNP-cProtA-Ab bioconjugate which yielded a saturation capacity of 2.24 ± 0.04 μg mL⁻¹ GNP suspension for MDA-LDL with an affinity K_d of 5.25 ± 0.11 × 10⁻¹⁰ M. The GNP-cProtA-antiMDA-LDL bioconjugate revealed high specificity for MDA-LDL over copper(II)-oxidized LDL as well as native human LDL. This clearly demonstrates the usefulness of the new GNP-Ab bioconjugates for specific extraction of MDA-LDL from plasma samples as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Their combination as specific immunoextraction nanomaterials with analysis by LC–MS/MS allows sensitive and selective detection of MDA-LDL in complex samples.     

Surface plasmon resonance and electrochemistry characterization of layer-by-layer self-assembled DNA and Zr4+ thin films, and their interaction with cytochrome c

Through electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly, negatively charged calf thymus double stranded DNA (CTds-DNA), and positively charged Zr⁴⁺ ions were alternately deposited on gold substrate modified with chemisorbed cysteamine. Thus-prepared three-dimensional DNA networks were characterized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IR-RAS). SPR spectroscopy indicates that the effective thickness of DNA monolayer in the (DNA/Zr⁴⁺)₁ bilayer was 1.5 ± 0.1 nm, which corresponds to the surface coverage of 79% of its full packed monolayer. At the same time, a linear increase of film thickness with increasing number of layers was also confirmed by SPR characterizations. The data of XPS and IR-RAS show that Zr⁴⁺ ions interact with both the phosphate groups and nitrogenous bases of DNA and load into the framework of DNA. Furthermore, the interactions between this composite film and heme protein cytochrome c (Cyt c) were investigated by SPR spectroscopy and electrochemistry. Compared with the adsorption of Cyt c on DNA monolayer, this composite multilayer film can obviously enhance the amount of immobilized Cyt c confirmed by SPR reflectivity-incident angle (R-θ) curves. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) indicates the Cyt c adsorbed on the composite film is electroactive, and the enhancement of peak current in CV indirectly verifies the increase of the amount of immobilized Cyt c.     

Fluorescent recognition of deoxyribonucleic acids by a quantum dot/meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin complex based on a photo induced electron-transfer mechanism

We have developed a new fluorescent probe of thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) complexed with a model drug, meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (TMPyP) for detecting deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs). This probe operates with an “Off–On” mode: TMPyP quenches the photoluminescence (PL) of QDs via a photo induced electron-transfer (PIET) process; the presence of DNA can break the QD/TMPyP complexation, interrupting the PIET process, and switch on the PL of QDs. Sensitive detection of DNA with the detection limit of 0.16 nM and a linear detection range of 0.25–6.0 nM are achieved. Importantly, this probe can be used to distinguish the binding modes of DNA–TMPyP interactions, exhibiting the DNA sequence-dependent PL recovery behaviors. The obtained binding constant for poly(dA)·poly(dT) is ∼3.30 × 10⁷ L mol⁻¹, which is approximately one order of magnitude larger than those for native DNAs and poly(dG)·poly(dC). Furthermore, the thymine bases preferential of the TMPyP–DNA interaction is proved by this probe.     

Capillary and microchip gel electrophoresis for simultaneous detection of Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella gallinarum by rfbS allele-specific PCR

We report the use of capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) based on a rfbS allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the analysis and simultaneous detection of Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella gallinarum, which are the major bacterial pathogens in poultry. rfbS allele-specific PCR was used to concurrently amplify two specific 147- and 187-bp DNA fragments for the simultaneous detection of S. pullorum and S. gallinarum at an annealing temperature of 54 ± 1 °C and an MgCl₂ concentration of 2.8-5.6 mM. Under an electric field of 333.3 V/cm and a sieving matrix of 1.0% poly(ethyleneoxide) (M_r 600 000), the amplified PCR products were analyzed within 6 min by CGE separation. This CGE assay could be translated to microchip format using programmed field strength gradients (PFSG). In the microchip gel electrophoresis with PFSG, both of the Salmonella analyses were completed within 30 s, without decreasing the resolution efficiency. rfbS allele-specific PCR-microchip gel electrophoresis with the PFSG technique might be a new tool for the simultaneous detection of both S. pullorum and S. gallinarum, due to its ultra-speed and high efficiency.     

Preparation and characterization of graphite nano-platelet (GNP)/epoxy nano-composite: Mechanical,electrical and thermal properties

Epoxy based polymer nano-composite was prepared by dispersing graphite nano-platelets (GNPs) using two different techniques: three-roll mill (3RM) and sonication combined with high speed shear mixing (Soni_hsm). The influence of addition of GNPs on the electrical and thermal conductivity, fracture toughness and storage modulus of the nano-composite was investigated. The GNP/epoxy prepared by 3RM technique showed a maximum electrical conductivity of 1.8 × 10⁻⁰³ S/m for 1.0 wt% which is 3 orders of magnitude higher than those prepared by Soni_hsm. The percentage of increase in thermal conductivity was only 11% for 1.0 wt% and 14% for 2.0 wt% filler loading. Dynamic mechanical analysis results showed 16% increase in storage modulus for 0.5 wt%, although the Tg did not show any significant increase. Single edge notch bending (SENB) fracture toughens (K_IC) measurements were carried out for different weight percentage of the filler content. The toughening effect of GNP was most significant at 1.0 wt% loading, where a 43% increase in K_IC was observed. Among the two different dispersion techniques, 3RM process gives the optimum dispersion where both electrical and mechanical properties are better.     

Copper(II) complexes of N4 tetradentate ligands with flexible alkyl spacers: Crystal structure,DNA binding and cleavage studies

Mononuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu L1] (ClO₄)₂ (1), [Cu L2] (ClO₄)₂ (2) and [Cu L3] (ClO₄)₂ (3) with quadridentate Schiff base ligands L1 (N,N′-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-butane-1,4-diimine), L2 (N,N′-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-pentane-1,5-diimine) and L3 (N,N′-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-hexane-1,6-diimine) have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure data of 1 reveals the existence of the complex in two different geometries, namely a square pyramid and a distorted octahedron, which eventually leads to the packing of the molecule into helical and anti-parallel structures respectively. Absorption titration studies with calf thymus DNA for all three complexes are suggestive of groove binding with binding constant values for 1, 2 and 3 being 2.6 ± 0.2 × 10⁴ M⁻¹, 11.5 ± 0.2 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ and 1.83 ± 0.2 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ respectively. Control cleavage experiments using pBR 322 plasmid DNA and distamycin suggest minor groove binding for these complexes. In the presence of ascorbic acid, the complexes show efficient DNA cleavage, the order of efficiency being 1 > 2 ≅ 3.     

Electrochemical DNA biosensor for the detection of short DNA species of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia by using methylene blue

A novel assay for the voltammetric detection of 18-bases DNA sequences relating to Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML, Type b3a2) using methylene blue (MB) as the hybridization indicator was reported. DNA was covalently attached onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) through amines of the DNA bases using N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (NHS) and N-(3-dimethylamion)propyl-N′-ethyl carbodiimidehydrochloride (EDC). The covalently immobilized single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) could selectively hybridize with its complementary DNA (cDNA) in solution to form double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) on the surface. A significant increase of the peak current for methylene blue upon the hybridization of immobilized ssDNA with cDNA in the solution was observed. This peak current change was used to monitor the recognition of CML DNA sequence. This electrochemical approach is sequence specific as indicated by the control experiments in which no peak current change was observed if a non-complementary DNA sequence was used. Factors, such as DNA target concentration and hybridization conditions determining the sensitivity of the electrochemical assay were investigated. Under optimal conditions, this sensor has a good calibration range between 1.25 × 10⁻⁷ and 6.75 × 10⁻⁷ M, with CML DNA sequence detection limit of 5.9 × 10⁻⁸ M.     

Effect of quasi‐interpenetrating network of polyacrylamide and poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) on separation of dsDNA fragments and basic protein using CE

Quasi‐interpenetrating network (quasi‐IPN) of linear polyacrylamide (LPA) with low molecular mass and poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA), which is shown to uniquely combine the superior sieving ability of LPA with the coating ability of PDMA, has been synthesized for application in dsDNA and basic protein separation by CE. The performance of quasi‐IPN on dsDNA separation was determined by polymer concentration, electric field strength, LPA molecular masses and different acrylamide (AM) to N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMA) ratio. The results showed that all fragments in Φ×174/HaeIII digest were achieved with a 30 cm effective capillary length at –6 kV at an appropriate polymer solution concentration in bare silica capillaries. Furthermore, EOF measurement results showed that quasi‐IPN exhibited good capillary coating ability, via adsorption from aqueous solution, efficiently suppressing EOF. The effect of the buffer pH values on the separation of basic proteins was investigated in detail. The separation efficiencies and analysis reproducibility demonstrated the good potentiality of quasi‐IPN matrix for suppressing the adsorption of basic proteins onto the silica capillary wall. In addition, when quasi‐IPN was used both as sieving matrix and dynamic coating in bare silica capillaries, higher peak separation efficiencies, and better migration time reproducibility were obtained.     

Study on superabsorbent composite. III. Swelling behaviors of polyacrylamide/attapulgite composite based on acidified attapulgite and organo-attapulgite

A novel kind of salt-resistant superabsorbent composite, polyacrylamide/attapulgite, from acrylamide (AM) and attapulgite (APT) was prepared by free-radical aqueous polymerization, using N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator. The organification of APT with hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMABr) was proved by FTIR and XRD. The effects of acidified APT (H⁺-APT), organo-APT (HDTMABr-APT) and the content of APT in the superabsorbent composite on the water absorbency and the initial swelling rate for the superabsorbent composite in distilled water and in various saline solutions were studied. The effects of incorporated HDTMABr-APT and H⁺-APT on the reswelling ability of the superabsorbent composites were investigated. The results indicate that the incorporation of APT had remarkable influence on the improvement of water absorbency and swelling rate of the composites. Comparing with the composite doped with H⁺-APT, the water absorbency for the composite doped with 10 wt% HDTMABr-APT was enhanced from 2140 g g⁻¹ to 2800 g g⁻¹ in distilled water and from 100 g g⁻¹ to 121 g g⁻¹ in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution, respectively. The water absorbency of the composites in various saline solutions decreased with the increasing concentration, especially for the multivalent cations. In addition, the reswelling ability of the superabsorbent composites is also improved evidently by adding a small amount of HDTMABr-APT into the composite, comparing with that of incorporated with H⁺-APT.     

Simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid,dopamine, uric acid and tryptophan on gold nanoparticles/overoxidized-polyimidazole composite modified glassy carbon electrode

A novel electrode was developed through electrodepositing gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on overoxidized-polyimidazole (PImox) film modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The combination of GNPs and the PImox film endowed the GNPs/PImox/GCE with good biological compatibility, high selectivity and sensitivity and excellent electrochemical catalytic activities towards ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA) and tryptophan (Trp). In the fourfold co-existence system, the peak separations between AA–DA, DA–UA and UA–Trp were large up to 186, 165 and 285 mV, respectively. The calibration curves for AA, DA and UA were obtained in the range of 210.0–1010.0 μM, 5.0–268.0 μM and 6.0–486.0 μM with detection limits (S/N = 3) of 2.0 μM, 0.08 μM and 0.5 μM, respectively. Two linear calibrations for Trp were obtained over ranges of 3.0–34.0 μM and 84.0–464.0 μM with detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.7 μM. In addition, the modified electrode was applied to detect AA, DA, UA and Trp in samples using standard addition method with satisfactory results.