Magnetic Fe3O4@Au composite-enhanced surface plasmon resonance for ultrasensitive detection of magnetic nanoparticle-enriched α-fetoprotein

Small molecules or analytes present at low concentrations are difficult to detect directly using conventional surface plasmon resonance (SPR) techniques because only small changes in the refractive index of the medium are typically induced by the binding of these analytes. Here, we present an amplification technique using core–shell Fe₃O₄@Au magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for an SPR bioassay. To evaluate this amplification effect, a novel SPR sensor based on a sandwich immunoassay was developed to detect α-fetoprotein (AFP) by immobilizing a primary AFP antibody (Ab₁) on the surface of a 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate/chitosan-ferrocene/Au NP (MPS/CS-Fc/Au NP) film employing Fe₃O₄@Au–AFP secondary antibody conjugates (Fe₃O₄@Au–Ab₂) as the amplification reagent. The stepwise fabrication of the biosensor was characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. A calibration curve of Fe₃O₄@Au–Ab₂ conjugates amplification for AFP detection was obtained to yield a correlation in the range of 1.0–200.0 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 0.65 ng mL⁻¹, and a significant increase in sensitivity was therefore afforded through the use of Fe₃O₄@Au–Ab₂ conjugates as an amplifier. This magnetic separation and amplification strategy has great potential for the detection of other biomolecules of interest with low interference and high sensitivity by changing the antibody label used in the Fe₃O₄@Au–antibody conjugates.     

Magnetically assisted solid phase extraction using Fe3O4 nanoparticles combined with enhanced spectrofluorimetric detection for aflatoxin M1 determination in milk samples

A novel, facile and inexpensive solid phase extraction (SPE) method using ethylene glycol bis-mercaptoacetate modified 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-1-propanethiol grafted Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles coupled with spectrofluorimetric detection was proposed for determination of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in liquid milk samples. The method uses the advantage fluorescence enhancement by β-cyclodexterin complexation of AFM1 in 12% (v/v) acetonitrile–water and the remarkable properties of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles namely high surface area and strong magnetization were utilized to achieve high enrichment factor (57) and satisfactory extraction recoveries (91–102%) using only 100 mg of magnetic adsorbent. Furthermore, fast separation time of about 15 min avoids many time-consuming column-passing procedures of conventional SPE. The main factors affecting extraction efficiency including pH value, desorption conditions, extraction/desorption time, sample volume, and adsorbent amount were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, a wide linear range of 0.04–8 ng mL⁻¹ with a low detection limit of 0.015 ng mL⁻¹ was obtained. The developed method was applied for extraction and preconcentration of AFM1 in three commercially available milk samples and the results were compared with the official AOAC method.     

In situ hydrothermal growth of ZnO/g-C3N4 nanoflowers coated solid-phase microextraction fibers coupled with GC-MS for determination of pesticides residues

In this paper, Zinc oxide (ZnO) hybridized with graphite-like C₃N₄ (ZnO/g-C₃N₄) nanoflowers based solid phase microextraction (SPME) coating was prepared on fiber using in situ hydrothermal growth method for gas chromatographic -mass spectrum (GC- MS) separation and analysis target analytes in complex matrixes for the first time. The proposed hybrid ZnO/g-C₃N₄ fiber exhibited wide linearity for the pesticide residues in range of 0.003–5.0 ng mL⁻¹. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.001–0.0025 ng mL⁻¹. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for three replicate extractions using one fiber was ranged from 2.3% to 7.6%. The fiber to fiber RSD was 5.3–11.3% (n = 3). This method was successfully used for simultaneous determination of nine pesticide residues in cucumber, pear, Green tea and Minjiang water with satisfactory recoveries of 79.1–103.5%. These results indicated that the ZnO/g-C₃N₄ composite provided a promising alternative in sample pretreatment and analysis.     

Chitosan–iron oxide nanobiocomposite based immunosensor for ochratoxin-A

The rabbit immunoglobulin antibodies (IgGs) have been immobilized onto nanobiocomposite film of chitosan (CH)–iron oxide (Fe₃O₄₎ nanoparticles prepared onto indium–tin oxide (ITO) electrode for detection of ochratoxin-A (OTA). Excellent film forming ability and availability of –NH₂ group in CH and affinity of surface charged Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles for oxygen support the immobilization of IgGs. Differential pulse voltammettry (DPV) studies indicate that Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles provide increased electroactive surface area for loading of IgGs and improved electron transport between IgGs and electrode. IgGs/CH–Fe₃O₄ nanobiocomposite/ITO immunoelectrode exhibits improved characteristics such as low detection limit (0.5 ng dL⁻¹), fast response time (18 s) and high sensitivity (36 μA/ng dL⁻¹ cm⁻²) with respect to IgGs/CH/ITO immunoelectrode.     

Facile synthesis of multifunctional attapulgite/Fe3O4/polyaniline nanocomposites for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction of benzoylurea insecticides in environmental water samples

In this study, the superparamagnetic attapulgite/Fe₃O₄/polyaniline (ATP/Fe₃O₄/PANI) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by a one-pot method. Fe (III) was applied as both the oxidant for the oxidative polymerization of aniline and the single iron source of Fe₃O₄ formed by the redox reaction between aniline and Fe (III). The ATP/Fe₃O₄/PANI was used as sorbent for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (MDSPE) of benzoylurea insecticides (BUs) in environmental water samples. The as-prepared nanocomposite sorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry. Various experimental parameters affecting the ATP/Fe₃O₄/PANI-based MDSPE procedure, including the composition of the nanocomposite sorbents, amount of ATP/Fe₃O₄/PANI nanocomposites, vortex time, pH, and desorption conditions were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, a good linearity was observed for all target analytes, with correlation coefficients (r²) ranging from 0.9985 to 0.9997; the limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.02–0.43 μg L⁻¹, and the recoveries of analytes using the proposed method ranged between 77.37% and 103.69%. The sorbents exhibited an excellent reproducibility in the range of 1.52–5.27% in extracting the five target analytes. In addition, the intra-day and inter-day precision values were found to be in the range of 0.78–6.86% and 1.66–8.41%, respectively. Finally, the proposed ATP/Fe₃O₄/PANI-based MDSPE method was successfully applied to analyze river water samples by rapid preconcentration of BUs.     

Microfluidic paper-based multiplex colorimetric immunodevice based on the catalytic effect of Pd/Fe3O4@C peroxidase mimetics on multiple chromogenic reactions

In this report, a non-toxic method was proposed for the simple synthesis of palladium nanoparticles (Pd)/Fe₃O₄@C peroxidase mimetics by virtue of in situ growth of Pd nanoparticles on Fe₃O₄@C magnetic nanoparticles. And a microfluidic paper-based multiplex colorimetric immunodevice (named α-sheet) was developed by site-selectively immobilizing multiple antigens owing to its intrinsic high-efficiency catalytic activity of peroxidase mimetics to multiple chromogenic reactions. The immunosensor platform was prepared by growing a layer of flower-like gold nanoparticles which could entrap the primary antibodies onto paper sensing zones, and the as-prepared Pd/Fe₃O₄@C peroxidase mimetics was used to label secondary antibodies. In the presence of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine and o-phenylenediamine chromogenic substrates, Pd/Fe₃O₄@C peroxidase mimetics catalyzed chromogenic reactions and showed different colors with respective intensity. To precisely identify the intensity, a piece of black wax printed chromatographic paper with three observing windows (named β-sheet) was flatted on α-sheet. Under the optimal condition, the proposed multiplex colorimetric immunodevice displayed wide linear ranges from 0.005 to 30 ng mL⁻¹ with low detection limits of 1.7 pg mL⁻¹ for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and α-fetoprotein (α-AFP). Meanwhile, the proposed method provided provided a non-toxic, low-cost and promising tool for point-of-care diagnosis.     

Rapid magnetic solid-phase extraction based on magnetite/silica/poly(methacrylic acid–co–ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) composite microspheres for the determination of sulfonamide in milk samples

A novel magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbent, magnetite/silica/poly (methacrylic acid–co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/P(MAA-co-EGDMA)), was developed. This MSPE material was prepared by distillation–precipitation polymerization of MAA and EGDMA in the presence of Fe₃O₄/SiO₂ microspheres with the surface containing abundant reactive double bonds. The resultant sorbent material was characterized by elemental analysis, electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. In this work, eleven sulfonamides (SAs) were selected as model analytes to validate the extraction performance of this new MSPE sorbent. Noticeably, the extraction can be carried out quickly, the extraction time for the SAs onto Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/P(MAA-co-EGDMA) sorbent can be clearly shortened to 0.5 min. The desorption solution of SAs was analyzed by LC–MS/MS, and the results showed that the recoveries of these compounds were in the range of 87.6–115.6%, with relative standard deviations ranging between 0.9% and 10.8%; the limit of detection were in the range of 0.5–49.5 ng/L.     

Polythiophene-coated Fe3O4 superparamagnetic nanocomposite: Synthesis and application as a new sorbent for solid-phase extraction

In the present work, a novel type of superparamagnetic nanosorbent, polythiophene-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@PTh NPs), have been successfully synthesized. The synthesized NPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The synthesized Fe₃O₄@PTh NPs were applied as an efficient sorbent for extraction and preconcentration of several typical plasticizer compounds (di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and dioctyl adipate (DOA)) from environmental water samples. Separation of Fe₃O₄@PTh NPs from the aqueous solution was simply achieved by applying external magnetic field. Separation and determination of the extracted plasticizers was performed by gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC–FID). Several variables affecting the extraction efficiency of the analytes i.e., amount of NPs sorbent, salt concentration, extraction time, and desorption conditions were investigated and optimized. The best working conditions were as follows: amount of sorbent, 100 mg; NaCl concentration, 30% (w/v); sample volume, 45 mL; extraction time, 10 min; and 100 μL of ethyl acetate for desorption of the analytes within 2 min. Under optimized conditions, preconcentration factors for DBP, DEHP, and DOA were obtained as 86, 194, and 213, respectively. The calibration curves were linear (R² > 0.998) in the concentration range of 0.4–100 μg L⁻¹ for both DEHP and DOA and 0.7–100 μg L⁻¹ for DBP. The limits of detection (LODs) were obtained in the range of 0.2–0.4 μg L⁻¹. The intra-day relative standard deviations (RSDs%) based on four replicates were obtained in the range of 4.0–12.3%. The proposed procedure was applied to analysis of water samples including river water, bottled mineral water, and boiling water exposed to polyethylene container (after cooling) and recoveries between 85 and 99% and RSDs lower than 12.8% were obtained.     

Quenched electrochemiluminescence of Ag nanoparticles functionalized g-C3N4 by ferrocene for highly sensitive immunosensing

In this paper, a novel sandwich electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was constructed by ferrocene for quenching Ag nanoparticles functionalized g-C₃N₄ (Ag@g-C₃N₄) emission. The prepared Ag@g-C₃N₄ had strong and stable ECL signals compared to pure g-C₃N₄ and primary antibody (Ab₁) can be immobilized on Ag@g-C₃N₄ by adsorption of Ag nanoparticles. Ferrocene carboxylic acid (Fc-COOH) labeled secondary antibody was immobilized on Au doped mesoporous Al₂O₃ nanorods (Au@Al₂O₃–Fc-COOH@Ab₂) as labels through adsorption ability of Au toward proteins. After a sandwich-type immunoreaction, a remarkable decrease of ECL signal was observed due to the ECL quenching of Ag@g-C₃N₄ by Au@Al₂O₃–Fc-COOH@Ab₂. As a result, the change of ECL intensity has a direct relationship with the logarithm of CEA concentrations in the range of 1 pg mL⁻¹–100 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 0.35 pg mL⁻¹ (S/N = 3). Additionally, the proposed immunosensor shows high specificity, good reproducibility, and long-term stability.     

In-tube magnetic solid phase microextraction of some fluoroquinolones based on the use of sodium dodecyl sulfate coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles packed tube

In-tube magnetic solid phase microextraction (in-tube MSPME) of fluoroquinolones from water and urine samples based on the use of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles packed tube has been reported. After the preparation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) by a batch synthesis, these NPs were introduced into a stainless steel tube by a syringe and then a strong magnet was placed around the tube, so that the Fe₃O₄ NPs were remained in the tube and the tube was used in the in-tube SPME-HPLC/UV for the analysis of fluoroquinolones in water and urine samples. Plackett–Burman design was employed for screening the variables significantly affecting the extraction efficiency. Then, the significant factors were more investigated by Box–Behnken design. Calibration curves were linear (R² > 0.990) in the range of 0.1–1000 μg L⁻¹ for ciprofloxacin (CIP) and 0.5–500 μg L⁻¹ for enrofloxacin (ENR) and ofloxacin (OFL), respectively. LODs for all studied fluoroquinolones ranged from 0.01 to 0.05 μg L⁻¹. The main advantages of this method were rapid and easy automation and analysis, short extraction time, high sensitivity, possibility of fully sorbent collection after analysis, wide linear range and no need to organic solvents in extraction.     

A novel magnetic poly(aniline-naphthylamine)-based nanocomposite for micro solid phase extraction of rhodamine B

A novel Fe₃O₄–poly(aniline-naphthylamine)-based nanocomposite was synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization process as a magnetic sorbent for micro solid phase extraction. The scanning electron microscopy images of the synthesized nanocomposite revealed that the copolymer posses a porous structure with diameters less than 50 nm. The extraction efficiency of this sorbent was examined by isolation of rhodamine B, a mutagenic and carcinogenic dye, from aquatic media in dispersion mode. Among different synthesized polymers, Fe₃O₄/poly(aniline-naphthylamine) nanocomposite showed a prominent efficiency. Parameters including the desorption solvent, amount of sorbent, desorption time, sample pH, ionic strength, extraction time and stirring rate were optimized. Under the optimum condition, a linear spiked calibration curve in the range of 0.35–5.00 μg L⁻¹ with R² = 0.9991 was obtained. The limits of detection (3S_b) and limits of quantification (10S_b) of the method were 0.10 μg L⁻¹ and 0.35 μg L⁻¹ (n = 3), respectively. The relative standard deviation for water sample with 0.5 μg L⁻¹ of RhB was 4.2% (n = 5) and the absolute recovery was 92%. The method was applied for the determination of rhodamine B in dishwashing foam, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, pencil, matches tips and eye shadows samples and the relative recovery percentage were in the range of 94–99%.     

Preconcentration and determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in environmental water samples by solid-phase microextraction with Fe3O4-coated bamboo charcoal fibers prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

In this paper, bamboo charcoals were modified using Fe₃O₄ nanosheets for the first time. The composites, as a novel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coating, were used for the extraction of seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in environmental water samples. The extraction factors (stirring rate, extraction time, and ionic strength) and desorption factors (desorption time and desorption temperature) of the fibers were systematically investigated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the linear range was 1–1000 ng L⁻¹. Based on the ratio of chromatographic signal to base line noise (S N⁻¹ = 3), the limits of detection (LODs) can reach 0.25–0.62 ng L⁻¹. The novel method was successful in the analysis of PBDEs in real environmental water samples. The results indicate that bamboo charcoal/Fe₃O₄ as an SPME coating material coupled with gas chromatography–negative chemical ionization-mass spectrometry is an excellent method for the routine analysis of PBDEs at trace levels in environmental water samples.     

Fabrication of graphene/Fe3O4@polythiophene nanocomposite and its application in the magnetic solid-phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental water samples

Polythiophene (PT) was used as a surface modifier of graphene/Fe₃O₄ (G/Fe₃O₄) composite to increase merit of it, and also overcome some limitations and disadvantages of using G/Fe₃O₄ alone as solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent. An in-situ chemical polymerization method was employed to prepare G/Fe₃O₄@PT nanocomposites. Application of this newly designed material in the magnetic SPE (MSPE) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as model analytes, in the environmental water samples was investigated. The characterization of the hybrid material was performed using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. Seven important parameters, affecting the extraction efficiency of PAHs, including: amount of adsorbent, adsorption and desorption times, type and volume of the eluent solvent, initial sample volume and salt content of the sample were evaluated. The optimum extraction conditions were obtained as: 4 min for extraction time, 20 mg for sorbent amount, 100 mL for initial sample volume, toluene as desorption solvent, 0.6 mL for desorption solvent volume, 6 min for desorption time and 30% (w/v) for NaCl concentration. Good performance data were obtained at the optimized conditions. Detection limits were in the range of 0.009–0.020 μg L⁻¹ in the real matrix. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration ranges from 0.03 to 80 μg L⁻¹ with correlation coefficients (R²) between 0.995 and 0.998 for all the analytes. Relative standard deviations were ranged from 4.3 to 6.3%. Appropriate recovery values, in the range of 83–107%, were also obtained for the real sample analysis.     

Preparation of carbon coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles and their application for solid-phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental water samples

The carbon coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄/C) were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reaction and applied as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents to extract trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from environmental water samples. The Fe₃O₄/C sorbents possess high adsorption capacity and extraction efficiency due to strong adsorption ability of carbon materials and large surface area of nanoparticles, and only 50 mg of sorbents are required to extract PAHs from 1000 mL water samples. The adsorption attains equilibrium rapidly and analytes are eluted with acetonitrile readily. Salinity and solution pH have no obvious effect on the recoveries of PAHs, which avoids fussy adjustment to water sample before extraction. Under optimized conditions, the detection limits of PAHs are in the range of 0.2–0.6 ng L⁻¹. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by the recoveries of spiked samples. Good recoveries (76–110%) with low relative standard deviations from 0.8% to 9.7% are achieved. This new SPE method provides several advantages, such as high extraction efficiency, high breakthrough volumes, convenient extraction procedure, and short analysis times. To our knowledge, this is the first time that Fe₃O₄/C nanoparticles are used for the pretreatment of environmental water samples.     

Reprint of: Extraction of fluoxetine from aquatic and urine samples using sodium dodecyl sulfate-coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles followed by spectrofluorimetric determination

A new method based on the combination of magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) and spectrofluorimetric determination was developed for isolation and preconcentration of fluoxetine form aquatic and biological samples using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) as a sorbent. The unique properties of Fe₃O₄ NPs including high surface area and strong magnetism were utilized effectively in the MSPE process. Effect of different parameters influencing the extraction efficiency of fluoxetine including the amount of Fe₃O₄ and SDS, pH value, sample volume, extraction time, desorption solvent and time were optimized. Under optimized condition, the method was successfully applied to the extraction of fluoxetine from water and urine samples and absolute recovery amount of 85%, detection limit of 20 μg L⁻¹ and a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.4% were obtained. The method linear response was over a range of 50–1000 μg L⁻¹ with R² = 0.9968. The relative recovery in different aquatic and urine matrices were investigated and values of 80% to 104% were obtained. The whole procedure showed to be conveniently fast, efficient and economical for extraction of fluoxetine from environmental and biological samples.     

An ultrasensitive lysozyme chemiluminescence biosensor based on surface molecular imprinting using ionic liquid modified magnetic graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin as supporting material

In this work, ionic liquid modified Fe₃O₄@dopamine/graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin (ILs-Fe₃O₄@DA/GO/β-CD) was used as supporting material to synthesize surface molecularly imprinted polymer (SMIP) which then was introduced into chemiluminescence (CL) to achieve an ultrasensitive and selective biosensor for determination of lysozyme (Lys). ILs and β-CD was applied to provide multiple binding sites to prepare Lys SMIP and Fe₃O₄@DA was designed to make the product separate easily and prevent the aggregation of GO which could improve absorption capacity for its large specific surface area. The ILs-Fe₃O₄@DA/GO/β-CD-SMIP showed high adsorption capacity (Q = 101 mg/g) to Lys in the adsorption isotherm assays. The adsorption equilibrium was reached within 10 min for all the concentrations, attributing to the binding sites situated exclusively at the surface, and the adsorption model followed Langmuir isotherm. Under the suitable CL conditions, the proposed biosensor could response Lys linearly in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁹–8.0 × 10⁻⁸ mg/mL with a detection limit of 3.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ mg/mL. When used in practical samples in determination of Lys, the efficient biosensor exhibited excellent result with the recoveries ranging from 94% to 112%.     

Preparation of Fe3O4 nanoparticle enclosure hydroxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the determination of aconitines in human serum samples

A magnetic carbon nanomaterial for Fe₃O₄ enclosure hydroxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe₃O₄-EC-MWCNTs-OH) was prepared by the aggregating effect of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle on MWCNTs-OH, and combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/diode array detection (DAD) to determine the aconitines (aconitine, hypaconitine and mesaconitine) in human serum samples. Compared with other extraction modes investigated in experiment, Fe₃O₄-EC-MWCNTs-OH sorbents showed a good affinity to target analytes. Some important parameters that could influence extraction efficiency of aconitines, including the extraction mode, amounts of Fe₃O₄-EC-MWCNTs-OH, pH of sample solution, extraction time, desorption solvent and desorption time, were optimized. Under optimal conditions, the recoveries of spiked serum samples were between 98.0% and 103.0%; relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 0.9% to 6.2%. The correlation coefficients varied from 0.9996 to 0.9998. The limits of detection ranged from 3.1 ng mL⁻¹ to 4.1 ng mL⁻¹ at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The experimental results showed that the proposed method was feasible for the analysis of aconitines in serum samples.     

Enzyme mimics of spinel-type CoxNi1−xFe2O4 magnetic nanomaterial for eletroctrocatalytic oxidation of hydrogen peroxide

A series of spinel-type Co_xNi_1−xFe₂O₄ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) magnetic nanomaterials were solvothermally synthesized as enzyme mimics for the eletroctrocatalytic oxidation of H₂O₂. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope were employed to characterize the composition, structure and morphology of the material. The electrochemical properties of spinel-type Co_xNi_1−xFe₂O₄ with different (Co/Ni) molar ratio toward H₂O₂ oxidation were investigated, and the results demonstrated that Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄ modified carbon paste electrode (Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/CPE) possessed the best electrocatalytic activity for H₂O₂ oxidation. Under optimum conditions, the calibration curve for H₂O₂ determination on Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/CPE was linear in a wide range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁸–1.0 × 10⁻³ M with low detection limit of 3.0 × 10⁻⁹ M (S/N = 3). The proposed Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/CPE was also applied to the determination of H₂O₂ in commercial toothpastes with satisfactory results, indicating that Co_xNi_1−xFe₂O₄ is a promising hydrogen peroxidase mimics for the detection of H₂O₂.     

Extraction of trace amounts of mercury with sodium dodecyle sulphate-coated magnetite nanoparticles and its determination by flow injection inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

A new method for solid-phase extraction and preconcentration of trace amounts Hg(II) from environmental samples was developed by using sodium dodecyle sulphate-coated magnetite nanoparticles (SDS-coated Fe₃O₄ NPs) as a new extractant. The procedure is based on the adsorption of the analyte, as mercury-Michler's thioketone [Hg₂(TMK)₄]²⁺ complex on the negatively charged surface of the SDS-coated Fe₃O₄ NPs and then elution of the preconcentrated mercury from the surface of the SDS-coated Fe₃O₄ NPs prior to its determination by flow injection inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The effects of pH, TMK concentration, SDS and Fe₃O₄ NPs amounts, eluent type, sample volume and interfering ions on the recovery of the analyte were investigated. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.2-100 ng mL⁻¹ with r² = 0.9994 (n = 8). The limit of detection for Hg(II) determination was 0.04 ng mL⁻¹. Also, relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for the determination of 2 and 50 ng mL⁻¹ of Hg(II) was 5.2 and 4.7% (n = 6), respectively. Due to the quantitative extraction of Hg(II) from 1000 mL of the sample solution an enhancement factor as large as 1230-fold can be obtained. The proposed method has been validated using a certified reference materials, and also the method has been applied successfully for the determination of Hg(II) in aqueous samples.     

Near-infrared fluorimetric determination of nucleic acids by shifting the ion-association equilibrium between tetracarboxy aluminum phthalocyanine and tetra-N-hexadecylpyridiniumyl porphyrin

A new method was developed for determination of micro amounts of nucleic acids based on near-infrared (near-IR) fluorescence recovery, employing a two-reagent system which is composed of an anionic tetracarboxy aluminum phthalocyanine (AlC₄Pc) and a cationic tetra-N-hexadecylpyridiniumyl porphyrin (TC₁₆PyP). The fluorescence of the AlC₄Pc, with the maximum emission wavelength at 701 nm, could be quenched by TC₁₆PyP at its proper concentration, but recovered by adding nucleic acids. Under optimal conditions, the recovered fluorescence is proportional to the concentration of nucleic acids. The calibration graphs are linear over the range of 1-200 ng mL⁻¹ for fish sperm DNA (FS DNA) and 2-400 ng mL⁻¹ for calf thymus DNA (CT DNA). The corresponding detection limits are 0.59 ng mL⁻¹ for FS DNA and 0.82 ng mL⁻¹ for CT DNA, respectively. Four synthetic and three real nucleic acid samples were determined with satisfactory results.