Front face synchronous fluorescence as a tool for the quality assurance of Greek milk

This research focuses on implementing the low cost and rapid front face synchronous fluorescence (SyFS) in order to ensure the quality assurance of Greek milk. Specifically, samples originated from the Greek domestic production of goat, sheep, cow, as well as foreign cow milk samples and adulterated cow milk samples. SyFS spectra were acquired in the excitation area of 250–500 nm with (Δλ)= 100 nm. Greek and foreign cow milk samples were differentiated based on intensity variations at wavelengths 350–515 nm, 540–579 nm, and 580–600 nm. The emissions at these wavelength positions correspond to tryptophan, vitamin A, and riboflavin. The supervised model with 94 samples exhibited p-value = 7,98E-11, RMSEE= 0,29171, RMSEcv= 0,29284 and RMSEP= 0,98013, AUROC for Greek samples= 0,61 and AUROC for foreign= 0,85. We differentiated milk samples according to the animal type with PCA and OPLS-DA models of 107 samples exhibiting RMSEE= 0,225842, RMSEcv= 0,228054 and RMSEP= 0,518635, AUROC for sheep samples= 0,99, AUROC for goat samples= 0,98 and AUROC for cow samples= 0,96. In fact, the emission band 350–591 nm characterized sheep milk and corresponds to aminoacids and fatty acids, cow milk was related to the 350–600 nm emission band related to the b-carotene and to the goat milk the emission bands 350–505 nm and 520–600 nm were attributed to tryptophan, NADH and Rivoflabin. Finally, we investigated whether SyFS coupled with chemometrics may provide preliminary evidence on adulterated cow milk samples. All models were validated with permutation testing, p-values and ROC curves.     

Multivariate near infrared spectroscopy models for predicting the iodine value, CFPP, kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C and density at 15 degrees C of biodiesel

Biodiesel is one of the main alternatives to fossil diesel. It is a non-toxic renewable resource, which leads to lower emissions of polluting gases. In fact, European governments are targeting the incorporation of 20% of biofuels in the fossil fuels until 2020.Chemically, biodiesel is a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters, derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, which is usually produced by a transesterification reaction, where the oils or fats react with an alcohol, in the presence of a catalyst. The European Standard (EN 14214) establishes 25 parameters that have to be analysed to certify biodiesel quality and the analytical methods that should be used to determine those properties.This work reports the use of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to determine some important biodiesel properties: the iodine value, the cold filter plugging point, the kinematic viscosity at 40 °C and the density at 15 °C. Principal component analysis was used to perform a qualitative analysis of the spectra and partial least squares regression to develop the calibration models between analytical and spectral data. The results support that NIR spectroscopy, in combination with multivariate calibration, is a promising technique applied to biodiesel quality control, in both laboratory and industrial-scale samples.     

On the application of homonuclear NOE difference spectroscopy as a convenient tool for configurational assignment of compounds with a C=N bond

Summary The applicability of homonuclear NOE difference spectroscopy for configurational assignment of compounds characterized by a -CH=N-R substructure is evaluated employing phenylhydrazones, benzenesulfonylhydrazones, (thio)semicarbazones, and oxime ethers derived from heteroaromatic carbaldehydes.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. F. Sauter with cordial wishes on the occasion of his 60th anniversary     

The enhanced green fluorescent protein as a tool for the analysis of protein dynamics and localization: local fluorescence study at the single-molecule level

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) has emerged, in recent years, as a powerful reporter molecule for monitoring gene expression, protein localization and protein-protein interaction. Several mutant variants are now available differing in absorption, emission spectra and quantum yield. Here we present a detailed study of the fluorescence properties of the Phe-64-->Leu, Ser-65-->Thr mutant down to the single molecule level in order to assess its use in quantitative fluorescence microscopy and single-protein trafficking. This enhanced GFP (EGFP) is being used extensively as it offers higher-intensity emission after blue-light excitation with respect to wild-type GFP. By means of fluorescence spectroscopy we demonstrate the absence of the neutral form of the chromophore and the lack of photobleaching recovery after ultraviolet light irradiation. Furthermore, we show that the EGFP spectral properties from isolated to densely packed molecules are highly conserved. From these experiments EGFP emerges as an ideal molecule for quantitative studies of intra and intercellular tagged-protein dynamics and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, but not for monitoring single-protein trafficking over extended periods of time.     

S,O-doped carbon nitride as a fluorescence probe for the label-free detection of folic acid and targeted cancer cell imaging

A novel nanoprobe based on S,O-doped carbon nitride quantum dots (S,O-CNQDs) was designed and synthesized. The as-prepared S,O-CNQDs exhibits good biocompatibility and strong fluorescence at excitation 360 nm. It is found that folic acid (FA) could efficiently quench the fluorescence of S,O-CNQDs. The obtained S,O-CNQDs is capable of acting as a sensitive and selective probe for FA detection in the range 5.0–83.3 μM with a detection limit of 90 nM. The as-prepared probe has been successfully utilized for the detection of FA in various real samples with satisfactory recoveries (98.8–107 %) and small relative standard deviation (<5%). The reaction mechanism between S,O-CNQDs and FA has been discussed. In addition, FA-S,O-CNQDs formed through a classical cross-linking reaction between FA and S,O-CNQDs easily accesses and penetrates into HepG2 cells with high folate receptors expression. FA-S,O-CNQDs with low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility shows great potential in FA detection and targeted imaging of cancer cells.     

Raman spectroscopy as a tool for the analysis of carbon-based materials (highly oriented pyrolitic graphite,multilayer graphene and multiwall carbon nanotubes) and of some of their elastomeric composites

Raman spectra of highly oriented pyrolitic graphite, multilayer graphene and multiwall carbon nanotubes are carried out at different laser powers and different excitation energies. The effects of the laser heating and the double resonance Raman scattering are investigated as a prerequisite for a correct interpretation of the Raman spectra of carbon materials-based composites. The Raman spectra of multilayer graphene and multiwall carbon nanotubes embedded in a silicone matrix are also analyzed in an attempt to get some insights into the polymer–filler interface.     

Stable carbon ((12/13)C) and nitrogen ((14/15)N) isotopes as a tool for identifying the sources of cyanide in wastes and contaminated soils--a method development

The occurrence of iron-cyanide complexes in the environment is of concern, since they are potentially hazardous. In order to determine the source of iron-cyanide complexes in contaminated soils and wastes, we developed a method based on the stable isotope ratios ¹³C/¹²C and ¹⁵N/¹⁴N of the complexed cyanide-ion (CN⁻). The method was tested on three pure chemicals and two industrials wastes: blast-furnace sludge (BFS) and gas-purifier waste (GPW). The iron-cyanide complexes were converted into the solid cupric ferrocyanide, Cu₂[Fe(CN)₆]·7H₂O, followed by combustion and determination of the isotope-ratios by continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Cupric ferrocyanide was obtained from the materials by (i) an alkaline extraction with 1 M NaOH and (ii) a distillate digestion. The [Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻ of the alkaline extraction was precipitated after adding Cu²⁺. The CN⁻ of the distillate digestion was at first complexed with Fe²⁺ under inert conditions and then precipitated after adding Cu²⁺. The δ¹³C-values obtained by the two methods differed slightly up to 1-3‰ for standards and BFS. The difference was larger for alkaline-extracted GPW (4-7‰), since non-cyanide C was co-extracted and co-precipitated. Therefore the distillate digestion technique is recommended when determining the C isotope ratios in samples rich in organic carbon. Since the δ¹³C-values of BFS are in the range of −30 to −24‰ and of −17 to −5‰ for GPW, carbon seems to be a suitable tracer for identifying the source of cyanide in both wastes. However, the δ¹⁵N-values overlapped for BFS and GPW, making nitrogen unsuitable as a tracer.