MALDI-Q-TOF mass spectrometric determination of gold and platinum in tissues using their diethyldithiocarbamate chelate complexes

A rapid determination method is presented for gold (Au³⁺) and platinum (Pt⁴⁺) in tissues using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-Q-TOF-MS). Au and Pt ions in wet-ashed tissue solution were reacted with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), and the resulting chelate complex ions Au(DDC)₂ ⁺ and Pt(DDC)₃ ⁺ were detected by MALDI-Q-TOF-MS using α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid as a matrix. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.8 ng/g tissue and the quantification range was 2–400 ng/g for Au, and the LOD was 6 ng/g tissue and the quantification range was 20–4,000 ng/g for Pt. The Pt levels detected by MALDI-Q-TOF-MS in several tissues of a patient overdosed with cisplatin were nearly the same as those detected by flow-injection electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The LODs of Au and Pt were 0.04 pg per well (sample spot) and 0.3 pg per well, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to quantify Au³⁺ and Pt⁴⁺ ions in tissues by MALDI-Q-TOF-MS.

Ultratrace determination of platinum in biological materials via neutron activation and radiochemical separation

A neutron activation analysis scheme based upon a radiochemical separation of the activation products has been developed. The method utilizes the inherent sensitivity of the activation reaction¹⁹⁸Pt(n, γ)¹⁹⁹Pt and counting of the daughter nuclide¹⁹⁹Au. This nuclide is radiochemically separated from interfering activities by homogeneous precipitation as elemental gold. The remaining interference of the secondary reaction¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸ Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁹Au from gold in the samples is quantitatively assessed and corrected. During this process accurate gold concentrations in the samples are obtained at ultratrace levels. The analysis scheme is applied to gold and platinum determinations in biological Standard Reference Materials and human liver specimens. Gold and platinum are determined at concentrations of 5·10^?11 g/g, and at higher levels.     

Portable smartphone-based microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor for ultrasensitive detection of alpha-fetoprotein in human serum

Rapid and accurate tracing of biomarkers is essential for early detecting and diagnosing of cancer. Therefore, a valid and convenient strategy needs to be developed for efficient monitoring of cancer biomarkers. Herein, we constructed a portable microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor based on three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (3D rGO) doped with gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) for ultrasensitive determination of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The designed microfluidic chip, with the advantages of small injection volume, detachable structure and high integration, was fabricated by 3D printing, which only needed 9 μL of reagent to realize the high sensitivity detection. In addition, the 3D Au NPs-rGO composites with high specific surface area and electrons transfer capacity can effectively increase electroactive sites and enhance electrochemical signals. Benefiting from these features, the 3D Au NPs-rGO microfluidic electrochemical immunochip showed a wide detection range between 0.1 pg/mL–200 ng/mL and a best detection limit of 0.045 pg/mL with the high sensitivity of 175.008 μA (ng/mL)⁻¹ cm⁻². Meanwhile, the proposed immunosensor exhibited reliable AFP detection in human serum samples, which demonstrated that this portable smartphone-based microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor hold great promises in clinical detection and huge potential in personalized healthcare.     

Colloid Au-enhanced DNA immobilization for the electrochemical detection of sequence-specific DNA

We use colloidal Au to enhance the DNA immobilization amount on a gold electrode and ultimately lower the detection limit of our electrochemical DNA biosensor. Self-assembly of approximately 16-nm diameter colloidal Au onto a cysteamine modified gold electrode resulted in an easier attachment of an oligonucleotide with a mercaptohexyl group at the 5′-phosphate end, and therefore an increased capacity for nucleic acid detection. Quantitative results showed that the surface densities of oligonucleotides on the Au colloid modified gold electrode were approximately (1–4)×10¹⁴ molecules cm⁻². Hybridization was induced by exposure of the ssDNA-containing gold electrode to ferrocenecarboxaldehyde labeled complementary ssDNA in solution. The detection limit is 5×10⁻¹⁰ mol l⁻¹ of complementary ssDNA, which is much lower than our previous electrochemical DNA biosensors. The Au nanoparticle films on the Au electrode provide a novel means for ssDNA immobilization and sequence-specific DNA detection.     

Immunosensors Based on Layer‐by‐Layer Self‐Assembled Au Colloidal Electrode for the Electrochemical Detection of Antigen

Colloidal Au particles have been deposited on the gold electrode through layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly using cysteamine as cross‐linkers. Self‐assembly of colloidal Au on the gold electrode resulted in an easier attachment of antibody, larger electrode surface and ideal electrode behavior. The redox reactions of [Fe(CN)₆]^4?/[Fe(CN)₆]^3? on the gold surface were blocked due to antibody immobilization, which were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The interaction of antigen with grafted antibody recognition layers was carried out by soaking the modified electrode into a phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 with various concentrations of antigen at 37 °C for 30 min. Further, an amplification strategy to use biotin conjugated antibody was introduced for improving the sensitivity of impedance measurements. Thus, the sensor based on this immobilization method exhibits a large linear dynamic range, from 5–400 μg/L for detection of Human IgG. The detection limit is about 0.5 μg/L.     

Assay of platinum and gold in biological material by neutron activation analysis

Compounds of both gold and platinum are used in medicine, the former as salts to treat arthritides and the latter as the metal complex cisplatin to treat cancer. We have investigated neutron activation analysis with the Slowpoke II reactor as an assay method for both elements using human blood plasma as a matrix. Neutron activation of platinum gives rise to 3.15 day¹⁹⁹Au while that of gold produces 2.7 day¹⁹⁸Au. Activated samples are dissolved during heating in test tubes and the gold extracted by adding dibutyl sulphide to the same tube. The latter is formed to able to quantitate Pt down to 60 ng and Au down to 60 pg. The dissolution technique and possible interferences in the assay are discussed.     

Beryllium-7 as a tracer of stratospheric ozone: A case study

A new method is presented for the determination of Au and Pt in biological materials based on neutron activation analysis with radiochemical separation of gold. Separation of gold by electrolytic deposition on a niobium cathode ascertains the highest radiochemical purity without any interference from calcium or other major elements. With¹⁹⁹Au as indicator for platinum the gold content of the sample not only strongly affects the limit of detection, but also causes interference by double neutron capture. Replicate analyses of BCR Certified Reference Materials No. 184, 185 and 186 were carried out.Presented at the MTAA-8 Conference, September 16–20, 1991, Vienna, Austria.     

以聚吡咯和纳米金为基质基于电化学交流阻抗测试的乙肝表面抗原免疫传感器研究

A novel simple immunosensing strategy for fabrication of hepatitis B surface antigen detection has been developed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） as a platform. At first, the conductive polymer polypyrrole （PPy） film was electrodeposited on a platinum electrode surface to adsorb the gold nanoparticles （nano-Au） via the opposite-charged adsorption technique, and then hepatitis B surface antibodies were adsorbed onto the surface of nano-Au. The modification procedure was characterized by EIS. Such spectroscopy is attributed to the concomitant conductivity changes of the polymerized pyrrole film and gold nanoparticles. The factors influencing the performance of resulting immunoelectrode were studied in detail. The linear range of the resulting immunoelectrode is from 2.6 to 153.6 ng.mL^-1 with a detection limit of 1.3 ng·mL^-1 at 3σ. In addition, the experiment results indicate that antibody immobilized on this way exhibits a good sensitivity, selectivity, high stability and a long-term maintenance of bioactivity, implying a great promising alternative approach for reagentless immunosensing analysis in the clinical diagnosis.     

Electrochemical aptamer sensor for highly sensitive detection of mercury ion with Au/Pt@carbon nanofiber‐modified electrode

In this paper, an electrochemical aptamer sensor was proposed for the highly sensitive detection of mercury ion (Hg²⁺). Carbon nanofiber (CNF) was prepared by electrospinning and high‐temperature carbonization, which was used for the loading of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) by the hydrothermal method. The Pt@CNF nanocomposite was modified on the surface of carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) to obtain Pt@CNF/CILE, which was further decorated by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through electrodeposition to get Au/Pt@CNF/CILE. Self‐assembling of the thiol‐based aptamer was further realized by the formation of Au‐S bond to get an electrochemical aptamer sensor (Aptamer/Au/Pt@CNF/CILE). Due to the specific binding of aptamer probe to Hg²⁺ with the formation of T‐Hg²⁺‐T structure, a highly sensitive quantitative detection of Hg²⁺ could be achieved by recording the changes of current signal after reacting with Hg²⁺ within the concentration range from 1.0 × 10^?15 mol/L to 1.0 × 10^?6 mol/L and the detection limit of 3.33 × 10^?16 mol/L (3σ). Real water samples were successfully analyzed by this method.     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase on sulfonated graphene/gold nanoparticle hybrid and its application to glucose biosensing

Sulfonated graphene nanosheet/gold nanoparticle (SGN/Au) hybrid was synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly of anionic SGN and positively charged gold nanoparticles. Due to the well-dispersivity of SGN in aqueous solution and its adequate negative charge, Au nanoparticles were assembled uniformly on graphene surface with high distribution. With the advantages of both graphene and Au nanoparticles, SGN/Au hybrid showed enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards O₂ reduction. Furthermore, it provided a conductive and favorable microenvironment for the glucose oxidase (GOD) immobilization and thus promoted its direct electron transfer at the glassy carbon electrode. Based on the consumption of O₂ caused by glucose at the interface of GOD electrode modified with SGN/Au hybrid, the modified electrode displayed satisfactory analytical performance, including high sensitivity (14.55 μA mM^?1 cm^?2), low detection limit (0.2 mM), an acceptable linear range from 2 to 16 mM, and also the prevention from the interference of some species. These results indicated that the prepared SGN/Au hybrid is a promising candidate material for high-performance glucose biosensor.     

Ultrasensitive and Specific Detection of Anticancer Drug 5-Fluorouracil in Blood Samples by a Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-Based Lateral Flow Immunochromatographic Assay

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an effective anticancer drug widely used in the world. To improve therapy efficiency and reduce side effects, it is very important to frequently detect the concentration of 5-FU in blood samples of patients. In this work, a new type of lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (LFIA) based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for ultrasensitive and specific detection of 5-FU in blood samples was developed. Au@Ag/Au nanoparticles (NPs) employing Au particles as the core and Ag/Au alloy as the shell were synthesized, characterized and used as the substrate in SERS-LFIA due to their high SERS enhancement and biocompatibility. The immunoprobe was made in the form of Au^MBA@Ag/Au-Ab in which mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA, a common Raman active reporter) was embedded in the core–shell layer and the monoclonal antibody (mAb) against 5-FU was immobilized on the surface. The performance of SERS-LFIA was similar to that in colloidal gold based-LFIA, and the entire assay time was within 20 min. According to the color intensity on the testing (T) lines of LFIA strips visualized by eyes, the contents of 5-FU in the samples could be qualitatively or semi-quantitatively identified. Furthermore, by measuring the characteristic Raman intensities of MBA on T lines, quantitative detection of 5-FU in the samples were achieved. The IC₅₀ and limit of detection (LOD) of the LFIA for 5-FU were found to be 20.9 pg mL⁻¹ and 4.4 pg mL⁻¹, respectively. There was no cross-reactivity (CR) of the LFIA with nine relative compounds, and the CR with cytosine, tegafur and carmofur were less than 4.5%. The recoveries of 5-FU from spiked blood samples were in the range of 78.6~86.4% with the relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.69~4.42%. Five blood samples containing 5-FU collected from the Cancer Hospital were measured by SERS-LFIA, and the results were confirmed by LC-MS/MS. It was proven that the proposed method was able to simply and rapidly detect 5-FU in blood samples with high sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and precision.     

Solid phase extraction of gold by sorption on octadecyl silica membrane disks modified with pentathia-15-crown-5 and determination by AAS

A simple and selective method for rapid and efficient concentration and determination of μg l⁻¹ levels of Au(III) ions in aqueous solution using octadecyl silica membrane disks modified by pentathia-15-crown-5 and flame atomic absorption spectrometry is presented. The influence of flow rates of eluent and sample solution, amount of ligand, types and least amount of eluent for elution of Au from disks were investigated. Break through volume and limit of detection of the membrane disks modified by 5 mg of the thiacrown ether was found to be 2.0 l and 1.0 μg l⁻¹, respectively. The effects of various cationic interferences on percent recovery of gold were studied. The method was successfully applied for the determinations of gold in some pharmaceutical samples and for the recovery of trace Au³⁺ ions from synthetic and water samples.     

基于Pt/Au双金属修饰针灸针的非酶葡萄糖传感器

通过在不锈钢针灸针（AN）表面依次电沉积金（Au）纳米颗粒和铂（Pt）纳米颗粒,基于它们在AN表面的协同作用,实现了一种用于非酶葡萄糖检测的电化学生物传感器。首先,通过扫描电子显微镜对其功能界面（Pt/Au/AN）进行表征,结果显示类似卷心菜的纳米材料均匀致密地分布在AN表面。然后,通过循环伏安法和电化学阻抗法对Pt/Au/AN电极的电化学特性进行了研究。结果表明,与Au/AN或Pt/AN电极相比,Pt/Au/AN电极对葡萄糖氧化表现出优越的电催化活性。这表明双金属Pt/Au的接触界面是葡萄糖氧化的重要电催化位点。在pH7.4的模拟生理介质中,制得传感器的线性范围为0.1~35 mmol·L^-1,检测限为0.0763 mmol·L^-1,对葡萄糖的检测表现出较高的灵敏度和良好的抗干扰性能、稳定性。此外,该传感器已成功用于人体血清葡萄糖的检测。     

The simultaneous determination of osmium,ruthenium, iridium and gold in platinum by neutron activation analysis

Osmium, ruthenium, iridiuim and gold can be determined simultaneously in 100-mg platinum samples after irradiation for 11 days at a thermal neutron flux of 4'1011 n.cm^-2.sec^-1. An addition method of analysis is used; samples are dissolved in small sealed silica tubes before activation. After irradiation, Os and Ru are distilled from sulfuric acid-sodium bromate, Ru being determined by counting the 498-keV peak of ¹⁰³Ru; Os is determined after a second distillation. Gold is extracted with ethyl acetate from the residue of the first distillation; the ratio ¹⁹⁸Au/¹⁹⁹Au is a direct measure for the gold content, with appropriate correction for the second-order reaction ¹⁹⁶Pt(n,γ)¹⁹⁷Pt→¹⁹⁷Au(n,γ)¹⁹⁸Au. Ir is determined in the residual aqueous phase using the 317-keV peak of ¹⁹²Ir; a correction for the platinum activity (¹⁹¹Pt) is made. The lower limit of determination is ca. 0.5 p.p.m. for ruthenium, ca. 0.2 p.p.m. for osmium, ca. O.1 p.p.m. for gold and ca. O.1 p.p.m. for iridium. After a separation of Pt from Ir, the sensitivity for Ir can easily be improved to < 10 p.p.b.     

Naphthalene Diimide Carrying Two Cysteine Termini at Both Imide Linkers as a Molecular Staple

Naphthalene diimide ( 1 ) carrying cysteines at the termini of amide substituents were synthesized to act as a molecular staple of double stranded DNA. Since 1 is able to bind to double stranded DNA with threading intercalation, the complex of 1 with double stranded DNA can be topologically immobilized on a gold surface through the S? Au linkage as confirmed by cyclic voltammetric experiment. Ferrocenyl‐double stranded 23‐mertic oligonucleotide, dsFcODN, was immobilized on gold electrode with 1.0×10¹² molecules cm^?2 when electrode was treated with 2.0 µM dsFcODN and 4.0 µM 1 for 1 h at room temperature. The coverage density was similar to that obtained for the terminal thiol‐modified oligonucleotide. Compound 1 was applied to detect the 321‐meric PCR product of P. gingivalis, which is important in the diagnosis of periodontal disease. This experiment, coupled with the use of ferrocenylnaphthalene diimide, FND as electrochemical indicator for double stranded DNA, resulted in quantitative detection of PCR product within the range of 10 pg µL^?1–10 ng µL^?1 (15 nM–15 µM). The 1 and FND established a simple and rapid detection method of double stranded PCR product with a detection limit of 10 pg µL^?1 (15 nM).     

Fabrication and characterisation of high performance polypyrrole modified microarray sensor for ascorbic acid determination

In this study, gold microelectrode array (Au/MEA) with electrode of 12 μm diameter was fabricated by photolithography technique. Subsequently, polypyrrole (Ppy) modified gold microarrays sensor (Ppy/Au/MEA) was prepared by cyclic voltammetry technique. The deposition potential range and number of cycles were optimised in order to get optimum thickness of Ppy film. Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope investigations reveal that Ppy coating formed at 3 cycles is porous with thickness of 1.5 μm which exhibiting high catalytic current for ascorbic acid (AA) in square wave technique (SWV). In contrast to earlier sensors designs, these Ppy/Au/MEA sensors exhibits lower detection limit (LOD) of 10 nm towards AA at physiological conditions. It also exhibits enhanced sensitivity (2.5 mA cm⁻² mM⁻¹) and long range of linear detection limit from 10 nm to 2.8 mM. In the same way, polypyrrole modified macro Au (Ppy/Au/MA) biosensor was also fabricated and its electro catalytic property towards AA was compared with that of Ppy/Au/MEA. The Ppy/Au/MA exhibits sensitivity of only 0.27 mA cm⁻² mM⁻¹, LOD of 5 μM and linear range of 10 μM to 2.2 mM. Hence, our investigations indicate that the Ppy/Au/MEA could serve as highly sensitive sensor for AA than any of the earlier designs. So, the Ppy/Au/MEA electrode was utilised for determination AA in a wide variety of real samples.     

Trace Detection of Mercury(II) Using Gold Ultra‐Microelectrode Arrays

The electroanalytical detection of trace mercury(II) at gold ultra‐microelectrode arrays is reported. The arrays consist of 256 gold microelectrodes of 5 μm in diameter in cubic arrangements which are separated from their nearest neighbor by 100 μm. The array was utilized in nitric acid using linear sweep voltammetry where a linear response from mercury additions over the range 10 μg L^?1?200 μg L^?1 (10^?8?10^?6 M) was observed with a sensitivity and detection limit of 0.11 nC/μg L^?1 and 3.2 μg L^?1 (16 nM) respectively from using a deposition time of 30 s at ?0.2 V (vs. SCE). This methodology was explored in 0.1 and 1 M chloride media over the mercury range 10 μg L^?1?200 μg L^?1 (5×10^?8?10^?6 M) where similar sensitivities of 0.087 nC/μg L^?1 and 0.078 nC/μg L^?1 were observed with an identical detection limit. The protocol is demonstrated to be useful for the determination of mercury for analysis of environmental water samples.     

Cross sections and isomeric ratios in197Au(α, 2pn)198(m,g)Au reactions

Excitation functions for the production of^198mAu,¹⁹⁸Au,^198(m+g)Au, by (, 2pn) reactions on gold and isomeric ratios for¹⁹⁸Au were determined experimentally. The method of activation of metallic foils was employed. The irradiations were performed in the isochronous cyclotron at Karlsruhe (Germany) with -particles at 90 MeV. Gamma-spectrometry by means of an intrinsic Ge detector was used to determine the nuclides produced. In addition, a comparison between the cross sections obtained and a calculation using the hybrid model of pre-equilibrium reactions, in combination with the statistical model development by ERNST is presented.     

Interference by neutron induced second order nuclear reaction in activation analysis of platinum group elements after a nickel sulphide fire assay preconcentration

In determining the trace platinum group elements and gold in rocks and ores by the neutron activation analysis after a nickel sulphide fire assay preconcentration, there are interferences due to nuclides produced from second order nuclear reactions. This paper presents the degree of interference calculated over the ranges of long irradiation times and of reactor neutron flux from 1·10¹³ to 1·10¹⁵ n·cm^–2·s^–1. According to the results of these calculations, every one of the second order interfering reactions on the PGE+Au, except the¹⁹⁷Au(n, )¹⁹⁸Au(n, )¹⁹⁹Au reaction, can be neglected under the long irradiation time or high reactor neutron flux. Special attention is given to the interference from gold in the determining platinum.     

Matrix modification by Cu(NO3)2 for the determination of gold by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with a molybdenum tube atomizer

Matrix modification by copper nitrate in electrothermal atomic absorption Spectrometry (ETAAS) of gold with a molybdenum tube atomizer has been investigated. The addition of copper nitrate served to eliminate the interferences from 10⁴–10⁵-fold concentrations of foreign elements at the 890 °C pyrolysis temperature. The absolute characteristic mass (giving 0.0044 absorbance) of gold in the presence of copper nitrate with the Mo atomizer was 0.26 pg and the detection limit was 38 pg/ml. These values were several times better than those obtained with graphite atomizers. The recovery of spiked gold in biological materials was in the range 96–106%. A sensitive and accurate ETAAS method was developed for complex matrix samples.