Selective fluorescence response and magnetic separation probe for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene based on iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles

Despite the rapid development of nanomaterials and nanotechnology, it is still desirable to develop novel nanoparticle-based techniques which are cost-effective, timesaving, and environment-friendly, and with ease of operation and procedural simplicity, for assay of target analytes. In the work discussed in this paper, the dye fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was conjugated to 1,6-hexanediamine (HDA)-capped iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (FITC–HDA Fe₃O₄ MNPs), and the product was characterized. HDA ligands on the surface of Fe₃O₄ MNPs can bind 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) to form TNT anions by acid–base pairing interaction. Formation of TNT anions, and captured TNT substantially affect the emission of FITC on the surface of the Fe₃O₄ MNPs, resulting in quenching of the fluorescence at 519 nm. A novel FITC–HDA Fe₃O₄ MNPs-based probe featuring chemosensing and magnetic separation has therefore been constructed. i.e. FITC–HDA Fe₃O₄ MNPs had a highly selective fluorescence response and enabled magnetic separation of TNT from other nitroaromatic compounds by quenching of the emission of FITC and capture of TNT in aqueous solution. Very good linearity was observed for TNT concentrations in the range 0.05–1.5 μmol?L^?1, with a detection limit of 37.2 nmol?L^?1 and RSD of 4.7 % (n?=?7). Approximately 12 % of the total amount of TNT was captured. The proposed methods are well-suited to trace detection and capture of TNT in aqueous solution.

Comparison of microwave‐assisted and conventional extraction of mangiferin from mango (Mangifera indica L.) leaves

Mangiferin is the main bioactive component in mango leaves, which possesses anti‐inflammatory, antioxidative, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, and antitumor activities. In the present study, a microwave‐assisted extraction method was developed for the extraction of mangiferin from mango leaves. Some parameters such as ethanol concentration, liquid‐to‐solid ratio, microwave power, and extraction time were optimized by single‐factor experiments and response surface methodology. The optimal extraction conditions were 45% ethanol, liquid‐to‐solid ratio of 30:1 (mL/g), and extraction time of 123 s under microwave irradiation of 474 W. Under optimal conditions, the yield of mangiferin was 36.10 ± 0.72 mg/g, significantly higher than that of conventional extraction. The results obtained are beneficial for the full utilization of mango leaves and also indicate that microwave‐assisted extraction is a very useful method for extracting mangiferin from plant materials.     

A colormetric and fluorescent chemosensor for adenosine-5′-triphosphate based on rhodamine derivative

A rhodamine spirolactam derivative (1) was developed as a colormetric and fluorescent chemosensor for adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) via hydrogen bonds interaction. As far as we know, this is the first case to explore ATP-induced ring-opening of spirolactam in rhodamine derivatives. It exhibited a highly sensitive “turn-on” fluorescent response toward ATP with a 47-fold fluorescence intensity enhancement under 20 equiv. of ATP added. The chemosensor can be applied to the quantification of ATP with a linear range covering from 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁴ M and a detection limit of 2.5 × 10⁻⁸ M. The experiment results show that the response behavior of 1 toward ATP is pH independent in medium condition (pH 6.0–8.0). Most importantly, the novel chemosensor has well solved the problem of serious interferences from other nucleoside polyphosphates such as ADP and AMP generally met by previously reported typical fluorescent chemosensors for ATP. Moreover, the response of the chemosensor toward ATP is fast (response time less than 3 min). In addition, the chemosensor can be used for the fluorescence assay for protein kinase activity with satisfactory results. The chemosensor for ATP based on hydrogen bonds interaction provided a novel strategy for the design of colormetric and ratiometric fluorescent probes for other target anions with high sensitivity and selectivity.     

A SERS-based immunoassay for porcine circovirus type 2 using multi-branched gold nanoparticles

We report on a facile immunoassay for porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) using multi-branched gold nanoparticles (mb-AuNPs) as substrates. The mb-AuNPs in the immunosensor act as Raman reporters and were prepared via Tris base-induced reduction and subsequent reaction with p-mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA). They possess good stability and high SERS activity. Subsequently, the modified mb-AuNPs were covalently conjugated to the monoclonal antibody (McAb) against the PCV2 cap protein to form SERS immuno nanoprobes. These were captured in a microtiterplate via a immunoreaction in the presence of target antigens. The effects of antibody concentration, reaction time and temperature on the sensitivity of the immunoassay were investigated. Under optimized assay conditions, the Raman signal intensity at 1,076 cm^?1 increases logarithmically with the concentrations of PCV2 in the concentration ranging from 8?×?10² to 8?×?10⁶ copies per mL. The limit of detection is 8?×?10² copies per mL. Compared to conventional detecting methods such as those based on PCR, the method presented here is rapid, facile and very sensitive.

Cascade reaction for 3-pyrrolines and pyrroles from nitroallylic acetates and N-mesyl 2-aminoethanones

Cascade reactions of nitroallylic acetates with methanesulfonyl 2-aminoethanones affords either the 3-pyrrolines or the pyrroles in one pot depending on reaction solvents and temperature. A possible mechanism for the entire sequence is proposed.     

Enhancement inhibition efficiency of PBTCA depending on the inclusion complex with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

For the first time, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) has been brought in to include 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTCA) in order to enhance inhibition efficiency of PBTCA, which leads a new approach to study oil–gas field corrosion inhibition in the process of acid treatment. Based on the host–guest inclusion reaction, the inclusion complex of PBTCA with HP-β-CD has been prepared in the laboratory. UV–Vis absorption spectrum was applied to study the inclusion behavior of PBTCA with HP-β-CD. The results revealed that PBTCA with HP-β-CD can form a 1:1 stoichiometry inclusion complex. The 1:1 inclusion complex synthesized by using lyophilization was further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Besides, inhibition effect of the inclusion complex on the corrosion inhibition of Q235 carbon steel has been investigated in 0.1 M sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) solution using potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the presence of the inclusion complex better achieved the anti-corrosion property in aggressive medium than was the case with alone PBTCA and the highest inhibition efficiency of the inclusion complex over 90 % was obtained, which are suggestive of the active effect of the inclusion complex for improving inhibition efficiency of PBTCA. Meanwhile, the results obtained from SEM further showed that the inclusion complex acts as a more efficient corrosion inhibitor for Q235 carbon steel in H₂SO₄ medium.     

Synthesis of aryloxyazetidine derivatives by CuI/l-proline catalyzed coupling reaction of arylboronic acid with 1-Boc-3-iodoazetidine

A novel CuI/l-proline catalyzed coupling reaction of 1-Boc-3-iodoazetidine with various arylboronic acids which produced aryloxyazetidine derivatives in moderate to good yields was investigated.     

Cucurbit[7]uril promoting PdCl2-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of benzyl halides and arylboronic acids in aqueous media

The research provides a novel approach for producing diarylmethane derivatives using CB[7]–NaCl–PdCl₂ catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of benzyl chloride derivatives and arylboronic acids in ethanol aqueous solution.     

Highly efficient N-glycoproteomic sample preparation by combining C18 and graphitized carbon adsorbents

Conventional N-glycoproteome analysis usually applies C₁₈ reversed-phase (RP) adsorbent for sample purification, which will lead to unavoidable sample loss due to the high hydrophilicity of N-glycopeptides. In this study, a porous graphitized carbon (PGC) absorbent was combined with a C₁₈ adsorbent for N-glycopeptide purification in comprehensive N-glycoproteome analysis based on the hydrophobic and polar interactions between carbon and N-glycans. It was observed that the small hydrophilic N-glycopeptides that cannot retain onto C₁₈ adsorbent can be captured by the graphitized carbon, while the large hydrophobic N-glycopeptides that cannot retain onto the graphitized carbon can be feasibly captured by the C₁₈ adsorbent. Comparing with sample purification by using C₁₈ adsorbent only, 28.5 % more N-glycopeptides were identified by combining both C₁₈ and PGC adsorbents. The C₁₈-PGC strategy was further applied for both sample purification and pre-fractionation of a complex protein sample from HeLa cell. After hydrophilic interaction chromatography enrichment, 1,484 unique N-glycopeptides with 1,759 unique N-glycosylation sites were finally identified.

Determination of manganese (VII), chromium (VI) and nickel (II) in medicinal herb samples by cloud-point extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography

A highly sensitive method for the determination of manganese (VII), chromium (VI) and nickel (II) in medicinal herb samples is proposed. The method is based on analytes reacted with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) to give hydrophobic chelates (M–APDC), which were separated and enriched by cloud-point extraction (CPE) with non-ionic surfactant Tergitol TMN-6 as extractant. The surfactant-rich phase containing the chelates is determined with a high-performance liquid chromatography system. To achieve the best CPE method, the Box–Behnken design was used to study the concentration of Tergitol TMN-6, equilibrium temperature, equilibrium time as well as their interaction. What followed was the individual research for the pH of the sample solutions and the concentration of APDC. What is more, in the given optimized experimental conditions, calibration plots were found to be linear in the range of 0.0200–0.500 mg/L for Mn (VII) and Cr (VI), meanwhile 0.0500–1.00 mg/L for Ni (II), the linear correlation coefficients were between 0.996 and 0.999, the recoveries ranged from 91.8 to 97.8 % and the relative standard deviations were between 1.09 and 2.30 % (n = 3). The limits of detection were 0.164 μg/L for Mn (VII), 0.562 μg/L for Cr (VI) and 5.12 μg/L for Ni (II), respectively. The proposed method was applied to determine manganese (VII), chromium (VI) and nickel (II) in medicinal herb samples with satisfactory results.