Two low-cost digital camera-based platforms for quantitative creatinine analysis in urine

In clinical analysis creatinine is a routine biomarker for the assessment of renal and muscular dysfunctions. Although several techniques have been proposed for a fast and accurate quantification of creatinine in human serum or urine, most of them require expensive or complex apparatus, advanced sample preparation or skilled operators. To circumvent these issues, we propose two home-made platforms based on a CD Spectroscope (CDS) and Computer Screen Photo-assisted Technique (CSPT) for the rapid assessment of creatinine level in human urine. Both systems display a linear range (r² = 0.9967 and 0.9972, respectively) from 160 μmol L⁻¹ to 1.6 mmol L⁻¹ for standard creatinine solutions (n = 15) with respective detection limits of 89 μmol L⁻¹ and 111 μmol L⁻¹. Good repeatability was observed for intra-day (1.7–2.9%) and inter-day (3.6–6.5%) measurements evaluated on three consecutive days. The performance of CDS and CSPT was also validated in real human urine samples (n = 26) using capillary electrophoresis data as reference. Corresponding Partial Least-Squares (PLS) regression models provided for mean relative errors below 10% in creatinine quantification.     

一种新型汞离子选择薄膜传感器

采用脉冲激光沉积技术,在光寻址电位传感器表面上沉积了对二价汞离子敏感的薄膜,制备了一种新型汞离子选择薄膜传感器,靶材成分为HgAgIS,基底为p型单晶硅片,金属接触层为Cr/Au。该薄膜传感器在3星期内显示了良好的重复性和稳定性;检出限为3×10-6mol/L;响应时间小于2min,适用pH范围小于2。对干扰离子和迟滞效应等也进行了研究。该传感器具有测量快速灵活、所需样品少、动态范围宽等特点,因为把电位信号转化为对光激发的交流电流信号进行测量,所以提高了灵敏度。同时也证明了脉冲激光沉积是适合制备薄膜传感器的一种新技术。     

Effect of gleysation on remobilization of radionuclides in waterlogged soils

Joint leaching of iron and other macro- and microelements including radionuclides from radioactively contaminated floodplain soil of the Yenisei River is studied on miniecosystems. In developing anaerobic conditions, the redox potential E_h decreased to +140 mV, causing partial reduction of iron and solubilisation of iron hydrous oxide and organomineral films of the soil. Leaching of stable elements and radionuclides with water proceeds parallel to that of iron. To accelerate reductive mobilization of iron, 0.4% aqueous ascorbic acid was used instead of water as the leaching liquid phase. In this case, E_h approached –60 mV, and the leaching of stable and radioactive elements considerably increased, the effect being most pronounced for plutonium. To cite this article: E.K. Legin et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).

Résumé

Effet du passage en milieu anaérobie sur la mobilisation des radionucléides dans les sols humides. La lixiviation simultanée du fer et d’autres éléments de sols contaminés de la vallée de la rivière Yénései a été étudiée. En imposant des conditions anaérobies, le potentiel redox chute à 140 mV, causant une réduction partielle du fer trivalent et la solubilisation de l’hydroxyde de fer et du film organominéral du sol. Les lixiviations du fer, des autres éléments et, par conséquent, des radionucléides contaminant le sol vont de pair. Pour accélérer la mobilisation réductive du fer, une solution d’acide ascorbique à 0,4% a été utilisée à la place de l’eau. Dans ces conditions, la valeur de E_h approche –60 mV et la lixiviation des éléments augmente considérablement, cet effet étant plus prononcé pour le plutonium. Pour citer cet article : E.K. Legin et al., C. R. Chimie 7 (2004).     

Evaluation of Italian wine by the electronic tongue: recognition, quantitative analysis and correlation with human sensory perception

The electronic tongue based on a sensor array comprising 23 potentiometric cross-sensitive chemical sensors and pattern recognition and multivariate calibration data processing tools was applied to the analysis of Italian red wines. The measurements were made in 20 samples of Barbera d’Asti and in 36 samples of Gutturnio wine. The electronic tongue distinguished all wine samples of the same denomination and vintage, but from different vineyards. Simultaneously the following quantitative parameters of the wines were measured by the electronic tongue with precision within 12%: total and volatile acidity, pH, ethanol content, contents of tartaric acid, sulphur dioxide, total polyphenols, glycerol, etc. The electronic tongue is sensitive to multiple substances that determine taste and flavour of wine and, hence, the system was capable of predicting human sensory scores with average precision of 13% for Barbera d’Asti wines and 8% for Gutturnio wines.     

Novel diamides of 2,2′-dipyridyl-6,6′-dicarboxylic acid: synthesis, coordination properties, and possibilities of use in electrochemical sensors and liquid extraction

The procedure was proposed for the synthesis of various dipyridyldiamides. Their various properties in the series of rare-earth elements were studied. The possibility to use the synthe-sized compounds in polymer membranes of electrochemical sensors for the development of novel types of sensors was shown. A comparison of the influence of the ligand structure on the extraction and sensor characteristics was performed.     

Calixarenes functionalized with phosphine oxide and diamide functions as extractants and ionofores for rare-earth metals

Calixarene-based ligands with phosphine oxide and diamide functions at wide and narrow rims are synthesized and studied as extracting agents for liquid extraction and ionophores for polymeric electrochemical ion sensors. Calixarene ligands are compared with corresponding phosphine oxide and diamide ligands which are not attached to the calixarene platform. Extraction and sensor properties of the ligands were studied in different metal ion solution with special attention paid to rare-earth metals. Attachment of phosphine oxide groups to the calixarene platform leads to the sharp increase of both extraction and sensing ability of the corresponding systems comparing to non-bonded phosphine oxide. In case of the diamide derivatives attached to the calixarene performance of corresponding ligands was similar to those of non-bonded diamides.     

Chemical sensors based on metal-electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor structures for determining carbon dioxide in air

Separation of iron(III) and palladium(III) in recovery from binary hydrochloric solutions with liquid membranes containing diphenylthiocarbamide in 1,2-dichloroethane was studied under galvanostatic electrodialysis conditions. The effect of the current density, process duration, and compositions of the receiving solution and liquid membrane on the iron(III) recovery rate was examined.     

Cross-sensitive rare-earth metal sensors based on bidentate neutral organophosphorus compounds and chlorinated cobalt dicarbollide

A new carbon composite electrode material, based on dispersing glassy carbon (GC) microparticles into methyltrimethoxysilane-derived sol, is described in the present paper. The resulting glassy carbon ceramic composite electrodes (GCCEs) combine the electrochemical properties of GC with the advantages of composite electrodes, and thus offer high electrochemical reactivity, low background current and are easy to prepare, modify and renew. The new material has a low double-layer capacitance and a wide potential window. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate significant difference in the structure of GCCE and carbon ceramic composite electrode (CCE). The electrochemical properties and advantages of GCCE should find broad utility in electroanalysis.