DNA Determination in the Presence of Copper in Diluted Alkaline Electrolyte by Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry at the Mercury Film Electrode

A stripping method for the determination of single‐stranded DNA in presence of copper at the submicromolar concentration levels is described. The method is based on controlled adsorptive accumulation of adenine (from acid‐treated DNA) at thin‐film mercury electrode followed by linear scan voltammetry measurement of the surface species. Optimum experimental conditions were found to be the use of a 5.0×10^?3 M NaOH solution, an accumulation potential of ?0.40 V and a scan rate of 200 mV s^?1. The response of adenine–copper is linear over the concentration range 50–250 ppb. For an accumulation time of 15 minutes, the detection limit was found to be 4 ppb. The more convenient relation to measuring the ssDNA in presence of metals and nitrogenated bases were also investigated. The utility of the method is demonstrated by the presence of adenosine‐triphosphate (ATP) and amino acids.     

Effects of Adsorbed Polyaniline on Redox Processes on As(2)O(3) Surfaces

Polyaniline deposited on As(2)O(3) surface resulted in a new material, which was characterized by infrared spectoscopy, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry. The mass percentage of polymer deposited on oxide surface is approximately 13%. The scanning electron microscopy images as well as the X-ray diffraction patterns provided conclusive evidence that the oxide surface is coated by the polymer. The cyclic voltammograms of the polyaniline adsorbed on As(2)O(3) surface showed that the adsorbate exerts remarkable effects on redox processes on this oxide. The pure oxide exhibited two oxidation/reduction peaks at 0.25/-0.06 and 0.47/-0.25 V attributed tentatively to the processes As(2)O(3)(s)+6H(+)+6e(-)=2As(s)+3H(2)O and As(s)+3H(+)+3e(-)=AsH(3)(g), respectively. The polyaniline-coated sample exhibited a better-defined voltammogram in which the first oxidation peak of the oxide had its intensity increased about four times. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Thermal degradation study of gadolinium and lutetium methanesulfonates

The synthesis, characterization and thermal degradation study of gadolinium and lutetium methanesulfonates is reported. The prepared salts were characterized by elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The thermal degradation study was performed by using thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). By using thermogravimetric data, a kinetic study of the dehydration of Gd and Lu methanesulfonates is performed employing the Coats-Redfern and Zsakó methods. It is verified that under heating, the gadolinium and lutetium methanesulfonates suffer three main processes: dehydration, thermal degradation and oxide formation. The thermal degradation products were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and X-diffractometry. Furthermore, depending on the atmosphere nature, i.e. inert or oxidant, the thermal degradation process could be endothermic (N₂) or exothermic (air).     

Poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethyleneoxide) -block-poly(ε-caprolactone): Biodegradable triblock copolymer spread at the air-water interface

Synthesis, characterization and behavior at the air-water interface of A-B-A triblock copolymers are reported. The copolymers consist of a poly(ethylene oxide) central block and poly(ε-caprolactone) lateral blocks. The synthesis was controlled in order to obtain central and lateral blocks of variable length. Copolymer characterization was performed by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and thermal analysis. Monolayers of the copolymers at the air-water interface were obtained by the Langmuir technique and the respective isotherms were obtained by monolayer compression. The limiting area per repeat unit (A_o) and the critical exponent of the excluded volume (ν) for spread monolayers were obtained. The static elasticity (ε₀) of the monolayers was also determined. The obtained results allow proposing a schematic model of the orientation of the different blocks during the compression of the respective monolayers.     

Enhanced electro-oxidation of ethanol using PtSn/CeO2–C electrocatalyst prepared by an alcohol-reduction process

PtSn/CeO₂–C electrocatalysts were prepared by an alcohol-reduction process using ethylene glycol as solvent and reduction agent and CeO₂ and Vulcan Carbon XC72 as supports. The electrocatalysts were characterized by EDX and XRD. The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied at room temperature by chronoamperometry. PtSn/CeO₂–C electrocatalyst with 15 wt% of CeO₂ showed a significant increase of performance for ethanol oxidation compared to PtSn/C catalyst. Preliminary tests at 100 °C on a single cell of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) also confirm the results obtained by chronoamperometry.     

Adenine Determination in the Presence of Copper in Diluted Alkaline Electrolyte by Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry at the Mercury Film Electrode

Highly sensitive, simple and inexpensive techniques of adenine determination are particularly interesting in relation to the present development of ATP and DNA sensors. A nanomolar concentration of adenine can be determined in the presence of copper. For an accumulation time of 30 minutes, the detection limit found was 0.22 ppb (1.63×10^?9 M). The method is based on controlled adsorptive accumulation of adenine‐copper at thin‐film mercury electrode followed by linear scan voltammetric measurement of the surface species. By applying a condition time of 60 s at ?0.9 V, the same thin‐film can be used over several measurements. Optimum experimental conditions were found to be the use of a 5.0×10^?3 M NaOH solution, an accumulation potential over the ?0.20 to ?0.40 V range, and a scan rate of 100 mV s^?1. The response of adenine‐copper is linear over the concentration range 20–100 ppb. The more convenient ways to measuring adenine in the presence of metals and other nitrogenated bases were also investigated. The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are first treated with acid (e.g., 0.1 M perchloric acid), and the acid‐released adenine (without separation from others products of the degradation) is directly determined by adsorptive stripping voltammetry.     

New highly fluorescent biolabels based on II-VI semiconductor hybrid organic-inorganic nanostructures for bioimaging

Semiconductor quantum dots based on II-VI materials may be prepared to develop good biolabeling properties. In this study we present some well-succeeded results related to the preparation, functionalization and bioconjugation of CdY (Y = S, Se and Te) to biological systems (live cells and fixed tissues). These nanostructured materials were prepared using colloidal synthesis in aqueous media resulting nanoparticles with very good optical properties and an excellent resistance to photodegradation.     

Application of core-shell PEGylated CdS/Cd(OH)2 quantum dots as biolabels of Trypanosoma cruzi parasites

Semiconductor quantum dots are a promising class of materials in the labeling of biological systems. In the present study we show the marking pattern of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) live parasites using PEGylated CdS/Cd(OH)₂ fluorescent nanocrystals. The analysis obtained by confocal fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicates that only the endocytic paths of parasites were labeled. The parasites were alive after the incubation with the CdS/Cd(OH)₂-PEG suspension. Labeling the T. cruzi with quantum dots can help to better understand the endocytosis process and also the cellular differentiation.     

Biocidal Activity of a Nanoemulsion Containing Essential Oil from Protium heptaphyllum Resin against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

This work aimed to prepare a nanoemulsion containing the essential oil of the Protium heptaphyllum resin and evaluate its biocidal activities against the different stages of development of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Ovicide, pupicide, adulticide and repellency assays were performed. The main constituents were p-cymene (27.70%) and α-pinene (22.31%). The developed nanoemulsion showed kinetic stability and monomodal distribution at a hydrophilic–lipophilic balance of 14 with a droplet size of 115.56 ± 1.68 nn and a zeta potential of −29.63 ± 3.46 mV. The nanoemulsion showed insecticidal action with LC₅₀ 0.404 µg·mL⁻¹ for the ovicidal effect. In the pupicidal test, at the concentration of 160 µg·mL⁻¹, 100% mortality was reached after 24 h. For adulticidal activity, a diagnostic concentration of 200 µg·mL⁻¹ (120 min) was determined. In the repellency test, a concentration of 200 µg·mL⁻¹ during the 180 min of the test showed a protection index of 77.67%. In conclusion, the nanobiotechnological product derived from the essential oil of P. heptaphyllum resin can be considered as a promising colloid that can be used to control infectious disease vectors through a wide range of possible modes of applications, probably as this bioactive delivery system may allow the optimal effect of the P. heptaphyllum terpenes in aqueous media and may also induce satisfactory delivery to air interfaces.     

Self‐Assembled Gold Arrays That Allow Rectification by Nanoscale Selectivity

The deposition of a monolayer nanoarray on the surface of a micrometer‐thick substrate is demonstrated, producing rectification characteristics at the nanoscale. The experimental results show that the heterogeneity of the structure and the charge density are the two key factors affecting rectification, which was confirmed with molecular dynamic (MD) and finite element simulations. Moreover, by altering the asymmetric electrolyte environment, the fabricated heterogeneous membrane can be used in energy conversion. This study provides insights into the mechanism underlying the generation of rectification and related factors, providing a theoretical basis for the characteristics of rectification.