A Novel Neutral Carrier for Uranyl Ion Based on a Commercially Available Aminophosphate Derivative: Evaluation in Membrane Electrodes and Nuclear Safeguards Applications

The construction and performance characteristics of uranyl membrane electrodes based on cheap and commercially available amino(trimethyl)phosphate are described. The influence of various membrane constituents on the potentiometric responses of the prepared membrane electrodes has been studied. Optimized membrane electrodes exhibited performance characteristics comparable with those based on high cost and commercially available ionophores. Selectivity studies indicated that the developed membrane electrodes are selective towards uranyl ion over a large number of cations including the well‐known uranyl ion interferents (e.g., Fe³⁺, Th⁺⁴). The analytical utility of the proposed membrane electrode has been demonstrated through its application in nuclear safeguards verification purposes.     

Electrodeposited Graphene and Silver Nanoparticles Modified Electrode for Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis of Hemoglobin

By using a 1‐butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate based carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) as the working electrode, graphene (GR) nanosheets and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were step by step electrodeposited on the surface of the CILE with potentiostatic method. The fabricated Ag/GR/CILE was used as a new platform for protein electrochemistry and hemoglobin (Hb) was immobilized on its surface with chitosan (CTS) as film forming material. In 0.1 mol/L phosphate buffer solution, a pair of well‐defined and quasi‐reversible redox peaks appeared on the CTS/Hb/Ag/GR/CILE with a formal peak potential of ?0.202 V (vs. SCE) and a peak‐to‐peak separation (ΔE_p) of 68 mV, which indicated that direct electrochemistry of Hb was realized on the modified electrode. The results could be attributed to the synergistic effects of Ag NPs and GR nanosheets on the electrode surface, which provided a specific three‐dimensional structure with high conductivity and good biocompatibility. The Hb modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalysis to the reduction of trichloroacetic acid in the concentration range from 0.8 to 22.0 mmol/L with a detection limit of 0.42 mmol/L (3σ). Moreover, the modified electrode exhibited favorable reproducibility, long term stability and accuracy, with potential applications in the third‐generation electrochemical biosensor.     

All Solid State Nickel(II)‐Selective Potentiometric Sensor Based on an Upper Rim Substituted Calixarene

A new ionophore, i.e. p‐(2‐thiazolazo)calix[4]arene ( I ) has been explored for its selective behavior towards Ni(II) ions. A poly(vinyl chloride) based membrane containing ( I ) as an electroactive material along with sodiumtetraphenylborate (NaTPB), and nitrophenyloctyl ether in the ratio 10 : 100 : 3 : 150 (I:PVC:NaTPB:NPOE) (w/w) was used to fabricate an all solid state nickel(II)‐selective sensor. The developed sensor exhibited a working concentration range of 1.0×10^?6–1.0×10^?1 M, with a Nernstian slope of 28.9±1.0 mV/decade of activity and a response time of 10–15 s. This sensor shows a detection limit of 9.0×10^?7 M. Its potential response remains unaffected of pH in the range 3.0–7.6, and the cell assembly could be used successfully in partially nonaqueous medium (up to 10 % v/v) without any significant change in the slope value or the working concentration range. The sensor worked satisfactorily for about ten weeks and exhibited excellent selectivity over a number of mono‐, bi‐, and tri‐valent cations including alkali, alkaline earth metal, and transition metal ions. It could be used as an indicator electrode for the end point determination in the potentiometric titration of nickel ions against ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as well as for the determination of nickel ion concentration in real samples.     

Poly(Neutral Red)/Cholesterol Oxidase Modified Carbon Film Electrode for Cholesterol Biosensing

New amperometric cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) based enzyme biosensors for cholesterol have been developed. The enzyme was immobilised with and without glutaraldehyde cross‐linking on top of carbon film electrodes modified with redox mediators. Mediators tested were: poly(neutral red) (PNR), Prussian blue and cobalt hexacyanoferrates. Amperometric detection of cholesterol showed that PNR/ChOx modified electrodes exhibited the best characteristics; under optimised conditions cholesterol was determined at ?0.4 V vs. SCE with a detection limit of 1.9 µM. The biosensors showed good reproducibility and stability and only a small influence from potential interferents in food. Analyses of cholesterol in egg yolk were successfully performed.     

Epitaxial growth and in-plane dielectric properties of orthorhombic HoMnO3 films

Orthorhombic HoMnO3(HMO) thin films were grown epitaxially on LaAlO3(001) substrates by using pulsed laser deposition technique. The films showed perfect orthorhombic crystallization and were well-aligned with the substrates. The in-plane dielectric constant and loss of HMO films were measured as functions of temperature(80–300 K) and frequency(120 Hz–100 kHz) by using coplanar interdigital electrodes. Two thermally activated dielectric relaxations were found, and the respective peaks shifted to higher temperatures as the measuring frequency increased. The in-plane dielectric properties of epitaxial orthorhombic HMO films were considered as universal dielectric response behavior, and the dipolar effects and the hopping conductivity induced by the charge carriers were used to explain the results.     

A novel combinative Raman and SEM mapping method for the detection of exfoliation of graphite in electrodes at very positive potentials

The random exfoliation at very positive potentials (>5 V vs Li/Li⁺) of graphite (used as a conductive component in positive electrodes of lithium‐ion batteries) was investigated with in situ Raman microscopy and post mortem scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A novel semiautomated computational method for the data analysis of both characterization methods was developed to correlate Raman and SEM information with good lateral resolution, in order to locate exfoliated graphite particles. Proof is given that the exfoliating particles detected via the semiautomatic in situ Raman microscopy mappings correctly describes exfoliated areas, as confirmed via post mortem SEM pictures. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrosynthesis, characterization and electrocatalytic properties of Prussian Blue (PB) nanoparticles disposed on a template

In the present work, an arrangement of polystyrene (PS) spheres was employed as a pattern for the electrodeposition of nanostructured Prussian blue (PB). The pattern of PS spheres was formed on Indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate. The ITO substrate modified by the PS spheres was used as a working electrode for the electrosynthesis of PB. A macroporous PB film constituted by nanoparticles of the compound was obtained after the dissolution of the spheres and was characterized by voltammetric and atomic force microscopy techniques. The electrocatalytic properties of this material were tested in the electrooxidation of hydrazine.     

Kinetics of oxidation of hydrogen peroxide at hemin-modified electrodes in nonaqueous solvents

Hemin adsorbed on graphite electrodes and used to catalyse the reduction of hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous buffer and in a range of nonaqueous solvents has been described. The immobilised hemin is stable in the solvents examined. The rate limiting step involves the reaction between hemin and hydrogen peroxide. Kinetic analysis of the response in nonaqueous solvents showed that I_max / K_m^app increased linearly with the solvent hydrophobicity (log P) in all solvents, a trend that is explained by preferable partitioning of hydrogen peroxide into the polar hemin layer.     

Development of a cytochrome c-based screen-printed biosensor for the determination of the antioxidant capacity of orange juices

This paper describes the development of an amperometric cytochrome c (cyt c)-based biosensor and its later application to the quantification of the scavenging capacity of antioxidants. The enzymatic biosensor was constructed by covalently co-immobilizing both cyt c and XOD on a mercaptoundecanol/mercaptoundecanoic acid (MU/MUA) mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-modified screen-printed gold electrode. The applicability of this method was shown by analyzing the antioxidant capacity of pure substances, such as ascorbic acid and Trolox, and natural sources of antioxidants, particularly 5 orange juices.     

Interpretation of laser desorption mass spectra of unexpected inorganic species found in a cosmetic sample of forensic interest: fingernail polish

Monitoring of cell cultures in microbioreactors is a crucial task in cell bioassays and toxicological tests. In this work a novel tool based on a miniaturized sensor array fabricated using low-temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) technology is presented. The developed device is applied to the monitoring of cell-culture media change, detection of the growth of various species, and in toxicological studies performed with the use of cells. Noninvasive monitoring performed with the LTCC microelectrode array can be applied for future cell-engineering purposes. Figure Microelectrode array for monitoring of cell cultures