Carbon‐based Nanosensors for Salicylate Determination in Pharmaceutical Preparations

Thiourea derivative‐based carbon paste electrode (TUD1‐CPE) was constructed as a potentiometric sensor for the determination of salicylate anion in pharmaceutical formulations, Aspocid® and Aspirin®. The optimized CPE contained 45.5 % graphite, 0.5 % reduced graphene oxide (rGO), 46.0 % nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) plasticizer, 5.0 % TUD1 ionophore, and 3.0 % tridodecylmethyl ammonium chloride as additive. The incorporation of NPOE of high dielectric constant, and rGO in electrode caused better performance of the sensor; Nernstian response of 59.0 mV decade^?1 in the concentration range of 10^?1–10^?5 mole L^?1, a detection limit of 1×10^?5 mole L^?1 in a very short response time of 6 seconds. The prepared sensor showed high selectivity against similar anions (i. e. , benzoate, I^?, SCN^?). Selectivity was confirmed by calculating the formation constant (K_β) using sandwich membrane method, where K_β for TUD1‐salicylate is 10^0.43. Theoretical calculations at DFT‐B3LY/6‐31G** level of theory were performed to find interaction mechanism, Energies of HOMO and LUMO orbitals, non‐linear optical (NLO) properties (the electronic dipole moment (μ), first‐order hyperpolarizability (β), the hyper‐Rayleigh scattering (β_HRS) and the depolarization ratio (DR)), and other global properties; these calculations showed lower values of β and DR, higher value of β_HRS, and the shortest lengths of the four N?H bonds between TUD1 and salicylate which confirm their strong complexation and salicylate‐selectivity. Also, all the studied anion‐TUD1 exhibited relatively high NLO properties, and these results were considered as a preliminary study for investigating new types of NLO bearing materials. The sensors were applied successfully for the determination of salicylate anion in Aspocid® and Aspirin®.     

Optical sensors for determination of heavy metal ions

A review is given on optical means for single shot testing (probing) as well as continuous monitoring (sensing) of heavy metal ions (HMs). Following an introduction into indicator based approaches, we discuss the types of indicator dyes and polymeric supports used, as well as existing sensing schemes for HMs. The wealth of information is compiled in the form of tables and critically reviewed. Notwithstanding the tremendous work performed so far, it is obvious that still severe limitations do exist in terms of selectivity, limits of detection, dynamic ranges, applicability to specific problems, and reversibility. On the other hand, such sensors have found — and will find — their application whenever rapid and cost-effective testing is required, where personnel is scarce or unskilled, and in field tests. Despite their limitations, the number of such sensors (and of irreversible probes) for HMs is likely to increase in future.     

Chemical Sensors for Electronic Nose Systems

Chemical sensors have been widely used for the analysis of volatile organic compounds. Employing chemical sensors in an array format with pattern recognition provides a higher degree of selectivity and reversibility leading to an extensive range of applications. When such systems are used for odour analysis they are termed electronic noses. Application of electronic noses ranges from the food industry, medical industry to environmental monitoring and process control. Many types of different gas sensors have been employed in the array. These include conducting polymers, metal oxide semiconductors, piezoelectric, optical fluorescence and amperometric gas sensors The transducer principle of these sensors is varied and is discussed in detail within this review. Examples of the current trends in sensor array technology as well as the applications to which the sensor-based noses have been applied are also discussed.     

Templateless assembly of molecularly aligned conductive polymer nanowires: a new approach for oriented nanostructures

Although oriented carbon nanotubes, oriented nanowires of metals, semiconductors and oxides have attracted wide attention, there have been few reports on oriented polymer nanostructures such as nanowires. In this paper we report the assembly of large arrays of oriented nanowires containing molecularly aligned conducting polymers (polyaniline) without using a porous membrane template to support the polymer. The uniform oriented nanowires were prepared through controlled nucleation and growth during a stepwise electrochemical deposition process in which a large number of nuclei were first deposited on the substrate using a large current density. After the initial nucleation, the current density was reduced stepwise in order to grow the oriented nanowires from the nucleation sites created in the first step. The usefulness of these new polymer structures is demonstrated with a chemical sensor device for H(2)O(2), the detection of which is widely investigated for biosensors. Finally, we demonstrated that controlled nucleation and growth is a general approach and has potential for growing oriented nanostructures of other materials.     

A Layer‐by‐Layer Film of Chitosan in a Taste Sensor Application

Chitosan is alternated with sulfonated polystyrene (PSS) to build layer‐by‐layer (LBL) films that are used as sensing units in an electronic tongue. Using impedance spectroscopy as the principle method of detection, an array using chitosan/PSS LBL film and a bare gold electrode as the sensing units was capable of distinguishing the basic tastes – salty, sweet, bitter, and sour – to a concentration below the human threshold. The suitability of chitosan as a sensing material was confirmed by using this sensor to distinguish red wines according to their vintage, vineyard, and brands.

PCA Plot for red wine samples obtained from impedance measurements at 1 kHz for the sensor array comprising a 3‐bilayer chitosan/PSS film and a bare gold electrode.     

Analytical characteristics and sensitivity mechanisms of electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor system-based chemical sensors—a critical review

Recent trends in research and development of electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) field-effect chemical sensors (ion-selective field-effect transistors, light-addressable potentiometric sensors, capacitive EIS-sensors) with inorganic gate insulators (oxide, nitride and chalcogenide films) are reviewed. Physical properties of EIS systems and basic mechanisms of their chemical sensitivity are examined. Analytical characteristics and sensing mechanisms of EIS pH sensors with oxide and nitride films, as well as metal ions sensors with chalcogenide films, are critically discussed. Prospects of future research on EIS field-effect biosensors are briefly outlined.     

Potentiometric determination of diclofenac in pharmaceutical formulation by membrane electrode based on ion associate with base dye

The characteristics,performance and application of membrane electrode based on ion associate of diclofenac with base dye Safranine T are described.The electrode response to diclofenac has the sensitivity of 47±1.0 mV decade~(-1)over the range of 5×10~(-5)to 5×10~(-2)mol/L at pH 6-12,and the detection limit of 3.2×10~(-5)mol/L.The electrode is easy assembled at a relatively low cost has fast response time(2-4 s)and can be used for a period up to 3.5 months without any considerable divergence in potential.The proposed sensor displayed good selectivity for diclofenac in the presence of different substances.It was used to determine diclofenac in pharmaceuticals by means of the standard addition method.     

Nanoparticles: scaffolds for molecular recognition

Monolayer and mixed-monolayer protected clusters (MPCs and MMPCs) have great potential to combine molecular functionality with the intrinsic properties of nanometer-sized scaffolds. This synergy can be used to create complex functional devices, including redox-active, electronic, or magnetic storage devices, solution-based sensors, and highly efficient catalysts. This review outlines some of the recent developments in nanoscale receptors based on synthetic and nonbiological recognition elements. In these nanoparticle systems, molecular recognition is achieved by covalent attachment of receptors on the nanoparticles coupled with noncovalent interactions to target substrates. Synthetic host-guest systems, hydrogen bonding, change in redox states, pi-pi stacking, rotaxane formation, and ion recognition are the main topics covered in this review.     

Sequential injection system with higher dimensional electrochemical sensor signals Part 1. Voltammetric e-tongue for the determination of oxidizable compounds

A sequential injection analysis (SIA) system was developed with the aim of obtaining an automatic and versatile way to prepare standards needed in the study of systems with higher dimensional sensor signals. To illustrate this, different analytical techniques were used in determinations of several analytes. Automated potentiometric calibrations of different potentiometric sensors, with and without interference, were carried out. Useful determinations of selectivity coefficients with two degrees of freedom were obtained. Simultaneous voltammetric determinations have also been done. Firstly, simultaneous determinations of lead and cadmium, using epoxy-graphite composite as the working electrode, have enabled a separate calibration for each metal to be obtained. Next, a voltammetric electronic tongue was designed and applied to the determination of oxidizable species. The use of artificial neural networks has solved the overlapped signal of ascorbic acid, 4-aminophenol and 4-acetamidophenol (paracetamol). A set of 63 data points was prepared automatically and has facilitated the training of an electronic tongue for these three analytes. Accurate predictions of test solutions, in the range of 12–410 μM for ascorbic acid, 17–530 μM for 4-aminophenol and 10–420 μM for paracetamol, have been achieved with RMSEs lower than 0.10 μM.     

A cobalt(II)-selective PVC membrane based on a Schiff base complex of N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-3,4-diaminotoluene

A new PVC membrane electrode for Co²⁺ based on N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-3,4-diaminotoluene, an excellent neutral carrier, has been fabricated using sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) as an anionic excluder and dioctylphthalte (DOP) as a solvent mediator. The electrode exhibits a linear potential response in the concentration range of 7.9 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.0 × 10⁻¹ M with a slope of 30 ± 0.2 mV per decade. The detection limit of the proposed sensor is 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ M and it can be used over a period of 5 months. The proposed sensor revealed good selectivity over a wide variety of other cations including alkali, alkaline earth, heavy and transition metals and could be used in the pH range of 2.0-9.0. This electrode was successfully applied for the determination of Co²⁺in real samples and as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of cobalt ions.