Creatinine biosensor based on ammonium ion selective electrode and its application in flow-injection analysis

A new, highly sensitive, fast responding and stable potentiometric biosensor for creatinine determination is developed. The biosensor is based on an ammonium ion-selective electrode. Creatinine deiminase (EC 3.5.4.21) is chemically immobilized on the surface of the polymeric ion-sensitive membrane in the form of monomolecular layer using a simple, one-step carbodiimide covalent attachment method. The resulting enzyme electrodes are useful for measurement under flow injection analysis (FIA) conditions. The biosensors exhibit excellent operational and storage stability. The enzyme electrodes retain over 70% of initial sensitivity after ten weeks of work under FIA conditions. The storage stability at 4 °C is longer than half a year without loss of sensitivity. Under optimized conditions near 30 samples per hour can be analyzed and the determination range (0.02-20.0 mmol l⁻¹) fully covers creatinine concentrations important from clinical and biomedical point of view. The simple biosensor/FIA system has been successfully used for determination of creatinine in urine, serum and posthemodialysate samples.     

Lipase-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution of the Racemic Mixtures of 1-Aryloxy-3-Nitrato-and 1-Aryloxy-3-Azido-2-Propanols

The racemic mixtures of 1-aryloxy-3-nitrato-2-propanols and 1-aryloxy-3-azido-2-propanols were resolved with moderate selectivity by the lipase-mediated acylation with vinyl acetate. The effects of the nature, position, and spatial requirements of the phenyl-ring substituents on the resolution degree were investigated.     

Potentiometric determination of dialysate urea nitrogen

An enzymatically modified ammonium ion-selective electrode has been applied for the determination of urea in spent dialysate. The biosensor has been used in a simple flow-injection analysis (FIA) system. The system enables one to perform over 25 dialysate urea nitrogen (DUN) determinations per hour. The interferences from other components of posthemodialysis fluid were eliminated by simultaneous measurements with non-modified enzymatically ion-selective electrode. It is possible to use both the sensors in a simplified differential potentiometric system. The results of DUN determination using the biosensor/FIA system and a conventional method of urea determination were comparable. The presented analytical system can potentially find wider biomedical application in the monitoring of hemodialysis progress.     

Spectral intensity analysis of the S-POCl3-ZrCl4 system

The solution absorption spectra of the Sm³⁺-POCl₃-ZrCl₄ system were recorded within the 40,000-4000 cm⁻¹ range. A number of absorption bands in solution in the near-IR region were considered taking advantage of the optical transparency of the solvent. It was proved that only in this case the Judd-Ofelt parameters ωλ are physically significant and can be determined with relatively good accuracy.     

Optical biosensors based on Prussian Blue films

Optical biosensing schemes based on enzymatically modified inorganic/organic transparent films predominately composed of Prussian Blue are demonstrated. The composite film, which is non-electrochemically deposited on a non-conducting support. is used as an optical transducer for flow-through biosensors based on hydrolases and oxidases. Urease and glucose oxidase are utilized as model enzymes. Action of the urea biosensor is based on optical pH sensitivity of Prussian Blue indicator. The glucose biosensor is acting as first-generation optical biosensor based on in situ generated Prussian White transducer for hydrogen peroxide. These simple, single-pass transmission optical biosensors exhibit sensitivity in the millimolar range of concentration. The biosensors are very stable owing to presence of a poly(pyrrolylbenzoic acid) network in the composite material. This organic polymer plays a dual role as a binding agent for inorganic material and as a functionalized support for strong covalent immobilization of enzyme molecules.     

Phase diagrams in the binary systems of tetracyanoethylene with mesitylene,durene and pentamethylbenzene

The phase diagrams of the binary systems of tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) with some methylbenzenes were determined by differential scanning calorimetry. In the durene-TCNE system a 11 complex was observed. The other two pairs of components form both 11 and 12 complexes. In all the systems, the complexes melted incongruently. Solid — solid phase transitions were found in the complexes in the pentamethylbenzene-TCNE system. The excess free energy of mixing of the liquid phase was estimated by fitting the modified van Laar equation to the measured liquidus lines. The enthalpy and the entropy of complex formation were used as the fitting parameters.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels DSC wurden die Phasendiagramme der binären Systeme aus Tetracyanoethylen (TCNE) mit einigen Methylbenzolen erstellt. Im System Duren-TCNE wurde ein 11 Komplex beobachtet. Die anderen beiden Komponentenpaare bilden sowohl 11 als auch 12 Komplexe. In allen Systemen schmelzen die Komplexe inkongruent. Im System Pentamethylbenzol-TCNE wurde für die Komplexe eine Fest-Fest-Phasenumwandlung gefunden. Durch Angleichen der modifizierten van Laar Gleichung an die gemessenen Liquidus-Kurven konnte die überschüssige freie Energie für das Mischens der flüssigen Phase geschätzt werden. Als Angleichparameter wurden Enthalpie und Entropie der Komplexbildung verwendet.

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We wish to thank M. Dankowski for his help in connecting the DSC apparatus to the microcomputer.     

Calorimetric studies of binary systems of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene with naphthalene, anthracene and carbazole. II. Phase diagrams

The phase diagrams of the binary systems of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) with naphthalene, anthracene and carbazole have been determined by differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy over the temperature range 180 K to just above the melting point. All systems show the same features: (i) systems form nearly ideal double simple-eutectic type phase diagrams with 1 : 1 complex, (ii) each one of three known modifications of TNB may exist as a component of the complex—TNB eutectic mixtures. (iii) measured liquidus lines of complexes agree within experimental error with those calculated by the Vieland equation for a completely dissociated complex in the liquid phase, whereas the experimental liquidus lines for the parent components deviate slightly from those predicted by the Schröder—van Laar equation, indicating some degree of complexing in the liquid phase.

The solubility parameter theory has been used to clarify this discrepancy. Applying this theory to the liquidus lines of complexes, we have found that these TNB complexes are still stable upon fusion, and an approximate degree of dissociation amounted to 90% at the melting point in all three cases.

The enthalpy of complex formation, ΔH⁰, both in the liquid and solid state has been determined. The values of ΔH⁰ show that in the solid state the carbazole—TNB complex is the most stable, and the naphthalene—TNB complex is the least stable.     

Thermogravimetric investigation ofwastes from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

Two components of electronic wastes (sample A – a mixture of three types of printed circuit boards, sample B – a mixture of electronic junctions with metal wires) were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Thermogravimetric and derivative thermogravimetric data (TG and DTG) give information on the thermal stability of A and B samples and allows finding the correct conditions for their degradation using pyrolysis in an experimental system, built on the laboratory scale for utilization of hazardous wastes. X-ray fluorescence measurements prove that brominated flame retardant is present in sample A, whilst chlorinated flame retardant is a probable component of sample B. Preliminary liquid chromatography of oil products obtained as a result of thermal waste degradation shows that the hydrocarbons released during pyrolysis could be used as a fuel.     

Hydrogel Membrane Improves Batch‐to‐Batch Reproducibility of an Enzymatic Glucose Biosensor

A permselective membrane is a critical component that defines the linear detection limits, the sensitivity, and thus the ultimate efficacy of an enzymatic biosensor. Although membranes like epoxy‐polyurethane (epoxy‐PU) and Nafion are widely used and provide the desired glucose detection limits of 2 to 30 mM, both the within batch and batch‐to‐batch variability of sensors that use these materials is a concern. The hypothesis for this study was that a crosslinked hydrogel would have a sufficiently uniform porosity and hydrophilicity to address the variability in sensor sensitivity. The hydrogel was prepared by crosslinking di‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate and N‐vinyl pyrrolidone with 2.5 mol% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate using water soluble initiators – ammonium persulfate and sodium metabisulfite under a nitrogen atmosphere. The hydrogel was applied to the sensor by dip coating during polymerisation. Electrochemical measurements revealed that the response characteristics of sensors coated with this membrane are highly consistent. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to spatially resolve glucose diffusion through the membrane by measuring the consequent H₂O₂ release and compared with an epoxy‐PU membrane. Hydrogen peroxide measurements using SECM revealed that the epoxy‐PU membranes had uneven lateral diffusion profiles compared to the uniform profile of the hydrogel membranes. The uneven diffusion profiles of epoxy‐PU membranes are attributed to a fabrication method that results in uneven membrane properties, while the uniform diffusion profiles of the hydrogel membranes are primarily dictated by their uniform pore size.     

Calorimetric studies of binary systems of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene with naphthalene, anthracene and carbazole. I. Phase transitions and heat capacities of the pure components and charge-transfer complexes

The enthalpies and temperature of fusion and solid—solid transitions and the heat capacity curves for naphthalene (NAP), anthracene, carbazole, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB) and charge-transfer complexes of TNB with these donors have been determined by using a Perkin-Elmer DSC-1B scanning calorimeter in the temperature range 180 K to just below the melting point.

Three modifications of TNB, one stable and two metastable, with melting points 398.4, 380.3 and 383.0 K, have been observed. Two phase transitions in the NAP—TNB complex, at 220 and 424.5 K, have been revealed. The probable nature of the phase transitions is discussed.

The quantity ΔC_p, where ΔC_p = C_p (complex) − C_p (donor) − C_p (TNB), is negative at higher temperatures, being equal to zero or positive at 180 K. This result is interpreted as an indication of a decrease in the complex stability in the solid state with decreasing temperature