Pencil‐Drawn Dual Electrode Detectors to Discriminate Between Analytes Comigrating on Paper‐Based Fluidic Devices but Undergoing Electrochemical Processes with Different Reversibility

A simple method is described to discriminate between analytes comigrating under on‐plate separation conditions, whose electrochemical behavior displays different reversible characters. It is based on the use of dual electrode detectors pencil‐drawn at the end of paper‐based fluidic channels defined by hydrophobic barriers. Simultaneous detection of comigrating species is achieved by applying to the upstream pencil‐drawn working electrode a potential for the oxidation (or reduction) of both analytes, while to the downstream pencil‐drawn working electrode a potential is imposed for the reverse process involving the product of the sole analyte undergoing a reversible enough electrochemical process. The performance of these inexpensive devices was preliminarily optimized by adopting hexacyanoferrate(II) as prototype species undergoing a reversible anodic process at carbon electrodes. They were then used as dual electrode detectors for thin‐layer chromatographic runs conducted on paper‐based microfluidic devices. Two types of synthetic solutions, one containing different contents of dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) and the other of paracetamol (PA) and AA, were chosen as model samples. This choice was prompted us by the fact that in both cases these analytes comigrated under the adopted experimental conditions and required similar enough oxidation potentials. Nevertheless, DA and PA underwent reversible enough anodic processes while an irreversible electrochemical reaction is involved in the AA oxidation. Satisfactory results were found for both couples of target analytes, whose simultaneous detection was achieved within 230 s and was characterized by good enough repeatability and sensitivity. In particular, this approach appears to be well suited for the rapid and inexpensive assembling of electrochemical detectors for flow analysis systems.     

Amperometric Sniffer for Volatile Amines Based on Paper‐Supported Room Temperature Ionic Liquids Enabling Rapid Assessment of Fish Spoilage

A gas sensors based on a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) supported on paper is proposed as amperometric sniffer for monitoring volatile amines (VAs) released from fish samples, in order to gain indication of their state of turning spoiled. It was used as a paper electrochemical detector (PED) for a flow injection system in which controlled headspace volumes in equilibrium with ice‐stored fish samples were directly injected. The performance of this RTIL‐PED sensor was preliminarily tested on synthetic samples of trimethylamine (TMA), dimethylamine (DMA), methylamine (MA) and ammonia (i.e. the main species responsible for the typical flavor of spoiled fish), thus verifying that only TMA, DMA and MA can be detected because NH₃ oxidation occurred beyond the solvent discharge. This notwithstanding, detection of the sole TMA, DMA and MA as a whole turned out to be well suited for the rapid assessment of fish spoilage, since during storage the release enhancement for these amines is largely predominant over that of NH₃. Repeatable (8 % RSD) sharp peaks were detected for all amines above over a wide range (5–1000 nmol) and a detection limit of a little more than 3 nmol was inferred for a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3. This approach was applied to the detection of VAs released from real fish samples (sardines), in parallel to the determination of their total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), which is a conventional indicator frequently adopted for the chemical quality assessment of fish. A substantially satisfactory agreement was found by comparing the data achieved by these two approaches.     

D-荧光素的结构和振动光谱的理论研究

采用密度泛函的B3LYP和B3PW91方法在6-311++G**基组水平上全优化了D-荧光素分子的平衡构型和振动光谱。采用标度量子力学力场(SQM)方法研究了D-荧光素分子的振动光谱。为了详细分析振动模式的贡献,定义了分子的局域内坐标,用改编的分子振动计算程序组将计算的笛卡尔坐标力常数转换成了局域内坐标力常数。用GF矩阵方法进行了简正坐标分析,获得了振动频率和势能分布(PEDs)。根据PEDs对所有的振动模式进行了指认。结果表明,在红外光谱中,所有振动模式均有红外活性,其中吸收强度最强的峰的振动频率为1 780 cm-1,吸收强度为507 KM·mol-1,根据计算所得的PEDs矩阵,可以清楚的看出该振动吸收峰主要由羧基C₂₁O₂₂双键伸缩振动所贡献,其PEDs为93%。在拉曼光谱中,D-荧光素分子的所有振动模式也表现出了拉曼活性,振动频率在1 200～1 700 cm-1范围的吸收峰具有较强的拉曼活性。其中吸收强度最强的吸收峰的频率为1 573 cm-1,吸收强度为297 KM·mol-1,是五元环CN键的伸缩振动所贡献。结果可为进一步研究荧光素衍生物的结构、发光活性提供一定的理论依据。     

A theoretical investigation on the geometry and vibrational spectra of 10,10,2,6,5-pentamethyl-1-hydroxychroman: a model of alpha-tocopherol

In the present study, density functional theory calculations with the combined Becke's three-parameter exchange functional in combination with the Lee, Yang, and Parr correlation functional (B3LYP) exchange-correlation energy functions were performed by using the 6-311G** basis set to study the structure and vibrational spectra of 10,10,2,6,5-pentamethyl-1-hydroxychroman (a model of alpha-tocopherol). The fully optimized geometry of the molecule was found to be very consistent with the X-ray crystal structure. The predicted vibrational frequencies made it possible to give a reliable assignment of the IR spectrum of the molecule according to the potential energy distributions (PEDs).