A 3D µPAD based on a multi-enzyme organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflower reactor.

This work reports on the development of a 3D microfluidic paper-based device (3D µPAD) for glucose detection using organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflower technology to immobilize the bi-enzymatic system (glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase). The system is based on nanoflowerssupported on cellulose paper (the microreactor zone) coupled to 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as the colorimetric probe in the detection zone. We used a digital camera for the quantitative analysis of glucose with the S coordinate of the HSV color space as the analytical parameter. Under optimal operational conditions, linearity was observed for glucose concentrations up to 300 µM, with a detection limit of 15.6 µM. The biosensor is reusable and remains stable for 75 days in conventional storage conditions.

Inkjet-printed disposable metal complexing indicator-displacement assay for sulphide determination in water.

A sulphide selective colorimetric metal complexing indicator-displacement assay has been developed using an immobilized copper(II) complex of the azo dye 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol printed by inkjetting on a nylon support. The change in colour measured from the image of the disposable membrane acquired by a digital camera using the H coordinate of the HSV colour space as the analytical parameter is able to sense sulphide in aqueous solution at pH 7.4 with a dynamic range up to 145 µM, a detection limit of 0.10 µM and a precision between 2 and 11%.

Printed disposable colorimetric array for metal ion discrimination.

One of the main limiting factors in optical sensing arrays is the reproducibility in the preparation, typically by spin coating and drop casting techniques, which produce membranes that are not fully homogeneous. In this paper, we increase the discriminatory power of colorimetric arrays by increasing the reproducibility in the preparation by inkjet printing and measuring the color from the image of the array acquired by a digital camera, using the H coordinate of the HSV color space as the analytical parameter, which produces robust and precise measurements. A disposable 31 mm × 19 mm nylon membrane with 35 sensing areas with 7 commercial chromogenic reagents makes it possible to identify 13 metal ions and to determine mixtures with up to 5 ions using a two-stage neural network approach with higher accuracy than with previous approaches.

Microsystem-assisted synthesis of carbon dots with fluorescent and colorimetric properties for pH detection.

The present paper describes the use of a microfluidic system to synthesize carbon dots (Cdots) and their use as optical pH sensors. The synthesis is based on the thermal decomposition of ascorbic acid in dimethyl sulfoxide. The proposed microsystem is composed of a fluidic and a thermal platform, which enable proper control of synthesis variables. Uniform and monodispersed 3.3 nm-sized Cdots have been synthesized, the optical characterization of which showed their down/upconversion luminescence and colorimetric properties. The obtained Cdots have been used for pH detection with down and upconverison fluorescent properties as excitation sources. The naked eye or a photographic digital camera has also been implemented as detection systems with the hue parameter showing a linear pH range from 3.5 to 10.2. On the other hand, experiments on the cytotoxicity and permeability of the Cdots on human embryonic kidney cells revealed their adsorption on cells without causing any impact on the cellular morphology.

Feasibility of the use of disposable optical tongue based on neural networks for heavy metal identification and determination.

This study presents the development and characterization of a disposable optical tongue for the simultaneous identification and determination of the heavy metals Zn(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II). The immobilization of two chromogenic reagents, 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol and Zincon, and their arrangement forms an array of membranes that work by complexation through a co-extraction equilibrium, producing distinct changes in color in the presence of heavy metals. The color is measured from the image of the tongue acquired by a scanner working in transmission mode using the H parameter (hue) of the HSV color space, which affords robust and precise measurements. The use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) in a two-stage approach based on color parameters, the H feature of the array, makes it possible to identify and determine the analytes. In the first stage, the metals present above a threshold of 10(-7) M are identified with 96% success, regardless of the number of metals present, using the H feature of the two membranes. The second stage reuses the H features in combination with the results of the classification procedure to estimate the concentration of each analyte in the solution with acceptable error. Statistical tests were applied to validate the model over real data, showing a high correlation between the reference and predicted heavy metal ion concentration.

Synthesis of a new fluorescent conjugated polymer microsphere for chemical sensing in aqueous media.

A novel conjugated polymer microsphere of high value for fluorescent sensing in aqueous media has been synthesized. New conjugated polymers were functionalized in the side chain with imidazole moieties (recognition element) and a terminal double bond (covalently linked to an organic matrix) through a post-functionalization strategy.

Multienzymatic system immobilization in sol-gel slides: fluorescent superoxide biosensors development.

One of the potential areas of research in the development of biosensors is the production of analytical devices based on the use of immobilized multienzymatic systems. In this work, we report the development of three analytical systems for superoxide radical detection using sol-gel technology to immobilize enzyme systems. These systems are based on the connected reactions of three enzymes (xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase and horseradish peroxidase) coupled to the probe Amplex red. The difference between these three systems lies in the immobilization of two or three enzymes into a single or in different sol-gel slides. We check the potential use of each designed systems to quantify superoxide radical and potential evaluation of radical scavenging properties of several antioxidant compounds.

Immobilization of a trienzymatic system in a sol-gel matrix: a new fluorescent biosensor for xanthine.

In this work we report the development of a highly sensitive fluorescent multienzymatic biosensor for quantitative xanthine detection. This biosensor is built by the simultaneous encapsulation of three enzymes, xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase, in a single sol-gel matrix coupled to the Amplex Red probe. The sol-gel chemistry yields a porous, optically transparent matrix that retains the natural conformation and the reactivity of the three co-immobilized proteins. Xanthine determination is based on a sequence of reactions, namely catalytic oxidation of xanthine to uric acid and superoxide radical, and subsequent catalytic dismutation of the radical, resulting in the formation of hydrogen peroxide, which reacts stoichiometrically with non-fluorescent Amplex Red to produce highly fluorescent resorufin. The optimal operational conditions for the biosensor were investigated. Linearity was observed for xanthine concentrations up to 3.5 microM, with a detection limit of 20 nM, which largely improved the sensitivity of the current xanthine biosensors. The developed biosensor is reusable and remains stable for 2 weeks under adequate storage conditions.

Synthesis, X-ray structures and luminescence properties of three multidimensional metal-organic frameworks incorporating the versatile 5-(pyrimidyl)tetrazolato bridging ligand.

The hydrated sodium salt of the novel and versatile 5-(pyrimidyl)tetrazolato ligand (pmtz(-)), Na(pmtz).H(2)O (1), has been prepared in very mild conditions from 2-cyanopyrimidine and NaN(3). Two coordination polymers [Cd(pmtz)(2)]n (2)and [Cd(pmtz)(micro-Cl)(0.5)(micro-N(3))(0.5)(H(2)O)](n)(3), , have been synthesized from (1)under conventional or hydrothermal conditions, respectively, and fully characterized by single-crystal or powder X-ray diffraction methods. Compounds and consist of mono-dimensional polymeric chains, further stabilized by interchain pi-pi stacking and hydrogen bond interactions. Compound , containing octacoordinated Cd ions of crystallographic D(2) symmetry, exhibits neutral (4, 4) layers formed by square units of the metallacalix[4]arene type in 1,3-alternate conformation. Species , and display intense, room temperature, photoluminescence in the solid state.

Room-temperature, phosphorimetric determination of the beta-blocking agent pindolol in pharmaceutical tablets, urine and blood serum.

It is already recognised that heavy-atom-induced, room-temperature phosphorescence can be used to determine pindolol in pharmaceutical samples and biological fluids. We describe here a new, simple, rapid and selective development of this technique. The phosphorescence signals derive from the interaction of pindolol with a relatively high concentration of heavy-atom salts in the presence of sodium sulphite as oxygen scavenger. Phosphorescence was registered in the presence of 1.2 M potassium iodide, 15 mM sodium sulphite and 30% v/v methanol at 450 nm, exciting at 285 nm. The detection limit was 21.1 ng mL(-1). The method has been successfully applied to the determination of pindolol in commercial pharmaceutical tablets, urine and blood serum.

Iodinated molecularly imprinted polymer for room temperature phosphorescence optosensing of fluoranthene.

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) of high interest for room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) sensing systems is described; the synthesized MIP contains iodine as internal heavy atom in the polymeric structure and its applicability for RTP sensing of fluoranthene at microg L(-1) levels is demonstrated.

Sensitive and simple determination of the vasodilator agent dipyridamole in pharmaceutical preparations by phosphorimetry.

The applicability of heavy atom-induced room-temperature phosphorescence to pharmaceutical samples is demonstrated in this work. Thus a new, simple, rapid, and selective phosphorimetric method for dipyridamole determination is proposed. The phosphorescence signals are a consequence of intermolecular protection when analytes are exclusively in the presence of heavy atom salts and sodium sulfite as an oxygen scavenger to minimize RTP quenching. The determination was performed in 0.1 mol L(-1) thallium(I) nitrate and 8 mmol L(-1) sodium sulfite at a measurement temperature of 20 degrees C. The phosphorescence intensity was measured at 635 nm, with excitation at 305 nm. Phosphorescence was easily developed; a linear concentration range was obtained between 0 and 100 ng mL(-1) with a detection limit of 940 ng L(-1), an analytical sensitivity of 2.5 ng mL(-1), and a standard deviation of 2.7% at 60 ng mL(-1) concentration. The method has been successfully applied to the analysis of dipyridamole in a unique Spanish commercial formulation containing 100 ng mL(-1) per capsule. The recovery was 101.6% with 6.5% standard deviation of analytical measurement. The method using the standard addition methodology has been validated.