Beyond steric selectivity of ions using ångström-scale capillaries.

Ion-selective channels play a key role in physiological processes and are used in many technologies. Although biological channels can efficiently separate same-charge ions with similar hydration shells, it remains a challenge to mimic such exquisite selectivity using artificial solid-state channels. Although there are several nanoporous membranes that show high selectivity with respect to certain ions, the underlying mechanisms are based on the hydrated ion size and/or charge. There is a need to rationalize the design of artificial channels to make them capable of selecting between similar-sized same-charge ions, which, in turn, requires an understanding of why and how such selectivity can occur. Here we study ångström-scale artificial channels made by van der Waals assembly, which are comparable in size with typical ions and carry little residual charge on the channel walls. This allows us to exclude the first-order effects of steric- and Coulomb-based exclusion. We show that the studied two-dimensional ångström-scale capillaries can distinguish between same-charge ions with similar hydrated diameters. The selectivity is attributed to different positions occupied by ions within the layered structure of nanoconfined water, which depend on the ion-core size and differ for anions and cations. The revealed mechanism points at the possibilities of ion separation beyond simple steric sieving.

Bipolar Electrochemiluminescence Imaging: A Way to Investigate the Passivation of Silicon Surfaces.

This work depicts the original combination of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and bipolar electrochemistry (BPE) to map in real-time the oxidation of silicon in microchannels. We fabricated model silicon-PDMS microfluidic chips, optionally containing a restriction, and monitored the evolution of the surface reactivity using ECL. BPE was used to remotely promote ECL at the silicon surface inside microfluidic channels. The effects of the fluidic design, the applied potential and the resistance of the channel (controlled by the fluidic configuration) on the silicon polarization and oxide formation were investigated. A potential difference down to 6 V was sufficient to induce ECL, which is two orders of magnitude less than in classical BPE configurations. Increasing the resistance of the channel led to an increase in the current passing through the silicon and boosted the intensity of ECL signals. Finally, the possibility of achieving electrochemical reactions at predetermined locations on the microfluidic chip was investigated using a patterning of the silicon oxide surface by etched micrometric squares. This ECL imaging approach opens exciting perspectives for the precise understanding and implementation of electrochemical functionalization on passivating materials. In addition, it may help the development and the design of fully integrated microfluidic biochips paving the way for development of original bioanalytical applications.

Polarization Induced Electro-Functionalization of Pore Walls: A Contactless Technology.

This review summarizes recent advances in micro- and nanopore technologies with a focus on the functionalization of pores using a promising method named contactless electro-functionalization (CLEF). CLEF enables the localized grafting of electroactive entities onto the inner wall of a micro- or nano-sized pore in a solid-state silicon/silicon oxide membrane. A voltage or electrical current applied across the pore induces the surface functionalization by electroactive entities exclusively on the inside pore wall, which is a significant improvement over existing methods. CLEF's mechanism is based on the polarization of a sandwich-like silicon/silicon oxide membrane, creating electronic pathways between the core silicon and the electrolyte. Correlation between numerical simulations and experiments have validated this hypothesis. CLEF-induced micro- and nanopores functionalized with antibodies or oligonucleotides were successfully used for the detection and identification of cells and are promising sensitive biosensors. This technology could soon be successfully applied to planar configurations of pores, such as restrictions in microfluidic channels.

Enhanced Bipolar Electrochemistry at Solid-State Micropores: Demonstration by Wireless Electrochemiluminescence Imaging.

Bipolar electrochemistry (BPE) is a powerful method based on the wireless polarization of a conductive object that induces the asymmetric electroactivity at its two extremities. A key physical limitation of BPE is the size of the conductive object because the shorter the object, the larger is the potential necessary for sufficient polarization. Micrometric and nanometric objects are thus extremely difficult to address by BPE due to the very high potentials required, in the order of tens of kV or more. Herein, the synergetic actions of BPE and of planar micropores integrated in a microfluidic device lead to the spatial confinement of the potential drop at the level of the solid-state micropore, and thus to a locally enhanced polarization of a bipolar electrode. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is emitted in half of the electroactive micropore and reveals the asymmetric polarization in this spatial restriction. Micrometric deoxidized silicon electrodes located in the micropore are polarized at a very low potential (7 V), which is more than 2 orders of magnitude lower compared to the classic bipolar configurations. This behavior is intrinsically associated with the unique properties of the micropores, where the sharp potential drop is focused. The presented approach offers exciting perspectives for BPE of micro/nano-objects, such as dynamic BPE with objects passing through the pores or wireless ECL-emitting micropores.

Integrated microfluidic device for the separation, decomposition and detection of low molecular weight S-nitrosothiols.

S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are very important biomolecules that play crucial roles in many physiological and physiopathological processes. They act as NO-donors and are candidates for future medicines. Their identification and quantitation are therefore important for biomedical applications. One, two or more RSNOs can then be combined to design a drug and therefore, the quantification of each is important to establish an acceptable quality control process. Till date, miniaturized devices have been used to detect RSNOs based on their total quantitation without a preceding separation step. This study reports on an original and integrated microdevice allowing for the successive electrokinetic separation of low molecular weight RSNOs, their decomposition under metal catalysis, and their quantitation by amperometric detection of the produced nitrite in the end-channel arrangement, leading to their quantitation in a single run. For this purpose, a commercial SU-8/Pyrex microfluidic system was coupled to a portable and wireless potentiostat. Different operating and running parameters were optimized to achieve the best analytical data, allowing for an LOD equal to 20 µM. The simultaneous separation of S-nitrosoglutathione and S-nitrosocysteine was successfully obtained within 75 s. The proposed methodology using SU-8/Pyrex microfluidic devices opens new possibilities to investigate future drug candidates for NO-donors.

Colorimetric analysis of the decomposition of S-nitrosothiols on paper-based microfluidic devices.

A disposable microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) was developed to easily analyse different S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) through colorimetric measurements. RSNOs are carriers of nitric oxide (NO) that play several physiological and physiopathological roles. The quantification of RSNOs relies on their decomposition using several protocols and the colorimetric detection of the final product, NO or nitrite. µPADs were fabricated by wax printing technology in a geometry containing one central zone for the sample inlet and eight circular detection zones interconnected by microfluidic channels for decomposition and posterior detection of decayed products. Different decomposition protocols including mercuric ions and light (UV, visible, and infrared) were tested on µPADs. For this purpose, a 3D printed holder was coupled with µPADs to easily design a simultaneous decomposition procedure using different light sources. The Griess reagent was added to detect NO and nitrite produced by the different decomposition methods. µPADs were then scanned using a flat board scanner and calibration curves based on color intensity were plotted. The limit of detection (LOD) values achieved for nitrite (used as a reference compound) and S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) using mercuric decomposition were 3 and 4 µM, respectively. The LOD reported herein for nitrite is considered among the lowest LODs already reported for this compound using µPADs. The results also show that low-molecular-weight RSNO, namely S-nitrosocysteine, decomposes more easily than high-molecular-weight RSNOs with light. As a proof of concept, RSNOs in human plasma were successfully detected on µPADs. For this purpose, a preliminary treatment step was optimized and the presence of high-molecular-weight (HMW) RSNOs was evidenced in the available plasma samples. The concentrations of HMW-RSNOs and nitrite in the various samples ranged from 5 to 16 µM and from 37 to 58 µM, respectively.

Amperometric Quantification of S-Nitrosoglutathione Using Gold Nanoparticles: A Step toward Determination of S-Nitrosothiols in Plasma.

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are carriers of nitric oxide (NO) and have important biological activities. We propose here the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and NO-selective amperometric microsensor for the detection and quantification of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) as a step toward the determination of plasma RSNOs. AuNPs were used to decompose RSNOs with the quantitative release of free NO which was selectively detected with a NO microsensor. The optimal [GSNO]/[AuNPs] ratio was determined, corresponding to an excess of AuNP surface relative to the molar GSNO amount. Moreover, the influence of free plasma thiols on this method was investigated and a protocol based on the blocking of free thiols with iodoacetic acid, forming the carboxymethyl derivative of the cysteine residues, is proposed.

Capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometric detection for separation of S-nitrosoglutathione and its decomposition products: a deeper insight into the decomposition pathways.

S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is a very important biomolecule that has crucial functions in many physiological and physiopathological processes. GSNO acts as NO donor and is a candidate for future medicines. This work describes, for the first time, the separation and the detection of GSNO and its decomposition products using capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS). The separation was performed in slightly alkaline medium (pH 8.5) under positive-ionization MS detection. The identification of three byproducts of GSNO was formally performed for the first time: oxidized glutathione (GSSG), glutathione sulfinic acid (GSO2H), and glutathione sulfonic acid (GSO3H). GSO2H and GSO3H are known to have important biological activity, including inhibition of the glutathione transferase family of enzymes which are responsible for the elimination of many mutagenic, carcinogenic, and pharmacologically active molecules. We observed, after the ageing of GSNO in the solid state, that the proportion of both GSSG and GSO3H increases whereas that of GSO2H decreases. These results enabled us to propose an oxidation scheme explaining the formation of such products.

Capillary electrophoresis coupled to contactless conductivity detection for the analysis of S-nitrosothiols decomposition and reactivity.

S-Nitrosothiols (RSNO) are composed of a NO group bound to the sulfhydryl group of a peptide or protein. RSNO are very important biological molecules, since they have many effects on human health. RSNO are easily naturally decomposed by metal ions, light, and heat, with different kinetics. They can furthermore undergo transnitrosation (NO moieties exchange), which is a crucial point in physiological conditions since the concentration ratios between the different nitrosothiols is a key factor in many physiopathological processes. There is therefore a great need for their quantitation. Many S-nitrosothiol detection and quantitation methods need their previous decomposition, leading thus to some limitations. We propose a direct quantitation method employing the coupling of capillary electrophoresis with a homemade capacitively coupled contactless conductivity (C(4) D) detector in order to separate and quantify S-nitrosoglutathione and its decomposition products. After optimization of the method, we have studied the kinetics of decomposition using light and heat. Our results show that the decomposition by light is first order (kobs   =  (3.40 ± 0.15) × 10(-3)  s(-1) ) while that using heat (at 80°C) is zeroth order (kobs,80°C   =  (4.34 ± 0.14) × 10(-6)  mol L(-1) s(-1) ). Transnitrosation reaction between S-nitrosoglutathione and cysteine was also studied, showing the possibility of separation and detection of all the products of this reaction in less than 2.5 min.