Hybrid peptide-molecularly imprinted polymer interface for electrochemical detection of vancomycin in complex matrices.

A hybrid recognition interface combining peptide and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was achieved by introducing a vancomycin binding tripeptide in the preparation of MIP to implement high affinity and specificity recognition of vancomycin in complex matrices. The tripeptide that can specifically bind vancomycin was immobilized onto gold nanoparticles (GNPs) deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by Au-S bond, and then a controlled electropolymerization of dopamine was carried out to imprint the vancomycin-peptide complex. After removing vancomycin from the polydopamine (PDA), hybrid peptide-MIP cavities containing multiple binding sites for vancomycin in the MIPDA/peptide/GNPs/GCE were obtained. The electrode had better selectivity and higher sensitivity toward vancomycin than either peptide or MIP modified GNPs/GCE, and the limit of quantification was as low as 10 pM by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The real samples, including fetal calf serum, probiotic drink and honey spiked with 0.17-2.0 µM vancomycin were analyzed on the MIPDA/peptide/GNPs/GCE, with the recoveries of 92.16-104.67%. The present study provides a sensitive, reliable method for the detection of vancomycin in complex matrices.

In situ measurement of synthetic musks in wastewaters using diffusive gradients in thin film technique.

Synthetic musks (SMs) are used extensively in household and personal care products and have acted significant concerns due to their environmental impacts and potential health effects. Here, we present a passive sampling approach based on diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) for in situ measurement of SMs in urban wastewaters. XAD-2 binding gel, which has a rapid binding rate and high elution efficiency, was used in DGT device for the accumulation of six polycyclic musks and three nitro musks. The diffusion coefficients (D and DNL) of the SMs through agarose gel without and with a nylon filter membrane were 3.37-4.49 and 1.48-4.41 ×10-6cm2 s-1. The filter membrane caused an ~3 h lag phase and slowed the diffusion rates of the SMs through the diffusive phase. Solution pH (4.30-8.92), ionic strength (0.0001-0.5 M) and dissolved organic matter (0-20 mg L-1) showed no obvious influence on uptake of the SMs in DGT. The measured average SM concentrations in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants ranged from 0.45-696 ng/L for DGT deployment, without obvious membrane biofouling, and they were comparable to the concentrations determined by grab sampling. These results confirmed that the present method is reliable and convenient for in situ measurement of semivolatile hydrophobic SMs in complicated waters and is an available tool to investigate the environmental behaviors of SMs in the environment.