TY - CONF A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia T1 - Using Dual Fluorescent Molecularly Imprinted Particles Coupled with a Miniaturized Opto-Microfluidic Platform for On-Site Detection of Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic organofluorine chemicals widely used in the production of various materials, including firefighting foams, adhesives, and coatings that resist stains and oil. In recent years, PFAS have gained attention as emerging environmental contaminants, with particular emphasis on perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), the most common type of PFAS. PFCAs are defined by a fully fluorinated carbon chain and a charged carboxylic acid group. They have been classified as Substances of Very High Concern and included in the REACH Candidate List due to their persistence, resistance to biodegradation, and toxicological impacts. Traditional methods for analyzing PFCAs, like GC-MS, HRMS, and HPLC-based techniques, are time-consuming, non-portable, expensive, and require specialized expertise. On the other hand, fluorescence assays offer a user-friendly, portable, and cost-effective alternative with high sensitivity and quick results, particularly when the binding of the analyte causes a specific increase in the probe’s fluorescence. Combining these probes with a carrier platform and a miniaturized optofluidic device presents a promising approach for PFCA monitoring. In this study, a new guanidine BODIPY fluorescent indicator monomer was synthesized, characterized, and incorporated into a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) designed for the specific detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The MIP layer was formed on silica core nanoparticles doped with tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride, serving as an optical internal reference for calibration-free assays. In combination with an extraction step prior to sample analysis, this system enables selective and reliable detection of PFCAs in surface water samples, minimizing interference from competing substances, matrix effects, and other factors. When integrated into an opto-microfluidic setup, the assay provided a compact, user-friendly detection system capable of detecting micromolar levels of PFOA in under 15 minutes from surface water samples. T2 - ANAKON2025 CY - Leipzig, Germany DA - 10.03.2025 KW - Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) KW - On-site detection KW - Fluorescence KW - Microfluidics KW - Molecularly Imprinted Polymers PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-62712 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sun, Yijuan A1 - Pérez-Padilla, Víctor A1 - Valderrey, Virginia A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Ratiometric detection of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids using dual fluorescent nanoparticles and a miniaturised microfluidic platform N2 - The widespread contamination of soil and water with perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has caused considerable societal and scientific concern. Legislative measures and an increased need for remediation require effective on-site analytical methods for PFAS management. Here we report on the development of a green-fluorescent guanidine-BODIPY indicator monomer incorporated into a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for the selective detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Complexation of PFOA by the indicator, which is mediated by concerted protonation-induced ion pairing-assisted hydrogen bonding, significantly enhances fluorescence in polar organic solvents. The MIP forms as a thin layer on silica nanoparticles doped with tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride, which provides an orange emission signal as internal reference, resulting in low measurement uncertainties. Using a liquid-liquid extraction protocol, this assay enables the direct detection of PFOA in environmental water samples and achieves a detection limit of 0.11 µM. Integration into an opto-microfluidic system enables a compact and user-friendly system for detecting PFOA in less than 15 minutes. KW - PFAS KW - Molecular imprinting KW - Microfluidics KW - Fluorescence KW - Onsite assay PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-650270 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66872-9 SN - 2041-1723 VL - 16 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-65027 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - INPR A1 - Döring, Sarah A1 - Wulfes, Birte S. A1 - Atanasova, Aleksandra A1 - Jaeger, Carsten A1 - Walzel, Leopold A1 - Tscheuschner, Georg A1 - Flemig, Sabine A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Feldmann, Ines A1 - Konthur, Zoltán A1 - Weller, Michael G. T1 - Corundum Particles as Trypsin Carrier for Efficient Protein Digestion N2 - Reusable enzyme carriers are valuable for proteomic workflows, yet many supports are expensive or lack robustness. This study describes the covalent immobilization of recombinant trypsin on micrometer-sized corundum particles and assesses their performance in protein digestion and antibody analysis. The corundum surface was cleaned with potassium hydroxide, silanized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and activated with glutaraldehyde. Recombinant trypsin was then attached, and the resulting imines were reduced with sodium cyanoborohydride. Aromatic amino acid analysis (AAAA) estimated an enzyme loading of approximately 1 µg/mg. Non-specific adsorption of human plasma proteins was suppressed by blocking residual aldehydes with a Tris-glycine-lysine buffer. Compared with free trypsin, immobilization shifted the temperature optimum from 50 to 60 °C and greatly improved stability in 1 M guanidinium hydrochloride. Activity remained above 80 % across several reuse cycles, and storage at 4 °C preserved functionality for weeks. When applied to digesting the NISTmAb, immobilized trypsin provided peptide yields and sequence coverage comparable to soluble enzyme and outperformed it at elevated temperatures. MALDI-TOF MS analysis of Herceptin digests yielded fingerprint spectra that correctly identified the antibody and achieved >60 % sequence coverage. The combination of low cost, robustness and analytical performance makes corundum-immobilized trypsin an attractive option for research and routine proteomic workflows. KW - Aluminum oxide KW - Mass spectrometry KW - Enzyme immobilization KW - Antibodies KW - Protein quantification PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-647944 DO - https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202510.2002.v1 SP - 1 EP - 22 PB - Preprints.org AN - OPUS4-64794 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sun, Yijuan A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Valderrey, Virginia A1 - Bhattacharya, Biswajit A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Ratiometric Molecularly Imprinted Particle Probes for Reliable Fluorescence Signaling of Carboxylate-Containing Molecules N2 - In addition to sensitivity, selectivity, and portability, chemical sensing systems must generate reliable signals and offer modular configurability to address various small molecule targets, particularly in environmental applications. We present a versatile, modular strategy utilizing ratiometric molecularly imprinted particle probes based on BODIPY indicators and dyes for recognition and internal referencing. Our approach employs polystyrene core particles doped with a red fluorescent BODIPY as an internal standard, providing built-in reference for environmental influences. A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) recognition shell, incorporating a green-fluorescent BODIPY indicator monomer with a thiourea binding site for carboxylate containing analytes, is grafted from the core particles in the presence of the analyte as the template. The dual-fluorescent MIP probe detects fexofenadine as the model analyte with a change in green emission signal referenced against a stable red signal, achieving a detection limit of 0.13 μM and a broad dynamic range from 0.16 μM to 1.2 mM, with good discrimination against other antibiotics in acetonitrile. By selecting a versatile dye scaffold and recognition element, this approach can be extended to other carboxylate-containing analytes and/or wavelength combinations, potentially serving as a robust multiplexing platform. KW - Core-shell particles KW - Molecular imprinting KW - Pharmaceutical contaminants KW - Self-referenced measurements KW - Fluorescence PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-609385 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c09990 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-60938 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sun, Yijuan A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Valderrey, Virginia A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Polymerizable BODIPY probe crosslinker for the molecularly imprinted polymer-based detection of organic carboxylates via fluorescence N2 - This contribution reports the development of a polymerizable BODIPY-type fluorescent probe targeting small-molecule carboxylates for incorporation into molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The design of the probe crosslinker includes a urea recognition site p-conjugated to the 3-position of the BODIPY core and two methacrylate moieties. Titration experiments with a carboxylate-expressing antibiotic, levofloxacin (LEVO), showed a blue shift of the absorption band as well as a broadening and decrease in emission, attributed to hydrogen bonding between the probe’s urea group and the carboxylate group of the antibiotic. Using this probe crosslinker, core–shell particles with a silica core and a thin MIP shell were prepared for the detection of LEVO. The MIP exhibited highly selective recognition of LEVO, with an imprinting factor of 18.1 compared to the non-imprinted polymer. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the core–shell structure and spectroscopic studies revealed that the receptor’s positioning leads to a unique perturbation of the polymethinic character of the BODIPY chromophore, entailing the favourable responses. These features are fully preserved in the MIP, whereas no such response was observed for competitors such as ampicillin. The sensory particles allowed to detect LEVO down to submicromolar concentrations in dioxane. We have developed here for the first time a BODIPY probe for organic carboxylates and incorporated it into polymers using the imprinting technique, paving the way for BODIPY-type fluorescent MIP sensors. KW - Fluorescence KW - BODIPY probe KW - Molecularly Imprinted Polymers KW - Sensor Materials KW - Dyes KW - Water analysis KW - Advanced materials PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-598629 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D3MA00476G SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) AN - OPUS4-59862 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Verhassel, Alejandra A1 - Kimani, Martha Wamaitha A1 - Gidwani, Kamlesh A1 - Sandholm, Jouko A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Härkönen, Pirkko T1 - Detection of Tn-antigen in breast and prostate cancer models by VVL-labeled red dye-doped nanoparticles N2 - Aim: Fluorescence detection of breast and prostate cancer cells expressing Tn-antigen, a tumor marker, with Vicia villosa lectin (VVL)-labeled nanoparticles. Materials & methods: Breast and prostate cancer cells engineered to express high levels of Tn-antigen and non-engineered controls were incubated with VVL-labeled or unlabeled red dye-doped silica-coated polystyrene nanoparticles. The binding to cells was studied with flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and electron microscopy. Results: Flow cytometry showed that the binding of VVL-labeled nanoparticles was significantly higher to Tn-antigen-expressing cancer cells than controls. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that particles bound to the cell surface. According to the correlative light and electron microscopy the particles bound mostly as aggregates. Conclusion: VVL-labeled nanoparticles could provide a new tool for the detection of Tn-antigen-expressing breast and prostate cancer cells. KW - Breast cancer cells KW - Fluorescence detection KW - Lectin labeling KW - Prostate cancer cells KW - Silica-coated polystyrene nanoparticles KW - Tn-antigen KW - VVL PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-613451 DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/17435889.2024.2405454 SN - 1743-5889 VL - 19 SP - 2463 EP - 2478 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - London AN - OPUS4-61345 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia T1 - On-Site Detection of PFAAs with Dual Fluorescent MIPs Coupled to a Miniaturized Microfluidics Platform N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a class of synthetic organofluorine chemicals extensively utilized in the manufacturing of various materials such as firefighting foams, adhesives, and stain- and oil-resistant coatings. In recent years, PFAS have been considered as emerging environmental contaminants, with particular focus on perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), the most prevalent type among PFAS. PFCAs are characterized by a fully fluorinated carbon backbone and a charged carboxylic acid headgroup. Notably, they have been designated as Substances of Very High Concern and added to the REACH Candidate List due to their persistence in the environment, non-biodegradability and toxicological effects. Conventional techniques for the analysis of PFCA, such as GC-MS, HRMS and HPLC-based methods, are laborious, not portable, costly and require skilled personnel. In contrast, fluorescence assays can be designed as easy-to-operate, portable and cost-effective methods with high sensitivity and fast response, especially when analyte binding leads to a specific increase of a probe’s emission. Integration of such probes with a carrier platform and a miniaturized optofluidic device affords a promising alternative for PFCA monitoring. Here, a novel guanidine BODIPY fluorescent indicator monomer has been synthesized, characterized, and incorporated into a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for the specific detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The MIP layer was formed on tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride doped silica core particles for optical internal reference and calibration-free assays. Such system allows selective and reliable detection of PFCA from surface water samples, with minimum interference by competitors, matrix effects and other factors. Integration of the assay into an opto-microfluidic setup resulted in a miniaturized and easy-to-operate detection system allowing for micromolar detection of PFOA in less than 15 minutes from surface water sample. T2 - MIP2024: The 12th International Conference on Molecular Imprinting CY - Verona, Italy DA - 18.06.2024 KW - Sensor KW - PFAS KW - Molecularly imprinted polymers KW - Guanidine receptor KW - BODIPY PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60438 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kislenko, Evgeniia A1 - Incel, A. A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Sellergren, B. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Towards molecularly imprinted polymers that respond to and capture phosphorylated tyrosine epitopes using fluorescent bis-urea and bis-imidazolium receptors N2 - Early detection of cancer is essential for successful treatment and improvement in patient prognosis. Deregulation of post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins, especially phosphorylation, is present in many types of cancer. Therefore, the development of materials for the rapid sensing of low abundant phosphorylated peptides in biological samples can be of great therapeutic value. In this work, we have synthesised fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers (fMIPs) for the detection of the phosphorylated tyrosine epitope of ZAP70, a cancer biomarker. The polymers were grafted as nanometer-thin shells from functionalised submicron-sized silica particles using a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerisation. Employing the combination of fluorescent urea and intrinsically cationic bis-imidazolium receptor cross-linkers, we have developed fluorescent sensory particles, showing an imprinting factor (IF) of 5.0. The imprinted polymer can successfully distinguish between phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated tripeptides, reaching lower micromolar sensitivity in organic solvents and specifically capture unprotected peptide complements in a neutral buffer. Additionally, we have shown the importance of assessing the influence of counterions present in the MIP system on the imprinting process and final material performance. The potential drawbacks of using epitopes with protective groups, which can co-imprint with targeted functionality, are also discussed. KW - Functional monomers KW - Molecularly imprinted polymers KW - Phosphorylated peptides KW - Fluorescence KW - Core-shell particles PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-588089 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d3tb01474f SN - 2050-750X SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-58808 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Sun, Yijuan A1 - Pérez-Padilla, Víctor A1 - Valderrey, Virginia A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Fluorescence Detection of Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids with a Miniaturised Assay N2 - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of man-made organo-fluorine chemicals that have become environmental contaminants of emerging concern, originating from a variety of materials such as adhesive, stain- and oil-resistant coatings, firefighting foams, etc. The high strength of this C-F bond makes PFAS thermodynamically stable and resistant to (bio)degradation, thus retaining them in the environment over time. Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), one category of the most used PFAS, consist of a fully fluorinated carbon backbone and a charged carboxylic acid headgroup, and have been classified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) and added to the REACH Candidate List due to their persistence in the environment, non-biodegradability and toxicological effects.[1-2] Traditional techniques for the analysis of PFCAs include GC-MS, HRMS and HPLC-based approaches, which are laborious, not portable, costly and require trained personnel. In contrast, fluorescence assays can be designed as easy-to-operate, portable and cost-effective methods with high sensitivity and fast response. Integration of fluorescent probes with an adequately miniaturized assay enables a promising alternative for PFCAs analysis. Here, a novel guanidine fluorescent probe has been synthesized and fully characterized for the detection of PFCAs in a biphasic extract-&-detect assay. The fluorescent probe was then incorporated into polymeric matrices supported by a red dye-doped SiO2 nanoparticle to construct a dual-emission sensing platform. Such a system allows precise and selective detection of PFCAs, reducing the interference of competitors, matrix effects and other factors except for the PFCAs. The system was then employed in a droplet-based microfluidic setup which offers a portable and easy to operate detection platform. T2 - IMA 2023 CY - Chania, Greece DA - 18.09.2023 KW - PFAS KW - MIP KW - Fluorescence KW - Microfluidics KW - Fluorezsenz KW - Mikrofluidik PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58527 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kimani, Martha Wamaitha A1 - Kislenko, Evgeniia A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Author correction: Fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer particles for glyphosate detection using phase transfer agents N2 - This is a corrigendum to the original article "Fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer particles for glyphosate detection using phase transfer agents" that was published in the journal "Scientific reports", vol. 12 (2022), article no. 14151. PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-642416 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28025-0 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 13 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 2 PB - Macmillan Publishers Limited CY - London AN - OPUS4-64241 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -