TY - JOUR A1 - López-Puertollano, Daniel A1 - Duncan, Hadyn A1 - Abad-Somovilla, Antonio A1 - Abad-Fuentes, Antonio A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Competitive cytometry-based immunoassay for patulin determination in apple juice N2 - Patulin is a mycotoxin that is frequently found in apples and apple-derived products. Given the potential harm it can cause to humans, maximum levels for patulin in food have been set worldwide. Conventional methods for the detection of patulin are often time-consuming or lack sensitivity. In this study, a novel cytometry approach based on specific monoclonal antibodies is presented. These high-affinity binders do not target patulin itself, but a stable derivative (adduct) that is rapidly obtained in an aqueous medium at room temperature. To develop the assay, a specific fluorescent competitor was designed and synthesized. After optimizing the assay conditions, including the concentration of the fluorescent competitor and of the antibody bound to polystyrene-silica core–shell microparticles, a detection limit of 0.03 μg L-1 in buffer was achieved. Finally, validation according to Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2782 demonstrated that apple juice samples spiked with patulin at 25 or 50 μg L-1 (permissible limits set by the EU) were properly scored as non-compliant without any additional treatment other than a simple dilution step in buffer. The developed assay offers several key advantages, including rapid analysis, high sensitivity and specificity, and the potential for multiplexing, making it a promising analytical tool for routine monitoring of patulin contamination in food. KW - Bead-based assay KW - Cytometry KW - Derivatization KW - Mycotoxin KW - Patulin PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-627659 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2025.113287 SN - 1095-9149 VL - 212 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-62765 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - López-Puertollano, Daniel A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Abad-Somovilla, A. A1 - Abad-Fuentes, A. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Superparamagnetic Bead-Based Microfluidic Fluoroimmunoassay Platform for Rapid Ochratoxin A Detection in Flour N2 - Simplification and reduction of time and costs are the primary goals in the development and use of onsite methods in diagnostics and food safety. To facilitate the transition from laboratory techniques to simple, miniaturized devices, we have developed a modular microfluidic platform. This platform integrates a competitive fluorescence immunoassay on the surface of superparamagnetic beads, serving as a complementary technique to traditional cytometry assays. In the first chip module, a fast competitive reaction (5 min) occurs, after which the particles are retained in the second module. This module consists of a PDMS chip and a permanent magnet, allowing only the fluorescent competitor to reach the detection module. Ochratoxin A (OTA) was chosen as the model analyte for device development, using fluorescein-labeled OTA as a competitor. The system efficiently separates particles, with OTA concentration directly correlated to the amount of fluorescent competitor remaining in solution after the competitive reaction. This innovative setup allows to perform rapid measurements with small sample volumes in a short time (10 min), achieving a limit of detection for OTA of 1.2 μg L–1. The system was successfully applied to the accurate determination of OTA in wheat flour spiked at regulatorily relevant concentrations. Using this device, conventional cytometry immunoassays can be seamlessly transformed into user-friendly, miniaturized analytical methods at reduced cost for applications outside of a laboratory directly at the point of need. KW - Bead-based assay KW - Fluorescence KW - Immunoassay KW - Microfluidics KW - mycotoxins PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-638472 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.5c01119 SN - 2379-3694 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, D.C. AN - OPUS4-63847 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yu, Y.-H. A1 - Descalzo López, Ana Belén A1 - Sgen, Z. A1 - Röhr, Holger A1 - Liu, Q. A1 - Wang, Y.-W. A1 - Spieles, Monika A1 - Li, Y.-Z. A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - You, X.-Z. T1 - Mono- and Di(dimethylamino)styryl-Substituted Borondipyrromethene and Borondiindomethene Dyes with Intense Near-Infrared Fluorescence N2 - Four novel borondipyrromethene (BDP) and -diindomethene (BDI) dyes with one or two (dimethylamino)styryl extensions at the chromophore were synthesized and spectroscopically investigated. An X-ray crystal structure shows that the extended auxochrome is virtually planar. All dyes thus display intense red/near infrared (NIR) absorption and emission. The (dimethylamino)styryl group induces a charge-transfer character that entails bright solvatochromic fluorescence, which is only quenched with increasing solvent polarity according to the energy-gap law. The dye with an additional dimethylanilino group at the meso position of BDP shows a remarkable switching of lipophilicity by protonation. Two dyes with an 8-hydroxyquinoline ligand at the meso position display quenched emission in the presence of Hg2+ or Al3+ owing to electron transfer from the excited BDP to the complexed receptor. The BDI dye presents a pH indicator with bright fluorescence and extremely low fluorescence anisotropy. KW - Borondipyrromethene KW - Dyes KW - Fluorescence KW - Indicators KW - Protonation PY - 2006 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.200600042 SN - 1861-4728 SN - 1861-471X VL - 1 IS - 1-2 SP - 176 EP - 187 PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-12561 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 - JOUR A1 - Jamieson, O. D. A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Hudson, A. A1 - Saczek, J. A1 - Perez-Padilla, Victor A1 - Kaiya, G. A1 - Novakovic, K. A1 - Davies, M. A1 - Foster, E. A1 - Gruber, J. A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Peeters, M. T1 - Design and Application of an Imprinted Polymer Sensor for the Dual Detection of Antibiotic Contaminants in Aqueous Samples and Food Matrices N2 - An innovative polymer-based dual detection microfluidic platform has been developed for the accurate and reliable sensing of trace amounts of antibiotic tetracycline in environmental and food samples. This was achieved through the production of a bespoke polymeric material formed via an imprinting technique using a fluorescent dye. Thus, this enables dual detection of tetracycline, both thermally, via analyzing the heat-transfer resistance at the solid−liquid interface, and optically, through the inner filter effect. The combination of these two methods achieved a nanomolar limit of detection for tetracycline while also providing rapid, selective, and cost-effective sensing. Additionally, this method successfully detected tetracycline levels of 0.56 μM in blank egg samples which was significantly lower than the maximum residual level of 400 μg L−1 (0.9 μM). Our work shows that this approach can be used for the efficient detection of trace antibiotics in complex environmental and food samples, offering enhanced reliability through the integration of two complementary analysis techniques. This sensor has the potential to identify sources of antimicrobial resistance, which is crucial for targeted efforts to combat this pressing global health challenge. KW - Molecularly imprinted polymers KW - Antibiotics monitoring KW - Orthogonal detection KW - Sensors PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-626497 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.4c03218 SN - 2637-6105 VL - 7 IS - 4 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, D.C. AN - OPUS4-62649 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhu, Shengchao A1 - Panne, Ulrich A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - A rapid method for the assessment of the surface group density of carboxylic acid-functionalized polystyrene microparticles N2 - Particle-based assays are becoming versatile analytical tools due to their cost-effectiveness, speed, straightforward and diverse functionalization chemistries, especially when polystyrene particles are used. The introduction of functional groups (–COOH, –NH2, etc.) to the surface of such polystyrene particles promotes their application in bioanalytics. However, the traditional method to determine the amount of surface carboxylate groups is conductivity titration, which is usually time- and resources-consuming and discontinuous. Here, we synthesized polystyrene microparticles with different contents of carboxylate groups, and then investigated a simpler and potentially continuous approach to determine the amount of surface carboxylate groups by Zeta potential measurements. The results were compared to the traditional titration method and to actual coupling efficiencies of the functionalized particles with a model oligonucleotide probe as determined by flow cytometry. All quantification methods revealed good agreement. KW - Konduktometrische Titration KW - Mikropartikel KW - Oberflächenfunktionalisierung KW - Polystyrol KW - Zeta-Potential PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c3an36578f SN - 0003-2654 SN - 1364-5528 VL - 138 IS - 10 SP - 2924 EP - 2930 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-28660 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Opel, J. A1 - Hecht, Mandy A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Eiblmeier, J. A1 - Kunz, W. A1 - Cölfen, H. A1 - Kellermeier, M. T1 - Probing local pH-based precipitation processes in self-assembled silica-carbonate hybrid materials N2 - Crystallisation of barium carbonate in the presence of silica can lead to the spontaneous assembly of highly complex superstructures, consisting of uniform and largely co-oriented BaCO3 nanocrystals that are interspersed by a matrix of amorphous silica. The formation of these biomimetic architectures (so-called silica biomorphs) is thought to be driven by a dynamic interplay between the components, in which subtle changes of conditions trigger ordered mineralisation at the nanoscale. In particular, it has been proposed that local pH gradients at growing fronts play a crucial role in the process of morphogenesis. In the present work, we have used a special pH-sensitive fluorescent dye to directly trace these presumed local fluctuations by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy. Our data demonstrate the existence of an active region near the growth front, where the pH is locally decreased with respect to the alkaline bulk solution on a length scale of few microns. This observation provides fundamental and, for the first time, direct experimental support for the current picture of the mechanism underlying the formation of these peculiar materials. On the other hand, the absence of any temporal oscillations in the local pH – another key feature of the envisaged mechanism – challenges the notion of autocatalytic phenomena in such systems and raises new questions about the actual role of silica as an additive in the crystallisation process. KW - Silikat-Karbonat-Biomaterialien KW - Self-Assembly KW - Fluoreszenz KW - PH PY - 2015 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c5nr05399d SN - 2040-3364 SN - 2040-3372 VL - 7 IS - 41 SP - 17434 EP - 17440 PB - RSC Publ. CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-35098 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ros-Lis, J.V. A1 - Martínez-Mánez, Ramon A1 - Sancenón, F. A1 - Soto, J. A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Weißhoff, Hardy T1 - Signalling Mechanisms in Anion-Responsive Push-Pull Chromophores: The Hydrogen-Bonding, Deprotonation and Anion-Exchange Chemistry of Functionalized Azo Dyes N2 - A family of azo dyes containing amide (1), urea (2), thiourea (3), carbamate (4) or amino (5) hydrogen-bond donating groups were synthesized and their response toward anions was studied. Acetonitrile solutions of 1-5 show bright yellow colours, due to charge-transfer bands in the 375-400 nm region, slightly modulated by the electron donor strength of the group attached to the 4 end of the 4-nitroazobenzene scaffold. Anions of different shape and size (i.e., spherical F-,Cl-, Br- and I-, planar and tetrahedral oxoanions such as NO3-, H2PO4- and HSO4-, carboxylates such as acetate and benzoate and the linear anions cyanide and thiocyanate) were employed in the recognition studies. Two different effects were distinguished: (i) bathochromic shifts of <40 nm to pale orange, due to anion coordination, and (ii) strong red shifts of ca. 200 nm with a concomitant colour change to blue, due to deprotonation. This behaviour was explained as a balance between the deprotonation tendency of the binding sites in the different receptors and the proton affinities of the anions. Semiempirical calculations were carried out to evaluate the hydrogen bond-donating abilities of the anions and the dyes and a good correlation with the experimentally found values was observed. Stability constants for the receptor-anion complexes were determined spectrophotometrically and the different responses toward fluoride and acetate were assessed by NMR titration experiments. Finally, as a special case, we also report the use of this family of compounds as colorimetric carbon dioxide sensors through reaction with the unprotonated forms of the azo dyes. KW - Chromophores KW - Dyes/Pigments KW - Chemosensors KW - Gas sensors KW - Carbon dioxide PY - 2007 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.200601111 SN - 1434-193X SN - 1099-0690 VL - 2007 IS - 15 SP - 2449 EP - 2458 PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-16081 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wagner, R. A1 - Wan, Wei A1 - Biyikal, Mustafa A1 - Benito-Pena, E. A1 - Moreno-Bondi, M.C. A1 - Lazraq, I. A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Sellergren, B. T1 - Synthesis, spectroscopic, and analyte-responsive behavior of a polymerizable naphthalimide-based carboxylate probe and molecularly imprinted polymers prepared thereof N2 - A naphthalimide-based fluorescent indicator monomer 1 for the integration into chromo- and fluorogenic molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was synthesized and characterized. The monomer was equipped with a urea binding site to respond to carboxylate-containing guests with absorption and fluorescence changes, namely a bathochromic shift in absorption and fluorescence quenching. Detailed spectroscopic analyses of the title compound and various models revealed the signaling mechanism. Titration studies employing benzoate and Z-ʟ-phenylalanine (Z-ʟ-Phe) suggest that indicator monomers such as the title compound undergo a mixture of deprotonation and complex formation in the presence of benzoate but yield hydrogen-bonded complexes, which are desirable for the molecular imprinting process, with weakly basic guests like Z-ʟ-Phe. Compound 1 could be successfully employed in the synthesis of monolithic and thin-film MIPs against Z-ʟ-Phe, Z-L-glutamic acid, and penicillin G. Chromatographic assessment of the selectivity features of the monoliths revealed enantioselective discrimination and clear imprinting effects. Immobilized on glass coverslips, the thin-film MIPs of 1 displayed a clear signaling behavior with a pronounced enantioselective fluorescence quenching dependence and a promising discrimination against cross-analytes. KW - Aminosäuren KW - Enantioselektivität KW - Fluoreszenz KW - Molekular geprägte polymere KW - Sensorfilme PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/jo3019522 SN - 0022-3263 SN - 1520-6904 VL - 78 IS - 4 SP - 1377 EP - 1389 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-27741 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ros-Lis, J.V. A1 - Martínez-Mánez, Ramon A1 - Soto, J. A1 - Villaescusa, L.A. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Squaraine 'ships' in the Y zeolite 'bottle': a chromogenic sensing material for the detection of volatile amines and thiols N2 - The inclusion of squaraine (SQ) dye I into the supercages of zeolite Y (structure code FAU) with a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of 30 (Z30) through a two-step ship-in-the-bottle approach is reported, resulting in the squaraine-containing hybrid material Z30-SQ. Attempts to use the same synthetic procedure on sodium and ammonium Y zeolites were unsuccessful, stressing the importance of the presence of Brønsted acid centres in the Z30 zeolite. The reflectance spectra of Z30-SQ show a maximum in the typical squaraine monomer region at 618 nm and a shoulder at 570 nm. Spectral analyses revealed that the major species are SQ dimers and (tightly adsorbed) SQ monomers and SQ aggregates are only formed to a minor degree. The emission spectrum of Z30-SQ shows a single band at 669 nm. The sensory performance of this material was tested in the presence of volatile propylamine and propylthiol and other volatile organic compounds (acetone, ethanol, dichloromethane, hexane, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, ethyl ether and acetic acid). The blue Z30-SQ material reacts with the thiol and amine derivatives, resulting in the bleaching of the solid and disappearance of the absorption band in the visible region, but does not undergo spectroscopic changes in the presence of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Whereas the reaction with propylamine is irreversible, a partial reversibility was found in the presence of the thiol. Theoretical investigations of the reactivity of I with several VOC molecules at the semi-empirical level reproduced well the experimentally observed reactivity. KW - Fluoreszenz KW - Gassensorik KW - Squarain-Farbstoffe KW - Zeolite PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/c0jm03780j SN - 0959-9428 SN - 1364-5501 VL - 21 IS - 13 SP - 5004 EP - 5010 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-23480 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - PFAS Sensors N2 - This contribution provides an introduction to the development of sensors for PFAS analysis, presents the most common approaches, and describes the opto-microfluidic strategy in combination with polymerizable indicators and detection matrices currently being pursued by the Chemical and Optical Sensing Division at BAM. T2 - Advancements of Analytical Techniques for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – Second Workshop 2023 CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 19.09.2023 KW - PFAS KW - Sensors KW - Molecularly imprinted polymers KW - Microfluidics KW - Fluorescence PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58533 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 - TY - JOUR A1 - Ashokkumar, Pichandi A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Buurman, Merwe A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Analytical platform for sugar sensing in commercial beverages using a fluorescent BODIPY "light-up" probe N2 - Because of the globally increasing prevalence of diabetes, the need for accurate, efficient and at best miniaturized automated analytical systems for sugar detection in medical diagnostics and the food industry is still urgent. The development of molecular probes for sugars based on boronic acid receptors offers an excellent alternative to the kinetically slow enzyme-based sugar sensors. Moreover, by coupling such chelating units with dye scaffolds like BODIPYs (boron–dipyrromethenes), highly fluorescent sugar sensing schemes can be realized. In this work, a boronic acid-functionalized BODIPY probe was developed, which binds selectively to fructose’s adjacent diols to form cyclic boronate esters. Placement of an amino group in direct neighborhood of the boronic acid moiety allowed us to obtain a broad working range at neutral pH, which distinguishes the probe from the majority of systems working only at pH > 8, while still meeting the desired sensitivity in the micro-molar range due to a pronounced analyte-induced fluorescence increase. To enhance the applicability of the test in the sense described above, integration with a microfluidic chip was achieved. Here, fructose was selectively detected by fluorescence with similar sensitivity in real time on chip, and an assay for the straightforward detection of sugar in (colored) sodas without sample clean-up was established. KW - BODIPY dyes KW - Boronic acid KW - Fluorescence KW - Microfluidics KW - Sugars PY - 2018 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2017.09.201 SN - 0925-4005 VL - 256 SP - 609 EP - 615 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-43102 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Descalzo, Ana B. A1 - Xu, H.-J. A1 - Shen, Z. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Influence of the meso-substituent on strongly red emitting phenanthrene-fused boron–dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorophores with a propeller-like conformation N2 - Highly emissive phenanthrene-fused boron–dipyrromethene (PBDP) dyes have been spectroscopically characterized in a series of solvents. The influence of different substituents (-H, -I, -CN, -DMA or a 15C5-crown ether) in the para-position of a phenyl ring attached to the meso-position of the BODIPY core is discussed. This family of dyes has an intense emission at lambda > 630 nm, with fluorescence quantum yields between 0.7 and 1.0 in all solvents studied, except in the case of the dimethylamino-substituted derivative, PBDP-DMA, which undergoes excited-state intramolecular charge transfer (CT), leading to broadband dual fluorescence in highly polar solvents. Introduction of a weaker electron donor such as a benzocrown to the meso-position is not able to trigger a second (charge or electron transfer) process and, interestingly, heavy atom (iodine, PBDP-I derivative) substitution at that moiety does also not have a relevant influence on the photophysics, i.e., enhanced intersystem crossing was not observed. Electrochemical studies of PBDP-DMA complement the data reported and stress the fact that the decrease in fluorescence of PBDP-DMA in highly polar solvents is due to an excited-state CT process rather than to a photoinduced electron transfer (PET). KW - BODIPY dyes KW - Charge transfer KW - Fluorescence KW - Ring fusion PY - 2018 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2017.10.034 SN - 1010-6030 VL - 352 SP - 98 EP - 105 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-43100 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Empowering test strips for rapid, highly sensitive and multiplexed analysis of small molecule analytes at a point-of-need N2 - In particular, the rapid development of lateral flow assays as indispensable tools for everyone to contain the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has fuelled the global demand for analytical tests that can be used outside dedicated laboratories. In addition to their use in medical diagnostics, rapid tests and assays have become increasingly important in various fields such as food safety, security, forensics, and environmental management. The advantage is obvious: taking the assay directly to the sample minimizes the time between suspicion and decision-making, allowing faster action. Especially today, when mobile communication devices with powerful computing capabilities and built-in cameras are ubiquitous, more people than ever before around the world have the basic skills to operate a powerful detector at their fingertips. This sets the stage for a much wider use of analytical measurements in terms of prognosis and prevention, enabling professional laypersons in particular. However, current strip-based systems are primarily focused on single parameter analysis, whether it is SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers, blood glucose levels, or lead concentrations in water samples. Industrial applications of such methods also often still rely on single-parameter assays, requiring multiple runs even for a limited number of key parameters. Overcoming these limitations depends on developing low-number multiplexing strategies that ensure robustness, reliability, speed, ease of use, and sensitivity. This lecture will give an overview of several generic approaches developed in recent years to address these challenges. It will highlight how the synergy of supramolecular (bio)chemistry, luminescence detection, hybrid (nano)materials and device miniaturization can result in powerful (bio)analytical assays that can be used at a point-of-need.1-5 Selected examples will introduce key aspects of such systems that include tailored signaling mechanisms and recognition elements, materials functionalization and device integration, including hybrid nanomaterials, gated indicator release systems, strip modification, and smartphone-based analysis. T2 - 15th Rapid Methods Europe Conference CY - Amsterdam, Netherlands DA - 06.11.2023 KW - Test strips KW - Lateral flow assays KW - Explosives KW - Pesticides KW - Rapid testing KW - Multiplexing PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58816 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Chips or strips – the importance of embedding and integration in (bio)chemical assay development N2 - The most important aspect of developing a miniaturized or compact (bio)chemical assay for use outside a dedicated laboratory environment is, of course, the design of the recognition and signaling element that best achieves the required selectivity and sensitivity in relation to the target analyte and analytical scenario. For luminescence assays, this essentially means that the appropriate combination of small-molecule binding units, ligands or biomacromolecular binders such as antibodies or aptamers and organic, metal-organic or rare earth metal ion luminophores or luminescent nanoparticles such as semiconductor nanocrystals, carbon nanodots, polymer dots or fluorescently doped silica or polymer nanoparticles as well as the best strategy for combining binding and signaling unit must be selected. Having accomplished this task and obtained first promising results in a conventional laboratory setting with the use of pipettes, cuvettes and benchtop spectrometers, the challenge is to bridge the gap between such a model assay and an assay that uses a mobile and robust device in the hands of a layperson and does not require complicated operation and extensive manual steps, especially when handling liquids, at best in line with the ASSURED principle, being affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid and robust, equipment free and deliverable to end-users, or, as recently proposed, the REASSURED principle, which furthermore includes real-time connectivity and ease of specimen collection (translating into ease of sampling in the non-diagnostic world). In order to close this gap, it is of utmost importance to know the further requirements of the assay, i.e., whether only one or more than one analyte needs to be detected, what the main potential interferents are and how tolerant the assay is to the sample matrix, as well as how many assays are typically performed per hour/day/week, how long a run should take and how expensive a single analysis should be. These parameters usually determine the most appropriate format, i.e., whether it is a dip stick, a test strip, a lateral flow assay, a microfluidic chip, a 3D-microfluidic approach or a combination thereof, in conjunction with a dedicated readout system or a mobile communication device. This choice in turn determines the most appropriate strategy for integration, i.e., whether the recognition and signaling element are used directly in liquid solution,8 embedded in polymer layers or gels, attached to surfaces of planar substrates, micro- or nanoparticles or immobilized or loaded in micro- or nanoparticles, which could then enable direct or controlled/gated access. This contribution discusses various aspects of this multi-stage process using examples from the group. T2 - How to develop a sensor? Academic Approaches vs. Industrial Interests (EU Training School) CY - Kaiserslautern, Germany DA - 18.09.2024 KW - Sensing KW - Rapid testing KW - Microfluidics KW - Test strips KW - Device integration PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61429 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Biyikal, Mustafa A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Development of a Lab-on-a-Chip for the Detection of Nerve Agents with a Handheld Device N2 - The development of a Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) is presented, which can detect reactive phosphorous compounds in the gas phase in combination with an optochemical hand-held sensor. The LoC prototype contains three pairs of sensing materials containing fluorescent indicator dyes in various carrier materials. By measuring the fluorescence response to phosphoryl chloride, a surrogate compound, the detection of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in gas phase becomes possible within seconds, introducing a novel approach to CWA detection. T2 - 2023 IEEE SENSORS Conference CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 29.10.2023 KW - Lab-on-a-Chip KW - Nerve agents KW - Hand-held KW - Fluorescence KW - Toxic industrial chemicals PY - 2023 UR - https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10325263 SN - 979-8-3503-0387-2 DO - https://doi.org/10.1109/SENSORS56945.2023.10325263 SP - 1 EP - 4 PB - IEEE CY - New York AN - OPUS4-59367 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Integrating BODIPY Probes with Devices for On-site Sensing Applications N2 - The detection of potential contaminants as early as possible and as close to their point of emission as well as immission is becoming increasingly important in contemporary environmental analytical chemistry. In addition, real-time monitoring of important chemical parameters for process control is strongly gaining relevance within the context of Industry 4.0. Not only is the development of powerful optical probes thus necessary but also their integration into a matrix and/or device that allows for the application of such systems in realistic measurement scenarios. Integrating fluorescent probes with sensing matrices, however, presents a major challenge because usually, when confined in a rather rigid matrix, fluorophores tend to behave completely different than for instance in the molecular state in solution. The present contribution will highlight recent examples of successful integration of BODIPY (boron–dipyrromethene) based probes with devices that have been developed in our group. A simple system utilizing a test strip for direct readout with a conventional miniaturized camera as for instance routinely used in smartphones was recently devised by us for the determination of organophosphate nerve or chemical warfare agents (CWAs) Sarin (GB), Soman (GD), and Tabun (GA) in aqueous environments. Here, we coupled a reactive BODIPY to the inner and outer surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. In the presence of CWAs, the reactive BODIPY dye with an optimally positioned hydroxyl group undergoes an acylation reaction, yielding a bicyclic product that is non-emissive. The strong fluorescence quenching response allows reaching LODs in the pM range in natural waters. Steric embedding, again relying on test strip analysis in combination with a smartphone-based readout and data processing, was sufficient to create a reusable optical pH stick. The family of pH-responsive fluorescent BODIPY probes used for this purpose has been designed in a rational manner with the aid of quantum chemistry tools. All the probes display very similar spectroscopic properties with ON−OFF fluorescence switching responses, being retained after embedding of the probes into hydrogel sensor spots on a plastic strip. Dispensing with a matrix yet invoking microfluidic chips finally permits to use a highly sensitive boronic acid-functionalized BODIPY probe for in-line sugar analysis for instance in the beverage industry. Placement of an amino group in direct neighbourhood of the boronic acid moiety yielded a broad working range at neutral pH while meeting the desired sensitivity in the micro-molar range due to a pronounced analyte-induced fluorescence increase, guaranteeing the straightforward detection of sugar in (coloured) sodas without sample clean-up. T2 - 10th International Conference on Porphyrins & Phthalocyanines CY - Munich, Germany DA - 01.06.2018 KW - BODIPY dyes KW - Nerve agents KW - PH KW - Sugars KW - Devices KW - Fluorescence sensing PY - 2018 AN - OPUS4-45642 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hecht, Mandy A1 - Climent Terol, Estela A1 - Biyikal, Mustafa A1 - Sancenón, F. A1 - Martínez-Mánez, Ramon A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Gated hybrid delivery systems: En route to sensory materials with inherent signal amplification N2 - Hybrid nanoparticles with a large specific surface area are a particularly exciting vehicle for delivery applications. Such highly porous or container-like structures, usually prepared from silica and frequently from gold, can incorporate a large number of chemical substances such as drug and/or indicator molecules. When equipped with a chemically or physically addressable gating function at the openings of the voids, the release of the cargo can be controlled at will. Because many more molecules can be stored as cargo in the pores of the support than there are functional groups as anchoring sites for the gating entities attached to the outer surface (for efficient pore capping), the systems possess inherent features of (signal) amplification. The present article will introduce various design strategies for different types of physical (light, temperature, magnetism) and chemical (pH, metal ions, anion, small organic molecules, enzymes) stimuli in connection with drug and indicator release. We will highlight exciting aspects of combining both features in theranostic applications and will stress which requirements still have to be met by many of the systems to be readily applicable in a sensory context. KW - Delivery systems KW - Hybrid materials KW - Molecular gates KW - Sensing KW - Theranostics KW - Freisetzungssysteme KW - Hybridmaterialien KW - Molekulare Gatter KW - Sensorik KW - Theranostik PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2013.03.020 SN - 0010-8545 VL - 257 IS - 17-18 SP - 2589 EP - 2606 PB - Elsevier B.V. CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-28940 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhu, Shengchao A1 - Fischer, Tobias A1 - Wan, Wei A1 - Descalzo López, Ana Belén A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Luminescence amplification strategies integrated with microparticle and nanoparticle platforms N2 - The amplification of luminescence signals is often the key to sensitive and powerful detection protocols. Besides optimized fluorescent probes and labels, functionalized nano- and microparticles have received strongly increasing attention in this context during the past decade. This contribution introduces the main signalling concepts for particle-based amplification strategies and stresses, especially the important role that metal and semiconductor nanoparticles play in this field. Besides resonance energy transfer, metal-enhanced emission and the catalytic generation of luminescence, the impact of multi-chromophoric objects such as dye nanocrystals, dendrimers, conjugated polymers or mesoporous hybrid materials is assessed. The representative examples discussed cover a broad range of analytes from metal ions and small organic molecules to oligonucleotides and enzyme activity. KW - Luminescence KW - Multi-chromosphore systems KW - Nanoparticles KW - Resonance energy transfer KW - Signal amplification PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/128_2010_99 SN - 0340-1022 SN - 1436-5049 VL - 300 SP - 51 EP - 91 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ; Heidelberg [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-23633 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ashokkumar, Pichandi A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Fluor on Tour - Schnelltests für die Fluorid-Bestimmung in Wasser N2 - Fluorid-Zusatz zum Trinkwasser oder Zahncreme ist weit verbreitet und dient vor allem der Zahngesundheit und als vorbeugende Maßnahme gegen Knochenkrankheiten. Doch eine zu hohe Konzentration an Fluorid kann zu gesundheitlichen Problemen führen. Der hier in diesem Artikel vorgestellte Farbschnelltest kann helfen, die Fluoridkonzentration leichter festzustellen. KW - Fluorid KW - Fluoreszenz KW - Schnelltest KW - Teststreifen-Assay KW - Wasser PY - 2014 UR - http://www.git-labor.de/forschung/chemie-physik/fluor-tour SN - 0016-3538 VL - 7 SP - 30 EP - 33 PB - GIT-Verlag CY - Darmstadt AN - OPUS4-32013 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -