TY - JOUR A1 - Burnage, Samual A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Wan, Wei A1 - Kislenko, Evgeniia A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Combining a hybrid chip and tube microfluidic system with fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) core–shell particles for the derivatisation, extraction, and detection of peptides with N-terminating phosphorylated tyrosine N2 - The reliable identification and quantitation of phosphorylated amino acids, peptides and proteins is one of the key challenges in contemporary bioanalytical research, an area of particular interest when attempting to diagnose and treat diseases at an early stage. We have developed a synthetic probe for targeting phosphorylated amino acids, based on core–shell submicron-sized particles consisting of a silica core, coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) shell. The MIP layer contains a fluorescent probe crosslinker which binds selectively to phosphorylated tyrosine (pY) moieties with a significant imprinting factor (IF) and responds with a "light-up” fluorescence signal. The bead-based ratiometric detection scheme has been successfully transferred to a microfluidic chip format and its applicability to rapid assays has been exemplarily shown by discriminating a pY-terminating oligopeptide against its nonphosphorylated counterpart. Such miniaturised devices could lead to an automated pY or pY N-terminated peptide measurement system in the future. The setup combines a modular microfluidic system for amino acid derivatisation, extraction (by micropillar co-flow) and selective adsorption and detection with the fluorescent MIP core–shell particle probes. A miniaturised optical assembly for low-light fluorescence measurements was also developed, based on miniaturised opto-electronic parts and optical fibres. The emission from the MIP particles upon binding of pY or pY N-terminated peptides could be monitored in real-time. KW - Microfluidics KW - Molecularly imprinted polymers KW - Phosphorylated peptides KW - Fluorescence KW - Core-shell particles PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-569204 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d2lc00955b SN - 1473-0197 VL - 23 IS - 3 SP - 466 EP - 474 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-56920 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Costa, Elena A1 - Climent Terol, Estela A1 - Ast, S. A1 - Weller, Michael G. A1 - Canning, J. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Development of a lateral flow test for rapid pyrethroid detection using antibody-gated indicator-releasing hybrid materials N2 - The employment of type-I pyrethroids for airplane disinfection in recent years underlines the necessity to develop sensing schemes for the rapid detection of these pesticides directly at the point-of-use. Antibody-gated indicator-releasing materials were thus developed and implemented with test strips for lateral-flow assay-based analysis employing a smartphone for readout. Besides a proper matching of pore sizes and gating macromolecules, the functionalization of both the material's outer surface as well as the strips with PEG chains enhanced system performance. This simple assay allowed for the detection of permethrin as a target molecule at concentrations down to the lower ppb level in less than 5 minutes. KW - Lateral flow test KW - Gated hybrid material KW - Fluorescence KW - Smartphone readout device KW - Pyrethroid KW - Pesticide KW - Insecticide KW - SBA-15 KW - Permethrin PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d0an00319k SN - 0003-2654 SN - 1364-5528 VL - 145 IS - 10 SP - 3490 EP - 3494 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-50756 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Climent Terol, Estela A1 - Gotor, Raul A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Martin-Sanchez, Pedro A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Dip Sticks Embedding Molecular Beacon-Functionalized Core−Mesoporous Shell Particles for the Rapid On-Site Detection of Microbiological Fuel Contamination N2 - Microbial contamination of fuels by fungi and bacteria presents risks of corrosion and fuel system fouling. In this work, a rapid test for the determination of microbial genomic DNA from aqueous fuel extracts is presented. It combines test strips coated with polystyrene core/mesoporous silica shell particles, to the surface of which modified fluorescent molecular beacons are covalently grafted, with a smartphone detection system. In the hairpin loop, the beacons incorporate a target sequence highly conserved in all bacteria, corresponding to a fragment of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, which is also present to a significant extent in the 18S rRNA gene of fungi, allowing for broadband microbial detection. In the developed assay, the presence of genomic DNA extracts from bacteria and fungi down to ca. 20−50 μg L−1 induced a distinct fluorescence response. The optical read-out was adapted for on-site monitoring by combining a 3D-printed case with a conventional smartphone, taking advantage of the sensitivity of contemporary complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) detectors. Such an embedded assembly allowed to detect microbial genomic DNA in aqueous extracts down to ca. 0.2−0.7 mg L−1 and presents an important step toward the on-site uncovering of fuel contamination in a rapid and simple fashion. KW - Bacteria KW - Fungi KW - Rapid test KW - Fluorescence KW - Smartphone KW - Biofouling PY - 2020 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.0c01178 SN - 2379-3694 VL - 6 IS - 1 SP - 27 EP - 34 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-51956 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hudson, A.D. A1 - Jamieson, O. A1 - Crapnell, R.D. A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Soares, T.C.C. A1 - Mecozzi, F. A1 - Laude, A. A1 - Gruber, J. A1 - Novakovic, K. A1 - Peeters, M. T1 - Dual detection of nafcillin using a molecularly imprinted polymer-based platform coupled to thermal and fluorescence read-out N2 - Reported here is the production of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) films, integrating a fluorescent moiety that serves as both an element for template interaction and signalling, for the thermal and optical detection of the beta-lactam antibiotic nafcillin. Fluorescein methacrylate (FluMa) was synthesized and introduced during the molecular imprinting process as the sole monomer and in a 1 : 1 mixture with methacrylic acid (MAA), allowing to draw first conclusions on the MIP formation potential of such a rather large and rigid monomer. At first, MIP microparticles containing FluMa were prepared by free radical polymerisation. Optical batch rebinding experiments revealed that FluMa can act as a functional monomer for selective detection of nafcillin; however, the addition of MAA as co-monomer significantly improved performance. Subsequently, thin MIP films containing FluMa were deposited onto functionalised glass slides and the influence of porogen, drying time, and monomer composition was studied. These MIP-functionalised glass electrodes were mounted into a customised 3D-printed flow cell, where changes in the liquid were either evaluated with a thermal device or using fluorescence bright field microscopy. Thermal analysis demonstrated that multiple MIP layers enhanced sensor specificity, with detection in the environmentally relevant range. The fluorescence bright field microscope investigations validated these results, showing an increase in the fluorescence intensity upon exposure of the MIP-functionalised glass slides to nafcillin solutions. These are promising results for developing a portable sensor device that can be deployed for antibiotics outside of a dedicated laboratory environment, especially if sensor design and fluorophore architecture are optimised. KW - Molecularly Imprinted Polymers KW - Fluorescence KW - Antibiotics KW - Heat-transfer Measurements KW - Thin films PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-540044 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/D1MA00192B VL - 2 IS - 15 SP - 5105 EP - 5115 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge AN - OPUS4-54004 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jiang, Shan A1 - Gawlitza, Kornelia A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Dual-Fluorescent Nanoparticle Probes Consisting of a Carbon Nanodot Core and a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Shell N2 - Dual-fluorescent molecularly imprinted nanoparticles with a red-emissive carbon nanodot-doped silica core and a chlorogenic acid-imprinted fluorescent polymer layer are prepared and their use in ratiometric fluorometric analysis is described. Nanoparticle probes consisting of a shielded and stably emitting core and a shell with embedded binding sites that indicates the presence of an analyte with a change in emission allow for internally referenced measurements potentially accounting for detrimental influences from instrument drifts, light source fluctuations or sensor materials-related inhomogeneities. KW - Molecular imprinting KW - Fluorescence KW - Core-shell particles KW - Chlorogenic acid KW - Ratiometric measurement PY - 2021 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1629-1_17 VL - 2359 SP - 195 EP - 208 PB - Springer CY - Humana, New York, NY AN - OPUS4-53336 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mansurova, Maria A1 - Gotor, Raúl A1 - Johann, Sergej A1 - Neumann, Patrick P. A1 - Bartholmai, Matthias A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Bell, Jérémy T1 - Fluorescent Hydrophobic Test Strips with Sterically Integrated Molecular Rotors for the Detection of Hydrocarbons in Water and Soil with an Embedded Optical Read-Out N2 - Contamination of natural bodies of water or soil with oils and lubricants (or generally, hydrocarbon derivatives such as petrol, fuels, and others) is a commonly found phenomenon around the world due to the extensive production, transfer, and use of fossil fuels. In this work, we develop a simple system for the on-field detection of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in water and soil. The test is based on the measurement of the fluorescence signal emitted by the molecular rotor 2-[ethyl[4-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethenyl]phenyl]amino]ethanol (4-DNS-OH). This dye is embedded in a hydrophobic polymeric matrix (polyvinylidene fluoride), avoiding interactions with water and providing a robust support for use in a test strip fashion. Together with the strips, an embedded optical system was designed for fluorescence signal read-out, featuring a Bluetooth low-energy connection to a commercial tablet device for data processing and analysis. This system works for the detection and quantification of TPHs in water and soil through a simple extraction protocol using a cycloalkane solvent with a limit of detection of 6 ppm. Assays in surface and sea waters were conclusive, proving the feasibility of the method for in-the-field operation. KW - Test strip KW - Sensor KW - Smartphone KW - Fluorescence KW - Test Streifen KW - Sensoren KW - Fluoreszenz KW - Petrol KW - Öl PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.3c01175 SN - 0887-0624 SP - 1 EP - 6 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, United States AN - OPUS4-57892 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Climent Terol, Estela A1 - Biyikal, Mustafa A1 - Gröninger, Delia A1 - Weller, Michael G. A1 - Martínez Mánez, R. A1 - Rurack, Knut ED - Climent Terol, Estela T1 - Multiplexed Detection of Analytes on Single Test Strips with Antibody-Gated Indicator-Releasing Mesoporous Nanoparticles N2 - Rapid testing methods for the use directly at apointof need are expected to unfold their true potential especiallywhen offering adequate capabilities for the simultaneousmeasurement of multiple analytes of interest. Considering theunique modularity,high sensitivity,and selectivity of antibody-gated indicator delivery (gAID) systems,amultiplexed assayfor three small-molecule explosives (TATP, TNT,PETN) wasthus developed, allowing to detect the analytes simultaneouslywith asingle test strip at lower ppb concentrations in the liquidphase in < 5min using afluorescence reader or asmartphonefor readout. While the TNT and PETN systems were newlydeveloped here,all the three systems also tolerated harshermatrices than buffered aqueous model solutions.Besidesasingle-track strip,the outstanding modularity of the hybridbiosensor materials in combination with strip-patterningtechnologies allowed us to obtain amultichannel strip inastraightforwardmanner,offering comparable analyticalperformance while allowing to be tailored even more to theusersneed. KW - Multiplexing KW - Explosives detection KW - Gated materials KW - Fluorescence PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-518424 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202009000 SN - 1433-7851 SN - 1521-3773 VL - 59 IS - 52 SP - 23862 EP - 23869 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-51842 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mansurova, Maria A1 - Johann, Sergej A1 - Kohlhoff, Harald A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Bartholmai, Matthias A1 - Bell, Jérémy T1 - On-Site Analytical Tool Based on Crude Oil Fluorescence and Chemometrics for the Rapid Determination of the Nature and Essential Properties of Oil Spills N2 - With the reduction of large oil spills because of stricter regulations and safety measures, the question of how to manage smaller oil spills arises. Few on-site analytical tools are available for first responders or other law enforcement personnel to rapidly test for crude oil in the early management of localized polluted areas. The approach reported here relies on well-described computer-assisted multivariate data analysis of the intrinsic fluorescence fingerprints of crude oils to build a multivariate model for the rapid classification of crude oils and the prediction of their properties. Thanks to a dedicated robust portable reader, the method allowed classification and accurate prediction of various properties of crude oil samples like density (according to API, the American Petroleum Institute and viscosity as well as composition parameters such as volume fractions of paraffins or aromatics. In this way, autonomous operation in on-site or in-the-field applications becomes possible based on the direct (undiluted and untreated) measurement of samples and a rapid, tablet-operated readout system to yield a robust and simple analytical test with superior performance. Testing in real-life scenarios allowed the successful classification and prediction of a number of oil spill samples as well as weathered samples that closely resemble samples collected by first responders. KW - Oil spills KW - Fluorescence KW - PCA KW - Petroleum KW - Rapid test KW - Portable PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-595442 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.3c00648 VL - 4 IS - 2 SP - 621 EP - 627 PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) AN - OPUS4-59544 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 - Hernández-García, María Amparo A1 - Rurack, Knut A1 - Bell, Jérémy T1 - Rapid fabrication of optical elements for sensing applications using a standard SLA printer N2 - The demand for compact, high-performance optical components has driven the development of increasingly sophisticated and miniaturized optical elements, often requiring complex and costly fabrication methods. In this study, we propose a cost-effective and accessible methodology for the fabrication of lenses and free-form optics using a commercially available stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer. A systematic characterisation of six transparent photopolymer resins was conducted in terms of their spectroscopic, optical, and morphological properties, i.e., surface and dimensional properties. The evaluation encompassed parameters such as transmittance, autofluorescence, refractive index, and surface roughness. A straightforward yet resilient printing and post-treatment protocol was formulated, facilitating the fabrication of optical components with over 80% transmittance, minimal intrinsic fluorescence, and surface quality that is compatible with exacting optical applications. The fabricated components demonstrated excellent dimensional fidelity to digital designs and high reproducibility. To demonstrate the versatility of this approach, aspherical, miniaturized, and freeform lenses were designed and integrated into three fluorogenic sensing systems, including oil (strip-based) and chlorine (microfluidic-based) detection platforms, as well as a smartphone-based SARS-CoV-2 biosensor. The integration of customized 3D-printed optics has been demonstrated to enhance signal collection and readout performance, thereby highlighting the potential of this approach to democratize the rapid prototyping and deployment of miniaturized optical systems. This work represents a significant advancement in the field of additive manufacturing, particularly in relation to the development of functional photonic devices. Furthermore, it opens new prospects for sensor applications in biosensing, microfluidics, imaging, and integrated optics. KW - 3D-printing KW - Free-form KW - Prototyping KW - Optical resin KW - Surface finishing KW - Fluorescence KW - Sensor PY - 2026 DO - https://doi.org/10.37188/lam.2026.024 VL - 7 SP - 1 EP - 19 PB - Light Publishing Group CY - Changchun AN - OPUS4-65555 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -