TY - JOUR A1 - Stratulat, C. A1 - Ginghina, R. E. A1 - Bratu, A. E. A1 - Isleyen, A. A1 - Tunc, M. A1 - Hafner-Vuk, K. A1 - Frey, A. M. A1 - Kjeldsen, H. A1 - Vogl, Jochen T1 - Development- and Validation-Improved Metrological Methods for the Determination of Inorganic Impurities and Ash Content from Biofuels N2 - In this study, five laboratories, namely, BRML (Romania), TUBITAK UME (Turkey), IMBIH (Bosnia and Herzegovina), BAM (Germany), and DTI (Denmark), developed and validated analytical procedures by ICP-MS, ICP-OES, MWP-AES, WD-XRF, and ID-MS for the determination of inorganic impurities in solid and liquid biofuels, established the budget of uncertainties, and developed the method for determining the amount of ash in the measurement range 0–1.2% with absolute repeatability less than 0.1% and absolute reproducibility of 0.2% (according to EN ISO 18122). In order to create homogeneous certified reference materials, improved methodologies for the measurement and characterization of solid and liquid biofuels were developed. Thus, information regarding the precision, accuracy, and bias of the method, and identifying the factors that intervened in the measurement of uncertainty were experimentally determined, supplementing the information from the existing standards in the field. KW - Development KW - Validate method KW - Biodiesel KW - ICP-MS KW - ICP-OES KW - MW-AES KW - WD-XRF KW - ID-MS KW - Inorganic impurities KW - Ash content KW - Wood chips PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-578743 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135221 VL - 16 IS - 13 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - MDPI AN - OPUS4-57874 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sun, C. A1 - Schäferling, Michael A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Gradzielski, M. T1 - Solvothermal Synthesis of Lanthanide-doped NaYF4 Upconversion N2 - Lanthanide-doped NaYF4 upconversion nano- and microcrystals were synthesized via a facile solvothermal approach. Thereby, the influence of volume ratios of ethylene glycol (EG)/H2O, molar ratios of NH4F/RE3+ (RE3+ represents the total amount of Y3+ and rare-earth dopant ions), Gd3+ ion contents, types of activator dopant ions, and different organic co-solvents on the crystal phase, size, and morphology of the resulting particles were studied systematically. A possible formation mechanism for the growth of crystals of different morphology is discussed. Our results show that the transition from the α- to the β-phase mainly depends on the volume ratio of EG/H2O and the molar ratio of NH4F/RE3+, while the morphology and size could be controlled by the type of organic co-solvent and Gd3+ dopant ions. Furthermore, the reaction time has to be long enough to convert α-NaYF4 into β-NaYF4 during the growth process to optimize the upconversion luminescence. The formation of larger β-NaYF4 crystals, which possess a higher upconversion luminescence than smaller particles, proceeds via intermediates of smaller crystals of cubic structure. In summary, our synthetic approach presents a facile route to tailor the size, Crystal phase, morphology, and luminescence features of upconversion materials. KW - Nano KW - Nanomaterial KW - Upconversion nanoparticle KW - Photoluminescence KW - Lanthanide KW - Quantum yield KW - Photophysics KW - Lifetime KW - Surface chemistry KW - Single particle KW - Brightness KW - NIR KW - Synthesis PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-520307 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/cnma.202000564 VL - 7 IS - 2 SP - 174 EP - 183 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-52030 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 - 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 - 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 - JOUR A1 - Tang, Chi-Long A1 - Seeger, Stefan T1 - Measurement of sub-4 nm particle emission from FFF-3D printing with the TSI Nano Enhancer and the Airmodus Particle Size Magnifier N2 - The emission of ultrafine particles from small desktop Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printers has been frequently investigated in the past years. However, the vast majority of FFF emission and exposure studies have not considered the possible occurrence of particles below the typical detection limit of Condensation Particle Counters and could have systematically underestimated the total particle emission as well as the related exposure risks. Therefore, we comparatively measured particle number concentrations and size distributions of sub-4 nm particles with two commercially available diethylene glycol-based instruments – the TSI 3757 Nano Enhancer and the Airmodus A10 Particle Size Magnifier. Both instruments were evaluated for their suitability of measuring FFF-3D printing emissions in the sub-4 nm size range while operated as a particle counter or as a particle size spectrometer. For particle counting, both instruments match best when the Airmodus system was adjusted to a cut-off of 1.5 nm. For size spectroscopy, both instruments show limitations due to either the fast dynamics or rather low levels of particle emissions from FFF-3D printing in this range. The effects are discussed in detail in this article. The findings could be used to implement sub-4 nm particle measurement in future emission or exposure studies, but also for the development of standard test protocols for FFF-3D printing emissions. KW - Air pollution KW - Ultrafine particles KW - Sub-4nm particles KW - FFF-3D printing KW - Emission testing PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-595952 DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2024.2320430 SN - 0278-6826 VL - 58 IS - 6 SP - 644 EP - 656 PB - Taylor & Francis CY - London AN - OPUS4-59595 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tang, Chi-Long A1 - Seeger, Stefan A1 - Röllig, Mathias T1 - Improving the comparability of FFF-3D printing emission data by adjustment of the set extruder temperature N2 - Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a material extrusion-based technique often used in desktop 3D printers. Polymeric filaments are melted and are extruded through a heated nozzle to form a 3D object in layers. The extruder temperature is therefore a key parameter for a successful print job but also one of the main emission driving factors as harmful pollutants (e.g., ultrafine particles) are formed by thermal polymer degradation. The awareness of potential health risks has increased the number of emission studies in the past years. However, studies usually refer their calculated emission data to the printer set extruder temperature for comparison purposes. In this study, we used a thermocouple and an infrared camera to measure the actual extruder temperature and found significant temperature deviations to the displayed set temperature among printer models. Our result shows that printing the same filament feedstocks with three different printer models and with identical printer set temperature resulted in a variation in particle emission of around two orders of magnitude. A temperature adjustment has reduced the variation to approx. one order of magnitude. Thus, it is necessary to refer the measured emission data to the actual extruder temperature as it poses a more accurate comparison parameter for evaluation of the indoor air quality in user scenarios or for health risk assessments. KW - Ultrafine particles KW - Infrared thermography KW - Thermocouple KW - Indoor air quality KW - FFF-3D printer PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-572842 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2023.100217 VL - 18 SP - 100217 PB - Elsevier Ltd. CY - Amsterdam, Niederlande AN - OPUS4-57284 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tannenberg, Robert A1 - Paul, Martin A1 - Röder, Bettina A1 - Gande, S. L. A1 - Sreeramulu, S. A1 - Saxena, K. A1 - Richter, C. A1 - Schwalbe, H. A1 - Swart, C. A1 - Weller, Michael G. T1 - Chemiluminescence biosensor for the determination of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) N2 - Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a crucial biomarker for diagnosing cardiac vascular diseases, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study presents a proof-of-concept chemiluminescence-based immunosensor for rapid and accurate measurement of cTnI, with the potential for online monitoring. The immunosensor incorporates a flow cell design and a sensitive complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera for optical readout. A microfluidic setup was established to enable selective and quasi-online determination of cTnI within ten minutes. The sensor was tested with recombinant cTnI in phosphate buffer, demonstrating measurements in the concentration range of 2–25 µg/L, with a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.6 µg/L (23 pmol/L) achieved using the optimized system. The immunosensor exhibited high selectivity, as no cross-reactivity was observed with other recombinant proteins such as cTnT and cTnC at a concentration of 16 µg/L. Measurements with diluted blood plasma and serum yielded an LoD of 60 µg/L (2.4 nmol/L) and 70 µg/L (2.9 nmol/L), respectively. This biosensor offers a promising approach for the rapid and sensitive detection of cTnI, contributing to the diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction and other cardiac vascular diseases. N2 - Das kardiale Troponin I (cTnI) ist ein wichtiger Biomarker für die Diagnose von Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen, einschließlich des akuten Myokardinfarkts (AMI). In dieser Studie wird ein auf Chemilumineszenz basierender Immunsensor für die schnelle und genaue Messung von cTnI vorgestellt, der das Potenzial für eine Online-Überwachung hat. Der Immunsensor besteht aus einer Durchflusszelle und einer empfindlichen CMOS-Kamera (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) zur optischen Detektion. Es wurde ein mikrofluidischer Aufbau entwickelt, der eine selektive und quasi Online-Bestimmung von cTnI innerhalb von zehn Minuten ermöglicht. Der Sensor wurde mit rekombinantem cTnI in Phosphatpuffer getestet und zeigte einen Messbereich von 2-25 µg/L, wobei mit dem optimierten System eine Nachweisgrenze (LoD) von 0,6 µg/L (23 pmol/L) erreicht wurde. Der Immunsensor zeigte eine hohe Selektivität, da keine Kreuzreaktivität mit anderen rekombinanten Proteinen wie cTnT und cTnC bei einer Konzentration von 16 µg/L beobachtet wurde. Messungen mit verdünntem Blutplasma und Serum ergaben einen LoD von 60 µg/L (2,4 nmol/L) bzw. 70 µg/L (2,9 nmol/L). Dieser Biosensor bietet einen vielversprechenden Ansatz für den schnellen und empfindlichen Nachweis von cTnI, der zur Diagnose und Behandlung des akuten Myokardinfarkts und anderer kardialer Gefäßerkrankungen beitragen kann. KW - Acute myocardial infarction KW - Heart attack KW - Emergency KW - Diagnosis KW - Cardiac troponin KW - Biomarker KW - Immunosensor KW - Biosensor KW - Chemiluminescence KW - Luminol KW - Peroxidase KW - Monoclonal antibodies KW - Flow injection immunoassay KW - Immunometric assay KW - Immunometric biosensor KW - Microfluidic system KW - Monolithic column KW - Online biosensor PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-575471 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13040455 SN - 2079-6374 VL - 13 IS - 4 SP - 1 EP - 20 PB - MDPI CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-57547 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tatzel, M. A1 - Frings, P. J. A1 - Oelze, Marcus A1 - Herwartz, D. A1 - Lünsdorf, K. A1 - Wiedenbeck, M. T1 - Chert oxygen isotope ratios are driven by Earth's thermal evolution N2 - The 18O/16O ratio of cherts (δ18Ochert) increases nearly monotonically by ~15‰ from the Archean to present. Two end-member explanations have emerged: cooling seawater temperature (TSW) and increasing seawater δ18O (δ18Osw). Yet despite decades of work, there is no consensus, leading some to view the δ18Ochert record as pervasively altered. Here, we demonstrate that cherts are a robust archive of diagenetic temperatures, despite metamorphism and exposure to meteoric fluids, and show that the timing and temperature of quartz precipitation and thus δ18Ochert are determined by the kinetics of silica diagenesis. A diagenetic model shows that δ18Ochert is influenced by heat flow through the sediment column. Heat flow has decreased over time as planetary heat is dissipated, and reasonable Archean-modern heat flow changes account for ~5‰ of the increase in δ18Ochert, obviating the need for extreme TSW or δ18Osw reconstructions. The seawater oxygen isotope budget is also influenced by solid Earth cooling, with a recent reconstruction placing Archean δ18OSW 5 to 10‰ lower than today. Together, this provides an internally consistent view of the δ18Ochert record as driven by solid Earth cooling over billion-year timescales that is compatible with Precambrian glaciations and biological. KW - Climate KW - Oxygen isotope ratios KW - Silica diagenesis KW - Early Earth KW - Heat flow PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-569359 DO - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2213076119 SN - 0027-8424 VL - 119 IS - 51 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - National Academy of Sciences CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-56935 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tatzel, Michael A1 - Oelze, Marcus A1 - Frick, Daniel A. A1 - Di Rocco, Tommaso A1 - Liesegang, Moritz A1 - Stuff, Maria A1 - Wiedenbeck, Michael T1 - Silicon and oxygen isotope fractionation in a silicified carbonate rock N2 - Silicon isotope fractionation during silicification is poorly understood and impedes our ability to decipher paleoenvironmental conditions from Si isotopes in ancient cherts. To investigate isotope fractionation during silica-for-carbonate replacement we analyzed the microscale Si and O isotope composition in different silica phases in a silicified zebra dolostone as well as their bulk δ18O and Δ’17O compositions. The subsequent replacement of carbonate layers is mimicked by decreasing δ18O and δ30Si. The textural relationship and magnitude of Si and O isotope fractionation is best explained by near-quantitative silica precipitation in an open system with finite Si. A Rayleigh model for silicification suggests positive Ɛ30/28Si during silicification, conforming with predictions for isotope distribution at chemical equilibrium from ab-initio models. Application of the modelled Ɛ30Si-T relationship yields silicification temperatures of approx. 50°C. To reconcile the δ18Ochert composition with these temperatures, the δ18O of the fluid must have been between -2.5 and -4 ‰, compositions for which the quartz phases fall close to the oxygen equilibrium fractionation line in three-isotope space. Diagenetic silica replacement appears to occur in O and Si isotopic equilibrium allowing reconstructions of temperatures of silicification from Si isotopes and derive the δ18O composition of the fluid – a highly desired value needed for accurate reconstructions of the temperature- and δ18O histories of the oceans. KW - Silicon isotopes PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-603430 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2024.122120 SN - 0009-2541 VL - 658 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-60343 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Rajotte, Isabelle A1 - Thibeault, Marie-Pier A1 - Sander, Philipp C. A1 - Kodra, Oltion A1 - Lopinski, Gregory A1 - Radnik, Jörg A1 - Johnston, Linda J. A1 - Brinkmann, Andreas A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Quantifying surface groups on aminated silica nanoparticles of different size, surface chemistry, and porosity with solution NMR, XPS, optical assays, and potentiometric titration N2 - We assessed the quantification of surface amino functional groups (FGs) for a large set of commercial and custom-made aminated silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) with sizes of 20–100 nm, prepared with different sol–gel routes, different amounts of surface amino FGs, and different porosity with four methods providing different, yet connected measurands in a bilateral study of two laboratories, BAM and NRC, with the overall aim to develop standardizable measurements for surface FG quantification. Special emphasis was dedicated to traceable quantitative magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) performed with dissolved SiO2 NPs. For the cost efficient and automatable screening of the amount of surface amino FGs done in a first step of this study, the optical fluorescamine assay and a potentiometric titration method were utilized by one partner, i.e., BAM, yielding the amount of primary amino FGs accessible for the reaction with a dye precursor and the total amount of (de)protonatable FGs. These measurements, which give estimates of the minimum and maximum number of surface amino FGs, laid the basis for quantifying the amount of amino silane molecules with chemo-selective qNMR with stepwise fine-tuned workflows, involving centrifugation, drying, weighting, dissolution, measurement, and data evaluation steps jointly performed by BAM and NRC. Data comparability and relative standard deviations (RSDs) obtained by both labs were used as quality measures for method optimization and as prerequisites to identify method-inherent limitations to be later considered for standardized measurement protocols. Additionally, the nitrogen (N) to silicon (Si) ratio in the near-surface region of the SiO2 NPs was determined by both labs using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), a well established surface sensitive analytical method increasingly utilized for microparticles and nano-objects which is currently also in the focus of international standardization activities. Overall, our results underline the importance of multi-method characterization studies for quantifying FGs on NMs involving at least two expert laboratories for effectively identifying sources of uncertainty, validating analytical methods, and deriving NM structure–property relationships. KW - Advanced Materials KW - Amino Groups KW - Calibration KW - Characterization KW - Functional groups KW - Method Comparison KW - Nano Particle KW - Validation KW - XPS KW - Optical Assay KW - Quantification KW - Surface Analysis KW - Reference Materials KW - Synthesis KW - Fluorescence PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-649992 DO - https://doi.org/10.1039/d5na00794a VL - 7 IS - 21 SP - 6888 EP - 6900 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-64999 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Sander, P. C. A1 - Andresen, Elina A1 - Schedler, U. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Expanding the Toolbox of Simple, Cost-Efficient, and Automatable Methods for Quantifying Surface Functional Groups on Nanoparticles� Potentiometric Titration N2 - Measuring surface functional groups (FGs) on nanomaterials (NMs) is essential for designing dispersible and stable NMs with tailored and predictable functionality. FG screening and quantification also plays a critical role for subsequent processing steps, NM long-term stability, quality control of NM production, and risk assessment studies and enables the implementation of sustainable and safe(r)-by-design concepts. This calls for simple and cost-efficient methods for broadly utilized FGs that can be ideally automated to speed up FG screening, monitoring, and quantification. To expand our NM surface analysis toolbox, focusing on simple methods and broadly available, cost-efficient instrumentation, we explored a NM-adapted pH titration method with potentiometric and optical readout for measuring the total number of (de)protonable FGs on representatively chosen commercial and custom-made aminated silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs). The accuracy and robustness of our stepwise optimized workflows was assessed by several operators in two laboratories and method validation was done by cross-comparison with two analytical methods relying on different signal generation principles. This included traceable, chemo-selective quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), providing the amounts of amino silanes released by particle dissolution and the total mass of the surface coatings. A comparison of the potentiometric titration results with the reporter-specific amounts of surface amino FGs determined with the previously automated fluorescamine (Fluram) assay highlights the importance of determining both quantities for surface-functionalized NMs. In the future, combined NM surface analysis with optical assays and pH titration will simplify quality control of NM production processes and stability studies and can yield large data sets for NM grouping that facilitates further developments in regulation and standardization. KW - Quality assurance KW - Fluorescence KW - Nano KW - Particle KW - Synthesis KW - Characterization KW - Advanced material KW - Surface KW - Standardization KW - Reference material KW - Functional group KW - Quantification KW - Coating KW - Automation KW - Potentiometry KW - Method KW - Validation KW - Optical assay KW - Fluram KW - Fluorescamine KW - qNMR KW - Comparison KW - ILC PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-642371 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.5c00062 SN - 2694-250X SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-64237 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tavernaro, Isabella A1 - Simon, Fabian A1 - Gehrenkemper, Lennart A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Meermann, Björn T1 - Quantification of the amount of surface groups of aminated silica nano- and microparticles utilizing a fluorine tag and HR-CS-GFMAS N2 - The performance, bioavailability, and safe use of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) depends not only on properties such as size, shape, and surface area, but largely on surface chemistry. While many sizing methods have been established, there is still a lack of validated screening methods for determining NM surface functional groups (FGs). In this context, we present a fast and simple method for FG quantification using high resolution-continuum source-graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFMAS) and assess its applicability for the surface analysis of representatively chosen aminated silica nanoparticles (NPs) and microparticles (MPs) in conjunction with amino FG labeling with a fluorine tag. For this proof-of-concept study, first surface amino FG screening of the silica NPs and MPs was done with a potentiometric back titration method, providing the total amount of protonatable surface FGs, and two optical assays relying on reporter dyes with sizes and spatial requirements, i.e., surface binding areas smaller or larger than that of the fluorine tag to estimate the maximum and reporter-accessible number of amino FGs. Subsequently, the surface amino FGs were labeled with the fluorine tag 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (TFMB) and the amount of fluorine originating from the bound TFMB molecules was quantified by HR-CS-GFMAS in two common organic solvents, i.e., dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or ethanol (EtOH) to assess possible interferences from organic matrices. Our study revealed limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) for fluorine of 1.0 µg/L and 3.5 µg/L in EtOH and 1.5 µg/L and 5.0 µg/L in DMSO, respectively. Overall, a quick and simple method for analyzing surface FGs on NPs and MPs was presented utilizing broadly available fluorine tags and HR-CS-GFMAS for fluorine quantification, which can be applied, e.g., for homogeneity, stability, and aging studies of surface-modified particles. This could contribute to ease the understanding of property-safety relationships for surface-functionalized NMs. KW - Fluorine Analysis KW - Nano- and microparticles KW - Surface group quantification PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-641965 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-025-06107-4 SN - 1618-2642 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC CY - Berlin ; Heidelberg AN - OPUS4-64196 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tchipilov, Teodor A1 - Meyer, Klas A1 - Weller, Michael G. T1 - Quantitative 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) of aromatic amino acids for protein quantification N2 - Hydrolysis of protein samples into amino acids facilitates the use of NMR spectroscopy for protein and peptide quantification. Different conditions have been tested for quantifying aromatic amino acids and proteins. The pH-dependent signal shifts in the aromatic region of amino acid samples were examined. A pH of 12 was found to minimize signal overlap of the four aromatic amino acids. Several aromatic compounds, such as terephthalic acid, sulfoisophthalic acid, and benzene tricarboxylic acid, were applied as internal standards. The quantification of amino acids from an amino acid standard was performed. Using the first two suggested internal standards, recovery was ~97% for histidine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine at a concentration of approximately 1 mM in solution. Acidic hydrolysis of a certified reference material (CRM) of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and subsequent quantification of Phe and Tyr yielded recoveries of 98% ± 2% and 88% ± 4%, respectively, at a protein concentration of 16 g/L or 250 µM. KW - Amino acid analysis KW - Aromatic amino acid analysis KW - AAA KW - AAAA KW - Protein hydrolysis KW - Hydrochloric acid KW - Metrology KW - Traceability KW - NIST KW - Reference materials KW - Internal standard KW - Calibration KW - Compound-independent calibration KW - Histidine KW - Tyrosine KW - Tryptophan KW - Phenylalanine KW - Terephthalic acid KW - Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid KW - Bovine serum albumin (BSA) KW - Quantitative protein analysis KW - Phenylketonuria PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-570943 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/mps6010011 VL - 6 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz AN - OPUS4-57094 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Temgoua, Ranil C.T. A1 - Dontsi, Fabiola T. A1 - Lebègue, Estelle A1 - Thobie-Gautier, Christine A1 - Tonlé, Ignas K. A1 - Boujtita, Mohammed T1 - Understanding the behavior of phenylurazole-tyrosine-click electrochemical reaction using hybrid electroanalytical techniques N2 - In this work, the electrochemical behavior of 4-phenylurazole (Ph-Ur) was studied and the latter was used as a molecular anchor for the electrochemical bioconjugation of tyrosine (Y). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and controlled potential coulometry (CPC) allowed the in-situ generation of the PTAD (4-phenyl-3 H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5(4 H)-dione) species from phenylurazole on demand for tyrosine electrolabeling. The chemoselectivity of the reaction was studied with another amino acid (lysine, Lys) and no changes in Lys were observed. To evaluate the performance of tyrosine electrolabeling, coulometric analyses at controlled potentials were performed on solutions of phenylurazole and the phenylurazole-tyrosine mixture in different proportions (2:1, 1:1, and 1:2). The electrolysis of the phenylurazole-tyrosine mixture in the ratio (1:2) produced a charge of 2.07 C, very close to the theoretical value (1.93 C), with high reaction kinetics, a result obtained here for the first time. The products obtained were identified and characterized by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS and LC- HRMS2). Two products were formed from the click reactions, one of which was the majority. Another part of this work was to study the electrochemical degradation of the molecular anchor 4-phenylazole (Ph-Ur). Four stable degradation products of phenylurazole were identified (C7H9N2O, C6H8N, C6H8NO, C14H13N4O2) based on chromatographic profiles and mass spectrometry results. The charge generated during the electrolysis of phenylurazole (two-electron process) (2.85 C) is inconsistent with the theoretical or calculated charge (1.93 C), indicating that secondary/parasitic reactions occurred during the electrolysis of the latter. In conclusion, the electrochemically promoted click phenylurazole-tyrosine reactions give rise to click products with high reaction kinetics and yields in the (1:2) phenylurazole-tyrosine ratios, and the presence of side reactions is likely to affect the yield of the click phenylurazole-tyrosine reaction. KW - Clinical Biochemistry KW - Spectroscopy KW - Drug Discovery KW - Pharmaceutical Science KW - Analytical Chemistry PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-599267 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116147 VL - 245 SP - 1 EP - 8 PB - Elsevier BV AN - OPUS4-59926 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thiele, Isabel A1 - Santolin, Lara A1 - Meyer, Klas A1 - Machatschek, Rainhard A1 - Bölz, Uwe A1 - Tarazona, Natalia A. A1 - Riedel, Sebastian L. T1 - Microbially synthesized poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) with low to moderate hydroxyhexanoate content: Properties and applications N2 - Plastic pollution is the biggest environmental concern of our time. Breakdown products like micro- and nanoplastics inevitably enter the food chain and pose unprecedented health risks. In this scenario, bio-based and biodegradable plastic alternatives have been given a momentum aiming to bridge a transition towards a more sustainable future. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are one of the few thermoplastic polymers synthesized 100 % via biotechnological routes which fully biodegrade in common natural environments. Poly(hydroxybutyrate-cohydroxyhexanoate) [P(HB-co-HHx)] is a PHA copolymer with great potential for the commodity polymers industry, as its mechanical properties can be tailored through fine-tuning of its molar HHx content. We have recently developed a strategy that enables for reliable tailoring of the monomer content of P(HB-co-HHx). Nevertheless, there is often a lack of comprehensive investigation of the material properties of PHAs to evaluate whether they actually mimic the functionalities of conventional plastics. We present a detailed study of P(HB-co-HHx) copolymers with low to moderate hydroxyhexanoate content to understand how the HHx monomer content influences the thermal and mechanical properties and to link those to their abiotic degradation. By increasing the HHx fractions in the range of 2 – 14 mol%, we impart an extension of the processing window and application range as the melting temperature (Tm) and glass temperature (Tg) of the copolymers decrease from Tm 165 ◦C to 126 ◦C, Tg 4 ◦C to − 5.9 ◦C, accompanied by reduced crystallinity from 54 % to 20 %. Elongation at break was increased from 5.7 % up to 703 % at 14 mol% HHx content, confirming that the range examined was sufficiently large to obtain ductile and brittle copolymers, while tensile strength was maintained throughout the studied range. Finally, accelerated abiotic degradation was shown to be slowed down with an increasing HHx fraction decreasing from 70 % to 55 % in 12 h. KW - Molecular Biology KW - General Medicine KW - Biochemistry KW - Structural Biology PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-595636 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130188 VL - 263 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Elsevier B.V. AN - OPUS4-59563 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thiele, Isabel A1 - Weiske, Björn A1 - Riedel, Sebastian L. A1 - Meyer, Klas T1 - On-line monitoring of polyhydroxyalkanoate extraction by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy N2 - The use of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy enables real-time reaction monitoring in contrast to time-consuming gas chromatography or off-line high-field NMR measurements. In this study, NMR spectroscopy is demonstrated as a novel process analytical technology (PAT) tool in the downstream processing of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers. On-line NMR spectroscopy measurements were performed using a Spinsolve 43 Carbon Ultra instrument in a fully automated mode with a flow-assembly based on PTFE tubing. Single-scan NMR spectra were acquired for real-time monitoring of the extraction process of the PHA copolymer poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) with 13.5 mol.% hydroxyhexanoate [P(HB-co-13.5 mol.%HHx)] from Ralstonia eutropha biomass using chloroform or acetone as PHA solvents at lyophilized cell loadings of 20–120 g L􀀀 1. The reproducibility and reliability of low-field NMR spectroscopy was comparable to high-field NMR spectroscopy, with superior performance in terms of time. The correlation between the results of on-line monitoring using low-field NMR spectroscopy and off-line analysis using gas chromatography (GC) showed a correlation coefficient of >94 %. The versatility of low-field NMR spectroscopy for elucidating reaction kinetics, facilitating endpoint determination and accelerating extraction processes by maximizing solubility is highlighted as plateau values were reached within 6–10 min for chloroform and acetone, respectively. This novel low-field NMR spectroscopy application promotes a new monitoring approach for downstream PHA processing and supports process development and optimization. KW - Polyhydroxyalkanoate KW - Extraction KW - NMR KW - Ralstonia eutropha KW - Downstream processing PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-624215 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2025.111188 SN - 1873-2321 VL - 233 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Elsevier Ltd. CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-62421 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tjaden, B. A1 - Lisec, Jan A1 - Schramm, A. T1 - N-Myc-induced metabolic rewiring creates novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in neuroblastoma N2 - N-Myc is a transcription factor that is aberrantly expressed in many tumor types and is often correlated with poor patient prognosis. Recently, several lines of evidence pointed to the fact that oncogenic activation of Myc family proteins is concomitant with reprogramming of tumor cells to cope with an enhanced need for metabolites during cell growth. These adaptions are driven by the ability of Myc proteins to act as transcriptional amplifiers in a tissue-of-origin specific manner. Here, we describe the effects of N-Myc overexpression on metabolic reprogramming in neuroblastoma cells. Ectopic expression of N-Myc induced a glycolytic switch that was concomitant with enhanced sensitivity towards 2-deoxyglucose, an inhibitor of glycolysis. Moreover, global metabolic profiling revealed extensive alterations in the cellular metabolome resulting from overexpression of N-Myc. Limited supply with either of the two main carbon sources, glucose or glutamine, resulted in distinct shifts in steady-state metabolite levels and significant changes in glutathione metabolism. Interestingly, interference with glutamine-glutamate conversion preferentially blocked proliferation of N-Myc overexpressing cells, when glutamine levels were reduced. Thus, our study uncovered N-Myc induction and nutrient levels as important metabolic master switches in neuroblastoma cells and identified critical nodes that restrict tumor cell proliferation. KW - Mass-Spectrometry KW - Cancer KW - MYCN PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-507193 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64040-1 VL - 10 IS - 1 SP - 7157 AN - OPUS4-50719 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - Gehrenkemper, Lennart A1 - Bernstein, Thomas A1 - Schlau, Sven A1 - Simon, Fabian A1 - Röllig, Mathias A1 - Meermann, Björn A1 - von der Au, Marcus T1 - Development of a fully automated slurry sampling introduction system for GF-AAS and its application for the determination of cadmium in different matrices N2 - element analysis, offering high sensitivity and precision. However, its effectiveness is limited by sample preparation challenges for solid samples like soils and microplastics. Traditional methods include sample preparation, such as digestion, which is time-consuming and involves reagents, like acids, contributing to measurement uncertainty and higher carbon footprints. Slurry sampling allows direct analysis of suspensions, offering a more efficient alternative. However, maintaining suspension stability is challenging, requiring robust autosampler systems to streamline the process and enhance analytical performance. Results: We present a novel autosampler extension for slurry sample introduction into GF-AAS. This system ensures suspension stability with a stirring device and closed vessels to prevent evaporation and contamination, incorporating a cooling unit to reduce solvent and analyte losses. It installs and removes in minutes without additional connections. Validation with cadmium analysis in BAM-U110 (Soil) and BAM-H010 (ABS) showed high reliability. For BAM-U110 (Soil), we achieved recovery rates of 94 % ± 13 % in water suspension. The recovery rate for BAM-H010 (ABS) was 104 % ±11 % in acetonitrile suspension. These results demonstrate the system’s robustness, versatility, and accuracy for different matrices. Significance: The autosampler extension helps solve key problems in trace element analysis of solid samples, making the process faster and more accurate. It works well with complex materials, making it useful for areas like microplastic or nanoparticle analysis. This improvement also helps meet regulations for monitoring environ mental and polymer samples, offering a reliable and flexible tool for high-throughput analysis with fewer errors. KW - Slurry AAS KW - Soil KW - Cd PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-618531 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2024.343460 SN - 0003-2670 VL - 1335 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Elsevier BV AN - OPUS4-61853 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - López-Puertollano, Daniel A1 - Abad-Somovilla, Antonio A1 - Mercader, J. V. A1 - Abad-Fuentes, A. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Development of Simple and Rapid Bead-Based Cytometric Immunoassays Using Superparamagnetic Hybrid Core−Shell Microparticles N2 - Flow cytometry-based immunoassays are valuable in biomedical research and clinical applications due to their high throughput and multianalyte capability, but their adoption in areas such as food safety and environmental monitoring is limited by long assay times and complex workflows. Rapid, simplified bead-based cytometric immunoassays are needed to make these methods viable for point-of-need applications, especially with the increasing accessibility of miniaturized cytometers. This work introduces superparamagnetic hybrid polystyrene-silica core−shell microparticles as promising alternatives to conventional polymer beads in competitive cytometric immunoassays. These beads, featuring high specificity, sensitivity, and excellent handling capabilities via magnetic separation, were evaluated with three different antibodies and binding methods, showing variations in signal intensity based on the antibody and its attachment method. The optimal performance was achieved through a secondary antibody binding approach, providing strong and consistent signals with minimal uncertainty. The optimized protocol made it possible to achieve a detection limit of 0.025 nM in a total assay time of only 15 min and was successfully used to detect ochratoxin A (OTA) in raw flour samples. This work highlights the potential of these beads as versatile tools for flow cytometry-based immunoassays, with significant implications for food safety, animal health, environmental monitoring, and clinical diagnostics. KW - Immunoassays KW - Bead-based KW - Core-shell particles KW - Cytometry KW - Mycotoxins PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-610593 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.4c00038 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, D.C. AN - OPUS4-61059 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -