TY - CONF A1 - Mansurova, Maria A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Gotor, Raul A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Fluorescence-based optical system for the detection of total petroleum hydrocarbons in water and soil with smartphone read-out compatibility - Spectrocube, a sensor for rapid oil test in water and soil N2 - Contamination of natural bodies of water with oil and lubricants (or generally, hydrocarbon derivatives such as petrol, fuel and others) is a commonly found phenomenon around the world due to the extensive production, transfer and use of fossil fuels. The timely identification of these contaminants is of utmost importance, since they directly affect water quality and represent a risk for wildlife and human health even in trace amounts. In this work, we develop a simple system for the on-field detection of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in water and soil, the "Spectrocube". The test is based on the measurement of the fluorescence signal emitted by the molecular rotor 4-DNS-OH dye. This dye is embedded in a hydrophobic polymeric matrix (PVDF), avoiding interactions of water with the dye and providing a robust support for use in test-strip fashion. The test-strip’s fluorescence intensity increases linearly at low concentrations of TPH, reaching a saturation value at higher concentrations. For excitation and evaluation of the test-strip fluorescence, a simple miniature optical system was designed. The system works semi-quantitatively as solvent-free TPH detection kit, as well as quantitatively when using a simple cyclopentane extraction step. To simplify the fluorescence read-out, the device is coupled to a tablet computer via Bluetooth, running a self-programmed software ("app"). T2 - Oil Spill India 2018 CY - New Delhi, India DA - 05.07.2018 KW - Oil analysis KW - Water analysis KW - Fluorescence KW - Spectrocube KW - Rapid test KW - Field test KW - Spectroscopy KW - Sensor PY - 2018 AN - OPUS4-45606 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Climent Terol, Estela A1 - Wan, Wei A1 - Weller, Michael G. A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Novel specific bio-gated hybrid materials and their integration into versatile platforms for advanced sensing applications N2 - Methods for the rapid and sensitive detection of target analytes are gaining importance in medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring, in the security, occupational health and safety as well as food sectors. Among all of the methods employed for rapid tests, lateral flow assays (LFAs) are the most commonly used, and hundreds of test kits based on this technique are available on the market. A major drawback is that most of these capture agents either indicate the analyte only indirectly, and in most cases a second binding agent able to bind directly or indirectly to the analytes is necessary (e.g., a secondary labeled antibody). Furthermore, in certain cases in which the (ultra)trace detection of an analyte is required, the traditional approach of a certain number of probe molecules being conjugated to a particular support is not sufficient. Therefore, novel concepts implementing steps of effective signal amplification are urgently required. Keeping in mind these limitations, we thought that the sensitivity of these systems should be improvable through employment of gated reporter molecule-releasing hybrid nanoparticle materials on novel lateral flow devices. On one hand, the gated sensor material can produce a massive signal amplification, by releasing many reporter molecules only after chemical recognition of a few analyte molecules has taken place in an independent and separate step at the pore openings. On the other hand, the employment of tailored capture materials for the selective interaction with the released reporter molecules in a second arbitrary zone on the strip allows to concentrate or focus the latter for more efficient detection or to create selective multi-spot detection zones, which renders the simultaneous detection of several reporter molecules at the same time in multiplexed detection of various analytes possible. For that purpose, we have prepared several stimuli-responsive materials for small-molecule sensing based on specific interactions between biomolecules such as antibodies with the corresponding analytes for the detection of certain explosives. In order to prepare these bio-capped materials, we have selected silica mesoporous nanoparticles (MSNs) as inorganic support due to their unique properties such as defined void structure, high inner surface area and flexible functionalization chemistry. These MSNs are loaded with a brightly fluorescent indicator dye, and the external surface is subsequently functionalized with suitable molecules able to interact with antibodies, efficiently inhibiting dye release. The opening protocol and delivery of the entrapped dye is reminiscent of a displacement reaction involving the presence of the target analyte, producing a displacement of the biomolecule and allowing the detection of the target analyte. The presentation discusses general aspects of system design as well as analytical performance and highlights the integration into a lateral-flow assay, showing as an example the determination of the explosives TATP, TNT and PETN with fluorescence readout, in single-substance and multiplexing modes. T2 - EBS 2019 CY - Florence, Italy DA - 18.02.2019 KW - Bio-gated hybrid materials KW - Signal amplification KW - Explosives determination KW - Fluorescence KW - Rapid test KW - Dip-stick assay PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-47920 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Tobias, Charlie A1 - Climent Terol, Estela A1 - Gotor, Raúl A1 - Bell, Jérémy A1 - Rurack, Knut T1 - Dip-stick coated with Polystyrene-Silica Core-Shell particles for the detection of microbiological fuel contamination N2 - The microbial contamination of fuels by fungi or bacteria presents risks such as corrosion and fuel system fouling, which can produce critical problems in refineries and distribution systems and has a significant economic impact at every phase of the process. Many factors have been cited as responsible for microbial growth, like the presence of water in the storage tanks. Indeed, only 1 % water in a storage system is enough for the growth of microorganisms like bacteria or yeasts, as well as for the development of fungal biomass at the oil/water interface.1 In this work, a rapid test for the accurate determination of genomic DNA from aqueous fuel extracts is presented. The detection is based on the employment of polystyrene-mesoporous silica core-shell particles, on which modified fluorescent molecular beacons are covalently grafted. Those beacons incorporate in the hairpin loop a target sequence highly conserved in all bacteria, corresponding to a fragment of the 16S ribosomal RNA subunit. The designed single-stranded molecular beacon contained fluorescein as an internal indicator and a quencher in its proximity when not hybridized. Upon hybridization in presence of the target sequence, the indicator and the quencher are spatially separated, resulting in fluorescence enhancement. To perform the assay the designed particles were disposed on different glass fiber strips to try to achieve a portable and sensitive rapid test. Assays showed that presence of genomic DNA extracts from bacteria down to 50–70 μg L-1 induces a fluorescence response. The optical read-out was adapted for on-site monitoring by adapting a 3D-printed case on a conventional smartphone, taking advantages of the CMOS detector sensitivity.2 Such embedded assembly allowed to detect genomic DNA in aqueous extracts down to the mg L-1 range and presents an interesting step toward on-site monitoring of fuel contamination. T2 - Europtrode 2021 CY - Warsaw, Poland DA - 28.11.2021 KW - Bacgteria KW - Fungi KW - Rapid test KW - Fluorescence KW - Smartphone KW - Biofouling PY - 2021 AN - OPUS4-53867 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -