1.9 Chemische und optische Sensorik
Filtern
Dokumenttyp
- Zeitschriftenartikel (99)
- Vortrag (71)
- Posterpräsentation (57)
- Beitrag zu einem Tagungsband (6)
- Preprint (1)
- Forschungsbericht (1)
Schlagworte
- Fluorescence (48)
- LIBS (29)
- Plasma modeling (26)
- Laser induced plasma (25)
- Plasma diagnostics (20)
- Core-shell particles (17)
- Microfluidics (14)
- Molecularly imprinted polymers (13)
- MIPs (12)
- Sialic acid (10)
- Spectroscopy (10)
- Additive manufacturing (8)
- Laser-induced plasma (8)
- Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (8)
- Roughness (8)
- Multiplexing (7)
- Rapid test (7)
- Cancer (6)
- Signal amplification (6)
- Smartphone (6)
- Vor-Ort-Analytik (6)
- BODIPY (5)
- Fluoreszenz (5)
- Glyphosate (5)
- Image processing (5)
- MamaLoCA (5)
- Molecular imprinting (5)
- Pyrethroids (5)
- Raman spectroscopy (5)
- Schnelltest (5)
- Sensor (5)
- Test strip (5)
- Thermography (5)
- Additive Manufacturing (4)
- Antibiotics (4)
- Antibodies (4)
- BODIPY dyes (4)
- Electron microscopy (4)
- Environment (4)
- Explosives (4)
- Flow cytometry (4)
- Hybrid materials (4)
- Laser metal deposition (4)
- Mikrofluidik (4)
- Nanoparticles (4)
- Optical emission spectroscopy (4)
- Plasma (4)
- Rapid tests (4)
- Sensing (4)
- Tandem MS (4)
- Test strips (4)
- Teststreifen (4)
- Additive Fertigung (3)
- Affinity chromatography (3)
- Air quality (3)
- Analytical Sciences (3)
- Bead-based assay (3)
- Chemical vapor deposition (3)
- Core-Shell Particles (3)
- Core−shell particles (3)
- DPSS laser (3)
- Diclofenac (3)
- Embedded sensor (3)
- Explosives detection (3)
- Fluorescent sensor (3)
- Lateral flow assay (3)
- MIP (3)
- Macrophages (3)
- Mass Spectrometry (3)
- Microfluidic (3)
- Multiplex (3)
- Oil (3)
- Optical sensor (3)
- PFAS (3)
- Plasma physics (3)
- Polyglycerol (3)
- Process control (3)
- Sensors (3)
- Spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (3)
- Thermographie (3)
- Water analysis (3)
- Adulteration (2)
- Air traffic (2)
- Ambient mass spectrometry (2)
- Analytical chemistry (2)
- Anion recognition (2)
- BODIPY dye (2)
- Biofouling (2)
- Biosensor (2)
- Biosensors (2)
- Calibration free LIBS (2)
- Charge transfer (2)
- Chemical reactors (2)
- Chlorine (2)
- Cocaine (2)
- Core–shell particles (2)
- Delivery system (2)
- Dip-stick assay (2)
- Direct Energy Deposition (2)
- Drogen (2)
- Electrochemical (2)
- Electron number density (2)
- Embedded system (2)
- Emission line profiles (2)
- Fluorescence sensing (2)
- Fluorescent Probes (2)
- Fluorometric sensing (2)
- Fungi (2)
- Gas sensing (2)
- Gesteuerte Freisetzung (2)
- Glutaraldehyde (2)
- Guanidinium Receptors (2)
- Human papillomavirus (2)
- Image analysis (2)
- Imaging (2)
- Immunoassay (2)
- Immunoassays (2)
- Indikatorfreisetzung (2)
- LMD (2)
- Lab-on-a-chip (2)
- Lab-on-chip (2)
- Laser induced dielectric breakdown (2)
- Laser-Induced Background Spectroscopy (2)
- Laser-Pulver-Auftragschweißen (2)
- Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (2)
- Laser-spark (2)
- Lateral Flow Assay (2)
- Lateral Flow Assays (2)
- Lateral flow test (2)
- Mass spectrometry (2)
- Mercury (2)
- Mesoporous materials (2)
- Modeling chemical reactions (2)
- Nerve agents (2)
- PCA (2)
- PH (2)
- Particle characterisation (2)
- Particles (2)
- Permethrin (2)
- Phosphorylated peptides (2)
- Plasma chemistry (2)
- Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (2)
- Plasma processes (2)
- Plasma tomography (2)
- Process monitoring (2)
- Purification (2)
- Raid test (2)
- Reductive amination (2)
- SBA-15 (2)
- SHS (2)
- Sapphire (2)
- Scanning electron microscopy (2)
- Schnelltests (2)
- Sensorik (2)
- Sensorpartikel (2)
- Spatial heterodyne spectrometer (2)
- Spatial information (2)
- Spectrocube (2)
- Sugars (2)
- Temperatures (2)
- Test strip analysis (2)
- Thermal equilibrium (2)
- Thermografie (2)
- Toxic industrial chemicals (2)
- Underwater LIBS (2)
- Water (2)
- Water quality (2)
- Wireless mobile sensor device (2)
- 2,4-D (1)
- 3D image analysis (1)
- 3D printing (1)
- 3D-Mikrofluidik (1)
- 3D-printing (1)
- Acoustic Emission (1)
- Acoustic levitation (1)
- Adsorbed microgel particles (1)
- Advanced materials (1)
- Affinity extraction (1)
- Affinity support (1)
- Aggregates (1)
- Agricultural economy (1)
- Airborne (1)
- Aluminum oxide (1)
- Ambient Desorption/Ionization (1)
- Ambient desorption/ionization (1)
- Ambient ionization (1)
- Ambient pressure laser ionization (1)
- Amino acid analysis (1)
- Ammonia (1)
- Ammoniak (1)
- Ammunition (1)
- Amoxicillin (1)
- Amperometry (1)
- Amplification (1)
- Anilinopyridine (1)
- Anion receptors (1)
- Antibody (1)
- Antibody purification (1)
- Antibody-gated indicator delivery (1)
- Antibody-gated indicator delivery systems (1)
- Antibody-gated materials (1)
- Antifouling surface (1)
- Antikörper (1)
- Aptamere (1)
- Aromatic amino acid analysis AAAA (1)
- Aromatic amino acid analysis aaaa (1)
- Atomic (1)
- Autophagy (1)
- BODIPY Dyes (1)
- BODIPY probe (1)
- BODIPYs (1)
- BSA (1)
- BaF (1)
- Bacgteria (1)
- Bacteria (1)
- Batch analysis (1)
- Bead-based assays (1)
- Benzin (1)
- Benzoxadiazole dyes (1)
- Bio-gated hybrid materials (1)
- Biochemische Sensoren (1)
- Bioconjugation (1)
- Biofilm (1)
- Biomarker (1)
- Bioseparation (1)
- BornAgain simulation (1)
- Boron halides (1)
- Boronic acid (1)
- Bovine serum albumin (1)
- CF LIBS algorithms (1)
- CF-LIBS (1)
- CID (1)
- Caffeine (1)
- Calcite (1)
- Calibration-free LIBS (1)
- Cancer cells (1)
- Cannibal Drug (1)
- Carbamazepine (1)
- Carbon Nanodots (1)
- Carrier (1)
- Cellulose (1)
- Cement (1)
- Cement-based materials (1)
- Characterization (1)
- Charge Transfer (1)
- Charged dyes (1)
- Chemical derivatization (1)
- Chemical warfare agents (1)
- Chemical-hydrodynamic modeling (1)
- Chlor (1)
- Chlorofluorosilanes (1)
- Chlorogenic acid (1)
- Cobaloxime complex (1)
- Cocaine detection (1)
- Collision-induced dissociation (1)
- Colorimetric Test (1)
- Concentration mapping (1)
- Concrete (1)
- Corundum (1)
- Cucurbituril (1)
- Cyanide (1)
- Cyanide detection (1)
- Cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes (1)
- Cytometry (1)
- Cytotoxicity (1)
- DNA (1)
- DOTA (1)
- DPSS-laser (1)
- Dendrimer (1)
- Deuterium (1)
- Deuterium enriched water (1)
- Device embedding (1)
- Devices (1)
- Diesel (1)
- Digital holographic cytometry (1)
- Digital holographic microscopy (1)
- Double-pulse laserinduced breakdown spectroscopy (1)
- Downstream processing (1)
- Drogenanalytik (1)
- Droplets (1)
- Drug delivery (1)
- Dual-color labeling glycan (1)
- Dual-pulse (1)
- Durchflusszytometrie (1)
- Dye loading optimisation (1)
- Dye monomers (1)
- Dye release (1)
- Dyes (1)
- Dyes/pigments (1)
- E. coli (1)
- ELISA (1)
- ESEM (1)
- Electrochemiluminiscence (1)
- Elektrochemie (1)
- Elektrochemilumineszenz (1)
- Emerging pollutants (1)
- Emission spectroscopy (1)
- Emmbedded sensor (1)
- Environmental monitoring (1)
- Equilibrium chemical modeling (1)
- Etofenprox (1)
- Excimers (1)
- Explosiven (1)
- Explosives determination (1)
- Faecal contamination (1)
- Farbstoffe (1)
- Fast Fourier Transform (1)
- Fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (FO-LIBS) (1)
- Field test (1)
- Fluorescence detection (1)
- Fluorescence sensor (1)
- Fluorescent MIPs (1)
- Fluorescent Urea Receptors (1)
- Fluorescent dye (1)
- Fluorescent dyes (1)
- Fluorescent probes (1)
- Fluorescent sensors (1)
- Fluorezsenz (1)
- Fluorides (1)
- Fluorophores (1)
- Forsterite (1)
- Fourier transform spectroscopy (1)
- Fragmentation (1)
- Fragmentation activation (1)
- Fuel adulteration (1)
- Functional monomers (1)
- Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (1)
- Gas analysis (1)
- Gas sensor (1)
- Gasoline (1)
- Gated delivery systems (1)
- Gated hybrid material (1)
- Gated hybrid materials (1)
- Gated materials (1)
- Gesteuerten Nanopartikeln (1)
- Glycan (1)
- Glycans (1)
- Grain size (1)
- Grazing incidence small-angle neutron scattering (1)
- Group profile (1)
- Guanidine benzoxadiazole (1)
- Guanidine receptor (1)
- Guanidinium receptors (1)
- HCD (1)
- Hand-held (1)
- Handheld device (1)
- Handheld sensors (1)
- Heat-transfer Measurements (1)
- Heterologous hapten (1)
- High repetition rate (1)
- High repetition-rate (1)
- Holographic microscopy (1)
- Human plasma (1)
- Hydrodynamic model (1)
- Hydrogen reduction (1)
- Hyperbranched polymer (1)
- ICP MS (1)
- IR-Spektroskopie (1)
- IR-spectroscopy (1)
- Igg (1)
- Immunassay (1)
- Immunochemical response optimization (1)
- Immunoglobulins (1)
- Immunoprecipitation (1)
- Immunosensor (1)
- Imprinting (1)
- Indicator displacement assay (1)
- Indicators (1)
- Inductively coupled plasma (1)
- Infrared Thermography (1)
- Insecticide (1)
- Interferometric spectroscopy (1)
- Ion mobility (1)
- Ionmobility spectrometry (1)
- Iron Complex (1)
- Kerosene (1)
- Kokain (1)
- Lab-on-a-Chip (1)
- Lanthanide (1)
- Laser (1)
- Laser ablation (1)
- Laser induced breakdown (1)
- Laser induced dielectric breakdown, Hydrogen reduction (1)
- Laser induced plasma deposition (1)
- Laser metal deposition (LMD) (1)
- Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) (1)
- Laser-Induced Plasma (1)
- Laser-Pulver-Auftragschweißen (LPA) (1)
- Laser-spark ionization (1)
- Laserauftragschweißen (1)
- Lasers (1)
- Lateral flow assays (1)
- Lateral flow tests (1)
- Linker (1)
- Luminescent lifetime (1)
- Lysosome (1)
- MC-LIBS (1)
- Magnetic Particles (1)
- Magnetic beads (1)
- Magnetophoresis (1)
- MamaLoCa (1)
- Mesoporous particles (1)
- Mesoporous silica (1)
- Metal complexes (1)
- Metal labeling (1)
- Micro-Hydrocyclone (1)
- Microbial (1)
- Microfluidic Chip (1)
- Mikrobiell (1)
- Mikroskopie (1)
- Mixed surface (1)
- Modeling (1)
- Molecular Imprinting (1)
- Molecular analysis (1)
- Molecular dynamics simulations (1)
- Molecular emission (1)
- Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (1)
- Molybdenum (1)
- Molybdenum carbide (1)
- Monitoring (1)
- Multigassensorik (1)
- Multiplexed assay (1)
- Multiplexing detection (1)
- Munition (1)
- NDT (1)
- Nanoparticle formation (1)
- Neutral dyes (1)
- Neutron reflectometry (1)
- Nomaterials (1)
- Nonspecific binding (NSB) (1)
- Oil analysis (1)
- Oil spills (1)
- Oligonucleotide (1)
- Optical Emission Spectroscopy (1)
- Optical detection (1)
- Optical sensing (1)
- Optically active surfaces (1)
- Optics (1)
- Optische Emissionsspektroskopie (1)
- Optische Emissionsspektroskopie (OES) (1)
- Organic-inorganic hybrid composites (1)
- PFOA (1)
- Parameter optimization (1)
- Particle Characterization (1)
- Particle characterization (1)
- Particle size (1)
- Partikeln (1)
- Penicillin (1)
- Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) (1)
- Periodate oxidation (1)
- Pesticide (1)
- Pesticides (1)
- Pestizid (1)
- Petrol (1)
- Petroleum (1)
- Phenothrin (1)
- Phospholipids (1)
- Phosphonic acids (1)
- Phosphorylated Tyrosine (1)
- Photoinduced Electron Transfer (1)
- Photophysics (1)
- Photopolymerization (1)
- Plasma chemical reactor (1)
- Plasma expansion (1)
- Plasma imaging (1)
- Plasma induced luminescence (1)
- Plasma-induced luminescence (1)
- Pollutant (1)
- Polymer nanolayers (1)
- Polymerwissenschaften (1)
- Portable (1)
- ProMoAM (1)
- Proinflammatory cytokines (1)
- Protein (1)
- Protein a (1)
- Protein hydrolysis (1)
- Protein immobilization (1)
- Protein quantification (1)
- Prozessmonitoring (1)
- Pyrethroid (1)
- Pyrethroids detection (1)
- Quartz (1)
- RF ICP discharge (1)
- Radon reconstruction (1)
- Radon transformation (1)
- Rapid prototyping (1)
- Rapid testing (1)
- Rapid testing methods (1)
- Rare-Earth elements (Tm3+) (1)
- Ratiometric measurement (1)
- Rational design (1)
- Real-time imaging (1)
- Reduction of MoF6 (1)
- Reduction of volatile chlorides and fluorides by hydrogen (1)
- Ring fusion (1)
- SA conjugates (1)
- SAFIA (1)
- SBA-16 (1)
- SDS-PAGE (1)
- SEM (1)
- SEM tilting (1)
- Schallemission (1)
- Schallemissionsanalyse (SEA) (1)
- Scientific communication (1)
- Scientific method (1)
- Scientific rigour (1)
- Scopolamine (1)
- Self-absorption coefficient (1)
- Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) (1)
- Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) (1)
- Sensor Materials (1)
- Sensoren (1)
- Sensory particles (1)
- Shadowgraphy (1)
- Silica (1)
- Silicon halides (1)
- Smartphone readout (1)
- Smartphone readout device (1)
- Sol-gel process (1)
- Solid phase (1)
- Solid-phase extraction (SPE) (1)
- Spatial Heterodyne Spectrometer (1)
- Spatial Heterodyne Spectroscopy (1)
- Spectral enhancement (1)
- Speichel (1)
- Splitting (1)
- Start-up (1)
- Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy (1)
- Sulfide sensing (1)
- Supramolecular Chemistry (1)
- Surface area control (1)
- Surface coating (1)
- Surface group quantification (1)
- Surfactants (1)
- Suspension Array (1)
- TATP (1)
- TEM (1)
- TNT (1)
- Tandem-MS (1)
- Test Streifen (1)
- Test Strip analysis (1)
- Test gas generation (1)
- Thermal model (1)
- Thermodynamic (1)
- Thin films (1)
- Tilting (1)
- Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (1)
- Titanium dioxide (1)
- ToF-SIMS (1)
- Trace analysis (1)
- Trace detection (1)
- Type-I pyrethroids (1)
- Tyrosine (1)
- UV/vis spectroscopy (1)
- Ultrasonic acoustic resonator (1)
- Ultrasonic levitation (1)
- Ultrasound (1)
- Urin (1)
- Vacuum Ultraviolet (1)
- Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light (1)
- Velocimetry (1)
- Wasser (1)
- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (1)
- Zellanalytik (1)
- Zellulose (1)
- agricultural economy (1)
- embedded sensor (1)
- environment (1)
- fluorescence (1)
- gas analysis (1)
- ion optics (1)
- spectroscopy (1)
- transmission mode (1)
- µJ-DPSS laser (1)
- Öl (1)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien (235)
- 1.9 Chemische und optische Sensorik (235)
- 8 Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung (29)
- 6 Materialchemie (21)
- 1.5 Proteinanalytik (17)
- 8.1 Sensorik, mess- und prüftechnische Verfahren (17)
- 1.8 Umweltanalytik (12)
- P Präsident (12)
- 8.0 Abteilungsleitung und andere (11)
- 9 Komponentensicherheit (11)
Paper des Monats
- ja (3)
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (71)
This paper describes the development of a semi-automatic gas measurement device presenting potentially a broad range of applications, noteworthy in the agricultural sector. Non-reversible fluorescent molecular sensors were designed and syn-thesized. Upon, integration into a hydrogel matrix with an optimal ratio of co-solvents, the sensors reacting selectively to ammonia were illuminated by excitation light to produce a concentration-correlated fluorescence emission. An automated mechanical-elec-trical device initiates a given gas mixture and thus simulates con-centrations similar to a threshold value. The aim of this project is to develop a sensor or a low-cost method which can monitor low concentrations of harmful gases and aid in their elimination or regulation in livestock housing, barns or stables.
Chlorination procedures are commonly applied in swimming pool water and wastewater treatment, yet also in food, pharmaceutical, and paper production. The amount of chlorine in water needs to be strictly controlled to ensure efficient killing of pathogens but avoid the induction of negative health effects. Miniaturized microfluidic fluorescence sensors are an appealing approach here when aiming at online or at-site measurements. Two meso-enamine-substituted boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes were found to exhibit favorable indication properties, their reaction with hypochlorite leading to strong fluorescence enhancement. Real-time assays became possible after integration of these fluorescent probes with designed two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic chips, incorporating a passive sinusoidal mixer and a microhydrocyclone, respectively. A comparison of the two microfluidic systems, including their abilities to prevent accumulation or circulation of microbubbles produced by the chemical indication reaction, showed excellent fluidic behavior for the microhydrocyclone-based device. After coupling to a miniaturized optical reader for fluorescence detection, the 2D microfluidic system showed a promising detection range of 0.04−0.5 mg L−1 while still being prone to bubble-induced fluctuations and suffering from considerably low signal gain. The microhydrocyclone-based system was distinctly more robust against gas bubbles, showed a higher signal gain, and allowed us to halve the limit of detection to 0.02 mg L−1. The use of the 3D system to quantify the chlorine content of swimming pool water samples for sensitive and quantitative chlorine monitoring was demonstrated.
Pharmaceuticals, certain food ingredients, and mammalian endogenous metabolic products in wastewater are mostly of human origin. They are anthropogenic markers.
Proper knowledge of their levels in wastewater helps to track sources of pollutants in natural waters and allows for calculation of removal efficiencies in wastewater Treatment plants. Here, we describe the development and application of an indirect competitive, multiplexing suspension Array fluorescence immunoassay (SAFIA) for the detection of carbamazepine (CBZ), diclofenac (DCF), caffeine (CAF), and isolithocholic acid (ILA) in wastewater, covering those classes of anthropogenic markers. The assay consists of haptens covalently conjugated to fluorescence-encoded polystyrene core/silica shell microparticles to create a site for competitive binding of the antibodies (Abs). Bound Abs are then stained with fluorophore-labeled Abs. Encoding and signaling fluorescence of the particles are determined by an automated flow cytometer.
For compatibility of the immunoassay with the 96-well microtiter plate format, a stop reagent, containing formaldehyde, is used. This enables a wash-free procedure while decreasing time-to-result. Detection limits of 140 ± 40 ng/L for CBZ, 180 ± 110 ng/L for CAF, 4 ± 3 ng/L for DCF, and 310 ± 70 ng/L for ILA are achieved, which meet the sensitivity criteria of wastewater analysis. We demonstrate the applicability of SAFIA to real wastewater samples from three different wastewater Treatment plants, finding the results in good agreement with LC-MS/MS. Moreover, the accuracy in general exceeded that from classical ELISAs. We therefore propose SAFIA as a quick and reliable approach for wastewater analysis meeting the requirements for process analytical technology.
Glycosylation is heavily altered in tumor cells compared with healthy cells, because of the different levels of expression of glycosyltransferases, glycosidases and monosaccharide transporters within a cancerous microenvironment. 1 Tumor-associated glycans, especially sialic acid (SA) conjugates, which are good candidates of tumor markers, can be used for Cancer early diagnosis. 2 However, studies on SA-binding lectins demonstrate that the type of SAlinkage and the glycosylation position of carbohydrate can greatly influence the affinity. 3 Therefore, there is a need for diagnostic tools owning high specificity and strong affinity to analyze and determine SA glycosylation motifs. 4 Herein, we report the development of fluorescent core/shell/shell nanoparticles where the outermost layer is a thin molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film binding to tumor cells in vitro by targeting cell surface SA. The core is made of N-doped red carbon nanodots (R-CNDs) which were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis, emitting intense red fluorescence under fluorescence microscopy imaging conditions. Silica coating of R-CNDs was achieved by a microemulsion method, resulting in ca. 40 nm large silica-coated CNDs (named R-CSNs).
Finally, a thin MIP-shell was accomplished by using a combination of non-fluorescent
monomer (3), functional monomers (1, 2) and cross-linker (EGDMA) for polymerization
(Figure 1). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used for structural characterization of
the formation of MIP layer, and the results of cell-based binding tests show a promising binding
affinity of MIPs to tumor cells, allowing a relatively robust, specific and rapid analytical
method for cancer biopsies.
The elemental analysis of seawater is often critical to the understanding of marine chemistry, marine geochemistry, and the deep-sea ecosystems. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with the advantage of rapid multi-elements detection, has a great potential for in-situ elemental analysis of seawater. In practice, it is crucial to create a compact, low cost and power saving instrument for the long-term deep-sea observation. A recently appeared diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser seems to be a promising candidate as it is both compact and robust. Additionally, its high repetition rate up to hundreds of kHz can provide a considerable throughput for LIBS analysis. However, the DPSS lasers operate at moderate pulse energies, usually less than one mJ, which cannot sustain stable breakdowns in bulk water. To ensure stable laser-induced plasmas underwater with such a μJ-DPSS laser, we introduced an ultrasound source to assist the breakdown process. The phase interface and mass flow generated by the near-field ultrasound can greatly reduce the breakdown threshold and enhance element-specific emissions. Meanwhile, the high repetition-rate pulses can also improve the breakdown probability and generate unique emission lines originated from the water molecule. We further demonstrate that the high repetition-rate DPSS laser combined with the Echelle spectrometer can provide effective quantitative analysis for metal elements in bulk water.
A “turn-on” fluorescence sensing system based on a BODIPY-cobaloxime complex for the detection of H2S in liquid and gas phase was developed. To that aim, two cobaloxime complexes bearing an axial pyridyl-BODIPY ligand were initially evaluated as sensitive fluorescent HS− indicators in aqueous solution. The sensing mechanism involves the selective substitution of the BODIPY ligand by the HS− anion at the cobalt center, which is accompanied by a strong fluorescence enhancement. The selection of a complex with an ideal stability and reactivity profile toward HS− relied on the optimal interaction between the cobalt metal-center and two different pyridyl BODIPY ligands. Loading the best performing BODIPY-cobaloxime complex onto a polymeric hydrogel membrane allowed us to study the selectivity of the probe for HS− against different anions and cysteine. Successful detection of H2S by the fluorescent “light-up” membrane was not only accomplished for surface water but could also be demonstrated for relevant H2S concentrations in gas phase.
The reliable identification and quantification of phosphorylated amino acids, peptides and proteins is one of the key challenges in contemporary bioanalytical research, noteworthy, to diagnose and treat diseases at an early developmental stage1. Miniaturised sensing devices like microfluidic chips combined with “smart” detection chemistry, simple data assessment, processing and presentation are very attractive for benchtop use in clinical environments.
We developed novel synthetic probes targeting phosphorylated amino acids, based on core-shell microparticles consisting of a silica core coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) shell. These “plastic antibodies” are extremely robust, resist denaturing solvents and elevated temperatures, can be reproducibly produced at low cost, and potentially overcome many of the practical problems in current bioanalytical detection strategies. The MIP layer contains a fluorescent probe monomer, binds selectively to phosphorylated tyrosine (pY) with a significant imprinting factor higher than 3.5 and responds with a “lighting-up” of its fluorescence accompanied by the development of a strongly red-shifted emission band toward the analyte. In analogy to our previous work4, the bead-based ratiometric detection scheme has also been successfully transferred to a microfluidic chip format to demonstrate its applicability to rapid assays. Such a miniaturised device could yield an automated pY measurement system in the future. The setup was built by coupling a modular microfluidic system5 for amino acid functionalisation (Fmoc protection) and, as shown in Figure 1, a multi-layer PDMS/Teflon/glass microfluidic chip6 for buffering, extraction (micropillars co-flow extraction) and selective adsorption on the MIP core-shell particles.
A miniaturised optical assembly for low-light fluorescence measurements was also developed. Based on small opto-electronic parts and optical fibres, the emission from the MIP particles upon addition of pY concentrations from 0.5-200 μM could be monitored in real-time.
The reliable identification and quantification of phosphorylated amino acids, peptides and proteins is one of the key challenges in contemporary bioanalytical research, noteworthy, to diagnose and treat diseases at an early developmental stage. Miniaturised sensing devices like microfluidic chips combined with “smart” detection chemistry, simple data assessment, processing and presentation are very attractive for benchtop use in clinical environments.
We developed novel synthetic probes targeting phosphorylated amino acids, based on core-shell microparticles consisting of a silica core coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) shell. These “plastic antibodies” are extremely robust, resist denaturing solvents and elevated temperatures, can be reproducibly produced at low cost, and potentially overcome many of the practical problems in current bioanalytical detection strategies. The MIP layer contains a fluorescent probe monomer, binds selectively to phosphorylated tyrosine (pTyr) with a significant imprinting factor higher than 3.5 and responds with a “lighting-up” of its fluorescence accompanied by the development of a strongly red-shifted emission band toward the analyte.
In analogy to our previous work [4], the bead-based ratiometric detection scheme has also been successfully transferred to a microfluidic chip format to demonstrate its applicability to rapid assays. Such a miniaturised device could yield an automated pTyr measurement system in the future. The setup was built by coupling a modular microfluidic system [5] for amino acid functionalisation (Fmoc protection) and a multi-layer PDMS/Teflon/glass microfluidic chip [6] for buffering, extraction (micropillars co-flow extraction) and selective adsorption on the MIP core-shell particles.
A miniaturised optical assembly for low-light fluorescence measurements was also developed. Based on small opto-electronic parts and optical fibres, the emission from the MIP particles upon addition of pTyr concentrations from 0.5 – 200 μM could be monitored in real-time.
Spatial Heterodyne Spectroscopy (SHS) is a spectrometric technique that combines both dispersive and interferometric features into a customizable instrument. The Basis of SHS is a Michelson interferometer with its mirrors replaced by diffraction gratings and with no moving parts. The output signal from SHS is the interferogram, which is recorded with a 1D or 2D pixel array detector. The spatial periodicity of the fringes on the interferogram is a function of the wavelength of the diffracted light. Using the Fast Fourier Transform, the original optical spectrum that enters SHS is retrieved. The light that is analyzed by SHS can come from a variety of sources. In our work, we used Raman scattering and Laser-Induced Plasma to perform quantitative and qualitative analyses. Figure 1 compares the performance of the SHS with that of high Resolution echelle and portable low-resolution asymmetrically crossed Czerny-Turner spectrometers (OO in Fig.1). The analyzed light came from the plasma induced on a stainless-steel reference material. The SHS exhibits the resolution comparable to that of the echelle spectrometer used, about 8000. Due to a high throughput of the SHS (theoretically, ~200 times higher than that of grating instruments), the number of spectra needed to be accumulated for comparable signal-to-noise ratios is much smaller than in the case of the echelle and comparable to OO spectrometers.
Examples of Raman SHS applied to several pure liquids are given in Fig. 2. Raman SHS was used in three different settings: (i) for classification of six types of oils, (ii) for univariate/multivariate analysis of binary mixture cyclohexane-isopropanol, and (iii) for multivariate analysis of glycerol solution in water. For the last two settings, chemometric analysis of the spectra yielded linear calibration plots over the range 1-90% of concentrations of isopropanol in cyclohexane, and 0.5-10% of glycerol in water.
Chlorination of pool water and wastewater, in food and pharmaceutical production, as well as in pesticide and paper manufacturing is a routinely used technique. However, the amount of chlorine in water must be strictly adjusted, to ensure enough concentration to kill pathogenic bacteria and viruses, while preventing too high concentrations inducing negative effects on human health. As an indicator, a molecular fluorescent probe based on a BODIPY structure was designed. This indicator exhibits a sensitive and selective fluorescence response upon increasing concentrations of hypochlorite in aqueous solvent mixtures. Real-time analyses became possible after the integration of this fluorescent indicator into newly designed 2D & 3D microfluidic chips incorporating a passive sinusoidal mixer and a micro-hydrocyclone, respectively. A comparison of the two microfluidic systems, including their ability to prevent accumulation or circulation of microbubbles, has shown excellent fluidic behaviour for the micro-hydrocyclone device. This system was distinctly more robust against gas bubbles, showed a higher signal gain and allowed to halve the limit of detection to 0.02 mg L–1. The use of the 3D system to quantify the chlorine content of pool water samples for sensitive and quantitative chlorine monitoring has been demonstrated.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its early detection and resultant treatment contributes significantly to patient recovery and survival. Detection is currently based on magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, methods that are expensive, while processing of the results is time-consuming1. There is a need for low-cost cancer detection techniques that give conclusive results in the shortest time possible. When equipped with a reporter function, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) targeting tumor markers on cancerous cells may provide a cheaper solution for imaging-based cancer detection. Thin MIP layers immobilized on particle platforms are ideal in this regard, because a fluorescence reporter can be integrated into the particle core and/or MIP shell and such core/shell nanoparticles show faster response times and increased selectivity in comparison to bulk MIPs.
Changes in sialylation patterns of cell surface glycans indicate malignancy2. Here, we present the development of MIPs that target sialic acid-terminated glycans (SA MIPs), prepared as a thin layer on a polystyrene core/silica shell nanoparticle platform. The MIP particles contain fluorescent emitters and can be applied in fluorescence imaging of malignant tumors. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used for structural characterization. Binding capacity of the MIPs to target glycans and competing sugars is also evaluated and compared to that of the corresponding non-imprinted polymer particles (NIP).
The Dark Side of Science
(2019)
The Joint Summer School of the two Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN) “BioCapture” and “GlycoImaging”, funded by the EU within the Horizon 2020 framework programme, which are both devoted to the development of new methods for cancer biomarker and cancer cell detection, will take place at the Adlershof Campus of BAM. 19 Early stage researchers of both projects will convene, discuss their own science and plan future collaborative research. Training in scientific writing (instructor: Luita Spangler, Free University of Berlin), an employability workshop (Antti Kapanen, University of Applied Sciences Berlin) and first contacts with the “dark side of science” (Brian R. Pauw, BAM) will complement the programme of the summer school.
Tandem mass spectrometry represents an important analytical tool to unravel molecular structures and to study the gas-phase behavior of organic molecules. Besides commonly used methods like collision-induced dissociation and electron capture or transfer dissociation, new ultraviolet light–based techniques have the potential to synergistically add to the activation methods. Here, we present a new simple, yet robust, experimental design for polychromatic activation of trapped ions using the 115–160 nm output of a commercially available deuterium lamp. The resulting continuous dissociative excitation with photons of a wide energy range from 7.7 to 10.8 eV is studied for a comprehensive set of analyte classes in both positive and negative ion modes. While being simple, affordable, compact, and of low maintenance, the new setup initiates fragmentation of most precursor ions via their known dissociation pathways. Additionally, some new fragmentation patterns were discovered. Especially, electron loss and electron capture reactions with subsequent fragmentations were observed. For oligonucleotides, peptides, carbohydrates, and organic dyes, in comparison to collision-induced dissociation, a significantly wider fragment distribution was obtained, resulting in an information increase. Since the individual photons carry enough energy to post-ionize the nascent fragments, a permanent vacuum ultraviolet light exposure inside the ion trap potentially goes along with a general increase in detection capability.
In this paper experimental temperature and density maps of the laser induced plasma in water during Pulsed Laser ablation in Liquid (PLAL) for the production of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has been determined. A detection system based on the simultaneous acquisition of two emission images at 515 and 410 nm has been constructed and the obtained images have been processed simultaneously by imaging software. The results of the data analysis show a variation of the temperature between 4000 and 7000 K over the plasma volume. Moreover, by the study of the temperature distribution and of the number densities along the plasma expansion axis it is possible to observe the condensation zone of the plasma where NPs can be formed.
Finally, the time associated to the electron processes is estimated and the plasma charging effect on NPs is demonstrated. The set of observations retrieved from these experiments suggests the importance of the plasma phase for the growth of NPs and the necessity of considering the spatial distribution of plasma parameters for the understanding of one of the most important issues of the PLAL process, that is the source of solid material in the plasma phase.
The dynamics of laser-induced plasma plume splitting is investigated using spatiotemporal plasma imaging and spectrometry in this paper. Plasma plume splitting into fast and slow components is clearly observed using plasma optical emission as time evolves. The spatial resolved plasma spectra are used to investigate the plasma species distribution, which reveals that the charged copper ions, which radiate at wavelength range 485 nm - 504 nm, are merely present in the fast component. In order to further interpret the mechanism, the pressure-dependent and laser energy-dependent plume splitting are analyzed. Based on the results, the charge separation field is proposed to explain this phenomenon. This work can be of importance for such areas as laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, laser-induced ion source formation, pulse laser deposition, film growth, and nanoscale synthesis.
Advances in laser-induced plasmas have enabled various rapid and simple analytical applications. Especially, their uses in the analyses of condensed-phase samples have drawn significant attention in the past few decades. Depending on the laser energy per pulse, various analytical goals can be achieved. Laser-induced airborne plasmas allow direct analysis of species in ambient air. Importantly,
all of these applications are based on a fundamental understanding of the laser–medium interaction. Recent developments of diode-pumped solid-state lasers offer an alternative to conventional powerful, yet bulky lasers, which can specifically operate at high Repetition rates. Although these lasers deliver much lower power per pulse (mJ compared to mJ), the outstanding repetition rates offer significant improvement to meet statistical needs in some cases. In the present work, a mJ-laserinduced airborne plasma was characterized through optical emission analysis. By using a ns-timegated image detector coupled with specific bandpass filters, spatially, temporally, and spectrally resolved plasma images were recorded. Compared to conventional mJ-laser-induced plasmas, the one induced by mJ-lasers demonstrated unique features during its evolution. Specifically,
measurements of the distribution of ionic and atomic species revealed distinctive energy/matter transfer processes during early ignition of the plasma. Meanwhile, dynamic investigations suggested subsequent matter transport in the later stage.
Spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (SHS) is used for quantitative analysis and classification of liquid samples. SHS is a version of a Michelson interferometer with no moving parts and with diffraction gratings in place of mirrors. The instrument converts frequency-resolved information into spatially resolved one and records it in the form of interferograms. The back-extraction of spectral information is done by the Fast Fourier transform. A SHS instrument is constructed with the resolving power 5000 and spectral range 522 - 593 nm. Two original technical solutions are used as compared to previous SHS instruments: the use of a high frequency diode pumped solid state (DPSS) laser for excitation of Raman spectra and a microscope-based collection system. Raman spectra are excited at 532 nm at the repetition rate 80 kHz. Raman shifts between 330 cm-1 and 1600 cm-1 are measured. A new application of SHS is demonstrated: for the first time it is used for quantitative Raman analysis to determine concentrations of cyclohexane in isopropanol and glycerol in water. Two calibration strategies are employed: univariate based on the construction of a calibration plot and multivariate based on partial least square regression (PLSR). The detection limits for both cyclohexane in isopropanol and glycerol in water are at a 0.5 mass% level. In addition to the Raman-SHS chemical analysis, classification of industrial oils (biodiesel, poly(1-decene), gasoline, heavy oil IFO380, polybutenes, and lubricant) is performed using their Raman-fluorescence spectra and principal component analysis (PCA). The oils are easily discriminated as they show distinct non-overlapping patterns in the space of principal components.
An improved algorithm for calibration-free laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF LIBS) is presented which includes several novel features in comparison with previously proposed similar algorithms. In particular, it allows using spectral lines with arbitrary optical thickness for the construction of Saha-Boltzmann plots, retrieves the absorption path length (plasma diameter) directly from a spectrum, replaces the Lorentzian line profile function by the Voigt function, and allows for self-absorption correction using pre-calculated and tabulated data rather than approximating functions. The tabulated data embody the solutions of the radiative transfer equation for numerous combinations of optical thicknesses and line widths. The algorithm is used to analyze 100 low alloy steel spectra.
Stimulated emission observed experimentally in aluminum laser induced plasma is modeled via a kinetic approach. The simulated emission at several cascade transitions is created by a pump laser guided through the plasma at several microseconds after its creation and tuned in resonance with the strong transition at 266 nm. A two-dimensional space-time collisional radiative plasma model explains the creation of the population inversion and lasing at wavelengths 2.1 μm and 396.1 nm. The population inversion for lasing at 2.1 μm is created by depopulation of the ground state and population of the upper state via absorption of resonant radiation at 266 nm. The population inversion for lasing at 396.1 nm occurs during the laser pulse via the decay of the population of the pumped upper state to the lasing state via cascade transitions driven optically and by collisions. The model predicts that the population inversion and corresponding gain may reach high values even at moderate pump energies of several μJ per pulse. The efficiency of lasing at 2.1 μm and 396.1 nm is estimated to be on the order of a percent of laser pump energy. The polarization effect that the pump radiation at 266 nm imposes on the stimulated emission at 396.1 nm is discussed. The calculated results are favorably compared to experiment.
While sensors for monitoring the energy source, the melt pool size or temperatures during the process of metal-based Additive Manufacturing (AM) systems are commercially available, the impact of their results on the part quality are often unclear. In the BAM project ProMoAM, results of different process monitoring techniques are combined to achieve quality assurance for the produced parts during the build. Here, first results of simultaneous measurements of optical emission spectroscopy and thermography during the laser metal deposition process using 316L are presented.
Microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor for the trace analysis of cocaine in water and body fluids
(2018)
Quick but accurate testing and on‐the‐spot monitoring of cocaine in oral fluids and urine continues to be an important toxicological issue. In terms of drug testing, a number of devices have been introduced into the market in recent decades, notably for workplace inspection or roadside testing. However, these systems do not always fulfill the requirements in terms of reliability, especially when low cut‐off levels are required. With respect to surface water, the presence of anthropogenic small organic molecules such as prescription and over‐the‐counter pharmaceuticals as well as illicit drugs like cannabinoids, heroin, or cocaine, has become a challenge for scientists to develop new analytical tools for screening and on‐site analysis because many of them serve as markers for anthropogenic input and consumer behavior. Here, a modular approach for the detection of cocaine is presented, integrating an electrochemical enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed on antibody‐grafted magnetic beads in a hybrid microfluidic sensor utilizing flexible tubing, static chip and screen‐printed electrode (SPE) elements for incubation, recognition, and cyclic voltammetry measurements. A linear response of the sensor vs. the logarithm of cocaine concentration was obtained with a limit of detection of 0.15 ng/L. Within an overall assay time of 25 minutes, concentrations down to 1 ng/L could be reliably determined in water, oral fluids, and urine, the system possessing a dynamic working range up to 1 mg/L.
For metal-based additive manufacturing, sensors and measuring systems for monitoring of the energy source, the build volume, the melt pool and the component geometry are already commercially available. Further methods of optics, spectroscopy and non-destructive testing are described in the literature as suitable for in-situ application, but there are only a few reports on practical implementations.
Therefore, a new BAM project aims to develop process monitoring methods for the in-situ evaluation of the quality of additively manufactured metal components. In addition to passive and active thermography, this includes optical tomography, optical emission and absorption spectroscopy, eddy current testing, laminography, X-ray backscattering and photoacoustic methods. These methods are used in additive manufacturing systems for selective laser melting, laser metal deposition and wire arc additive manufacturing. To handle the sometimes huge amounts of data, algorithms for efficient preprocessing are developed and characteristics of the in-situ data are extracted and correlated to defects and inhomogeneities, which are determined using reference methods such as computer tomography and metallography. This process monitoring and fusion of data of different measurement techniques should result in a significant reduction of costly and time-consuming, destructive or non-destructive tests after the production of the component and at the same time reduce the production of scrap.
Here, first results of simultaneous measurements of optical emission spectroscopy and thermography during the laser metal deposition process using 316L as building material are presented. Temperature values are extracted from spectroscopic data by fitting of blackbody emission spectra to the experimental data and compared with results from a thermographic camera. Measurements with and without powder flow reveal significant differences between welding at a pristine metal surface and previously melted positions on the build plate, illustrating the significant influence of the partial oxidation of the surface during the first welding process on subsequent welding. The measurement equipment can either be mounted stationary or following the laser path. While first results were obtained in the stationary mode, future applications for online monitoring of the build of whole parts in the mobile mode are planned.
This research was funded by BAM within the focus area Material.
Laser-induced plasmas are widely used in many areas of science and technology; examples include spectrochemical analysis, thin film deposition, material processing, and even jet propulsion. Several topics will be addressed. First, general phenomenology of laser-induced plasmas will be discussed. Then, a chemical model will be presented based on a coupled solution of Navier-Stokes, state, radiative transfer, material transport, and chemical (Guldberg-Waage) equations. Results of computer simulations for several chemical systems will be shown and compared to experimental observations obtained by optical imaging, spectroscopy, and tomography. The latter diagnostic tools will also be briefly discussed.
The project ProMoAM is presented. The goal of the project is to evaluate which NDT techniques or combination of techniques is suited for in-situ quality assurance in additive manufacturing of metals. To this end, also 3d-data fusion and visualization techniques are applied. Additional ex-situ NDT-techniques are used as references for defect detection and quantification. Feasability studies for NDT-techniques that are presently not applicable for in-situ use are performed as well.
The presentation gives a brief overview of the whole project and the different involved NDT-techniques.
The simultaneous detection of different analytes has gained increasing importance in recent years, especially in the fields of environmental and health monitoring. Particularly suitable formats for multiplexing are bead-based assays. The beads employed need to fulfil size and density requirements important for instance for flow cytometry and shall exhibit an as high as possible surface area for anchoring capture probes to allow for low limits of detection. Core/shell particles are ideally suited in this sense because of their modularity in design and adaptability for various (bio)analytical assays. Here, polystyrene particles coated with different kinds of mesoporous silica shells are presented, possessing distinctly higher surface areas in comparison to non-porous core/shell particles. Different factors such as pH and amount and type of mediator salt used during shell preparation were evaluated with shell inspection by scanning/transmission scanning electron microscopy (SEM/tSEM) being key to architecture control of the monodisperse particles.
For a cytometric model assay, the optimized core/shell particles were functionalized with capture oligonucleotides for DNA detection. After covalent attachment of single-stranded DNA to the silane-modified silica surface, a hybridisation assay using labelled t-DNA complementary strands was carried out to demonstrate particle performance, showing how tailoring of the shell’s surface area controls sensitivity and dynamic range of the assay. Finally, a multiplex assay for the determination of DNA from different human papilloma virus (HPV) lines was developed. Using our optimized particles, we were able to detect down to 10 amolμl‒1, which is an improvement of one order of magnitude compared to assays using non-porous particles reported in the literature. In addition, multiplexed detection could successfully be demonstrated.
The spatial heterodyne detection principle has a great potential in spectroscopy. It has an optical setup similar to that of a Michelson interferometer, with the mirrors replaced by diffraction gratings positioned at fixed, equal distances from the beamsplitter and are slightly tilted. The resulting interference pattern is recorded by a digital camera and the spectrum is recovered by using Fourier transformation. Although SHS was initially developed for astronomical and satellite-based atmospheric measurements, but in recent years it has been started to be applied in other branches of spectroscopy too. Recently the area of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has also discovered the potential of SHS. The main appeal of SHS detection in LIBS includes the compactness and robustness of the setup (in view of field applications) and the flexibility to optimize the setup for either high sensitivity or for high resolution, which can be benficially exploited in applications like stand-off measurements, quantitative analysis with isotope resolution, etc.
In the present work, we have improved and further optimized our initial LIBS-SHS setup described in a previous conference. By using optical simulations, we have modelled the light transmission efficiency, instrumental function and imaging properties of the system. We significantly improved and automated the spectral and image data processing sequence. The optimizations carried out resulted in an improved spectral resolution and repeatability, a lower spectral background and the elimination of the central line artifact originating from the Fourier transformation procedure. A detailed characterization of the LIBS spectroscopy performance (e.g. resolution, spectral coverage, tuning range, linearity, etc.), including a comparison with that of a LIBS setup based on a conventional dispersion CCD spectrometer was also performed.
Spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (SHS) is an optical setup that combines both dispersive and interference based methods to obtain spectroscopic information. It has the high light throughput characteristic for interference based methods, but at the same time it has the high resolution typical of grated spectrometers. The basic SHS optical setup is similar to that of the Michelson interferometer, with the mirrors replaced by diffraction gratings positioned at fixed, equal distances from the beamsplitter and are slightly tilted. The resulting interference pattern is recorded by a digital camera and the spectrum is recovered by using Fourier Transformation. Although initially SHS was developed for astronomical and satellite-based atmospheric measurements, where spectroscopy of faint but large light sources are investigated, but in recent years the application of SHS spectroscopy is gaining popularity.
Our research group is active both in Raman-SHS and LIBS-SHS, due to the fact that there are many overlapping challenges for the two spectroscopies in terms of optical and optoelectronic optimization. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of using SH detection for the qualitative and quantitative Raman spectroscopy of liquid samples. We constructed our own compact spatial heterodyne spectrometer using 300 mm-1 gratings (Newport), a 50:50 cube beamsplitter (Thorlabs), dischroic mirrors, bandpass and notch filters (Semrock), a Tamron telelens and a Retiga R1 CCD camera. A DPSS laser (532 nm, 20 ns) with variable energy and repetition rate (up to 100 µJ and 80 kHz) was used for excitation, with its beam driven through a 10x microscope objective (Thorlabs) to focus the laser light inside the liquid samples. The evaluation of the recorded interference patterns was carried out by self-developed software written in Octave.
In the qualitative experiments, we investigated several oils and additives and employed principal component analysis (PCA) for their classification. It was found that the recorded spectra could be separated well in the subspace of just two principal components. The quantitative experiments were conducted with two sets of binary solvent mixtures (isopropanol-cyclohexane, glycerol-water). The simple univariate method based on the net intensity of one spectral peak did not give good results, but principal component regression (PCR) gave rise to fairly good and robust calibrations.
Our results therefore show that a relatively simple and robust SHS setup can be advantageously used for both quantitative and qualitative Raman spectroscopy.
An airborne high repetition rate laser-induced plasma was applied as a versatile ambient ionization source for mass-spectrometric determinations of polar and nonpolar analytes in solution. The laser plasma was sustained between a home-built pneumatic nebulizer and the inlet capillary of an Orbitrap mass spectrometer. To maintain stable conditions in the droplet-rich spray environment, the plasma was directly fed by the fundamental output (λ = 1064 nm) of a current state-of-the-art diode-pumped solid-state laser. Ionization by the laser-driven plasma resulted in signals of intact analyte ions of several chemical categories. The analyte ions were found to be fully desolvated since no further increase in ion signal was observed upon heating of the inlet capillary. Due to the electroneutrality of the plasma, both positive and negative analyte ions could be formed simultaneously without altering the operational parameters of the ion source. While, typically, polar analytes with pronounced gas phase basicities worked best, nonpolar and amphoteric compounds were also detected. The latter were detected with lower ion signals and were prone to a certain degree of fragmentation induced during the ionization process. All the described attests the laser-induced microplasma by a good performance in terms of stability, robustness, sensitivity, and general applicability as a self-contained ion source for the liquid sample introduction.
The development of new strategies for the sensing of phosphorylated and carboxylate-containing biomolecules such as phosphorylated tyrosine and histidine or sialic acid is currently of strong interest because those molecules are often involved in cancerous processes. Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are formed through the polymerization of a set of functional monomers and cross-linkers in the presence of a target molecule or an analogue of it. The target molecule is incorporated into the polymer network due to non-covalent interactions established with one or more functional monomers. Because those interactions are weak, the target molecule can be desorbed a posteriori from the polymer matrix, leaving imprinted cavities of complementary size, shape and electronic nature. Resembling the antigen-binding site of an antibody, MIPs can then be highly selective towards the target molecule. Besides these features, our approach involves also the use of functional fluorescent monomers which undergo fluorescence changes upon binding of the target molecule. This allows us to investigate the sensing process using fluorescence as a highly sensitive read-out. To that aim we present here the use of silica particles which contain a MIP shell formed by thiourea or guanidinium functionalized dyes for the recognition of phosphorylated and carboxylate-containing molecules of biological relevance in polar, protic solvents.
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.
Gasoline adulteration is a frequent problem world-wide, because of the chance of quick, maximized profits. However, addition of cheaper ethanol or hydrocarbons like kerosene does not only result in economic damage but also poses problems for vehicles and the environment. To enable law enforcement forces, customers or enterprises to uncover such a fraudulent activity directly upon suspicion and without the need to organize for sampling and laboratory analysis, we developed a simple strip-based chemical test. Key to the favorable performance was the dedicated materials tailoring, which led to test strips that consisted of a cellulose support coated with silica, passivated with hexamethyldisilazane and functionalized covalently with a molecular probe. The probe fluoresces brightly across a broad solvent polarity range, enabling reliable quantitative measurements and data analysis with a conventional smartphone. The assays showed high reproducibility and accuracy, allowing not only for the detection of gasoline adulteration but also for the on-site monitoring of the quality of commercial E10 gasoline.
The approach, which was developed earlier for modeling chemical reactions in laser induced plasmas, is applied to radio-frequency discharge plasmas. The model is based on the assumption that all ionization processes and chemical reactions are at local thermodynamic equilibrium. A chemical composition of an argon-hydrogen plasma with an Addition of boron trichloride is studied as a function of plasma temperature and mole ratio H2∕BCl3. It is established that more than twenty simple and composite molecules and ions can be formed in the course of chemical reactions. The results are compared with those obtained earlier by means of another equilibrium model that uses ab-initio quantum chemical computations of thermochemical and kinetic data and a 0D thermochemical quilibrium solver.
Digital holographic cytometry (DHC) is a state-of-the-art quantitative Phase imaging (QPI) method that permits time-lapse imaging of cells without induced cellular toxicity. DHC platforms equipped with semi-automated image segmentation and analysis software packages for assessing cell behavior are commercially available. In this study we investigate the possible uptake of nanoprobes in macrophages in vitro over time.
A goal of this work is to extend the model, which was initially developed for laser induced plasmas, to plasmas used in chemical reactors, in particular, the inductively-coupled-RF discharge plasma. The model predicts equilibrium chemical compositions of reaction mixtures as functions of plasma temperature and stoichiometry of reactants. The mixtures investigated are BCl3/H2/Ar and BF3/H2/Ar where Ar serves as the plasma-forming gas and H2 as a binding agent which binds the active species Cl and F and Cl- and F-containing intermediates to produce gaseous B and its condensate. An additional goal is to obtain information about intermediate reaction products for different ratios of BCl3/H2 and BF3/H2 and at different temperatures and different Ar flow rates.
It is found that the desired components B and B2 appear at appreciable concentrations of >0.1% and ~0.01% respectively only at temperatures above 3000 K. It is also established that the effect of charged species on the reaction products is miniscule for temperatures below 5000 K. The expected yield of boron as a function of the original mole fraction H2/BCl3 and H2/BF3 is calculated. The mole fractions are varied in the range 0.1-1000 and the temperature in the range 1000-10000 K. It is shown that the yield of boron increases with increasing the molar ratio H2/BCl3 and H2/BF3 up to ~100 in the temperature range 2000-5000 K. At higher temperatures, T>5000 K, the boron concentration reaches its maximum and does not depend on the concentration of hydrogen; all molecules dissociate and chemical reactions proceed only between charged particles (mostly elemental ions) and electrons. The calculated plasma parameters and composition are compared with experimental data obtained by optical emission spectroscopy. The calculated plasma temperature and electron density are shown to be in good agreement with the measured ones.
High purity halides of III-VI group elements, especially chloride and fluorides, are used in gas phase technologies for obtaining high purity materials and coatings. The reduction of halides in hydrogen-halide mixtures can be achieved in various discharge plasmas, e.g. inductively coupled, ark, and even laser-induced plasmas. Existing models of such plasmas are not sufficiently accurate to predict a yield of the targeted compounds and to describe the plasma processes involved in formation of these compounds. Besides, a construction of costly plasma-chemical reactors can be alleviated by the prior modeling of plasma processes that may occur in such reactors.
A goal of this work is to extend the model, which was initially developed for laser induced Plasmas, to plasmas used in chemical reactors, in particular, the inductively-coupled-RF discharge Plasma. The model predicts equilibrium chemical compositions of reaction mixtures as functions of plasma temperature and stoichiometry of reactants. The mixtures investigated are BCl3/H2/Ar and BF3/H2/Ar where Ar serves as the plasma-forming gas and H2 as a binding agent which binds the active species Cl and F and Cl- and F-containing intermediates to produce gaseous B and its condensate. An additional goal is to obtain information about intermediate reaction products for different ratios of BCl3/H2 and BF3/H2 and at different temperatures and different Ar flow rates.
It is found that the desired components B and B2 appear at appreciable concentrations of >0.1% and ~0.01% respectively only at temperatures above 3000 K. It is also established that the effect of charged species on the reaction products is miniscule for temperatures below 5000 K. The expected yield of boron as a function of the original mole fraction H2/BCl3 and H2/BF3 is calculated. The mole fractions are varied in the range 0.1-1000 and the temperature in the range 1000-10000 K. It is shown that the yield of boron increases with increasing the molar ratio H2/BCl3 and H2/BF3 up to ~100 in the temperature range 2000-5000 K. At higher temperatures, T>5000 K, the boron concentration reaches its maximum and does not depend on the concentration of hydrogen; all molecules dissociate and chemical reactions proceed only between charged particles (mostly elemental ions) and electrons. The calculated plasma parameters and composition are compared with experimental data obtained by optical emission spectroscopy. The calculated plasma temperature and electron density are shown to be in good agreement with the measured ones.
Commercial bead-based assays are commonly built upon polystyrene particles. The polymeric carrier can be encoded with organic dyes and has ideal material properties for cytometric applications such as low density and high refractive index. However, functional groups are conventionally integrated during polymerization and subsequent modification is limited to the reactivity of those groups. Additionally, polystyrene as the core material leads to many hydrophobic areas still being present on the beads’ surfaces even after functionalization, Rendering the particles prone to nonspecific adsorption during an application. The latter calls for several washing steps and the use of additives in (bio)analytical assays. In this contribution, we show how these limitations can be overcome by using monodisperse polystyrene (PS) core/silica (SiO2) shell particles (SiO2@PS). Two different hydrophobic BODIPY (boron−dipyrromethene) dyes were encapsulated inside a poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) -stabilized polystyrene core in different concentrations to create 5-plex arrays in two separate detection channels of a cytometer. A subsequent modification of the silica shell with an equimolar APTES/PEGS (aminopropyltriethoxysilane/polyethylene glycol silane) blend added multifunctional properties to the hybrid core/Shell microparticles in a single step: APTES provides amino groups for the attachment of a caffeine derivative (as a hapten) to create antigen-coupled microspheres; the PEG moiety effectively suppresses nonspecific binding of antibodies, endowing the surface with antifouling properties. The particles were applied in a competitive fluorescence immunoassay in suspension, and a highly selective wash-free assay for the detection of caffeine in beverages was developed as a proof of concept.
Invited for this month’s cover picture is the group of Dr. Knut Rurack at the Department of Analytical Chemistry; Reference Materials at the Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM) in Berlin (Germany). The cover picture shows how differences in color and fluorescence on a test strip can be easily read out with a mobile device. Two reference spots Frame the sensitive spot that indicates the presence of trace amounts of HgII below the threshold in a natural water sample. This dipstick contains a hybrid material that combines boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) probes sterically loaded into specifically tailored mesoporous silica particles, allowing for ultrasensitive HgII detection through enhanced fluorescence in a few seconds. The applicability in real water samples and fish extracts are also studied.
Type-I pyrethroids are frequently used for disinfection purposes against insects such as adult mosquitoes, or diseases carried by insects, like Malaria or Zika in cabins of airplanes on long-distance flights especially from tropical destinations. This treatment is mandatory at various airports but compliance with the rules is difficult to test for. Moreover, if improperly used, these compounds can entail negative health effects for crews and passengers.
The detection of the pyrethroids will be achieved thanks to an antibody-gated indicator delivery system (gAID) utilizing monoclonal antibodies and hybrid sensory nanoparticles. After the interaction of the pyrethroid with the gAID, the liberated indicator (dye) will be detected. Since only few analyte molecules are necessary for pore opening yet release a large number of dyes, the system shows intrinsic signal amplification.
The device system to be developed has to be so simple that chemically untrained personnel, such as ground or cabin crew, can use it and obtain a result in a reasonably short period of time, e.g., ≤5 min. The need for high accuracy and sufficient sensitivity, established at 0.001 g m–2, is a critical requirement and imposes another significant challenge since this value is beyond current LFTs reported in the literature for pesticide detection to date.
In order to achieve the selectivity and sensitivity required by the test itself, and to avoid cross reactivity with other type I pyrethroids, the production of a monoclonal antibody for both Permethrin and Phenontrin is necessary. The synthesis of the two hapten molecules and the subsequent immunization with different immunogens represent the first goal of the work.
The goal of the project is the immunological detection of residual pesticides directly on site using rapidly responding lateral flow test (LFT) strips in combination with indicator dyes and smartphone-based readout and analysis. Specifically, the system consists on a class-selective LFT strip system, which will test for relevant pyrethroid pesticides (Permethrin, d-Phenothrin and others type-I pyrethroids) in parallel.
Type-I pyrethroids are frequently used for disinfection purposes against insects such as adult mosquitoes, or diseases carried by insects, like Malaria or Zika in cabins of airplanes on long-distance flights especially from tropical destinations. This treatment is mandatory at various airports but compliance with the rules is difficult to test for. Moreover, if improperly used, these compounds can entail negative health effects for crews and passengers.
The detection of the pyrethroids will be achieved thanks to an antibody-gated indicator delivery system (gAID) utilizing monoclonal antibodies and hybrid sensory nanoparticles. After the interaction of the pyrethroid with the gAID, the liberated indicator (dye) will be detected. Since only few analyte molecules are necessary for pore opening yet release a large number of dyes, the system shows intrinsic signal amplification.
The device system to be developed has to be so simple that chemically untrained personnel, such as ground or cabin crew, can use it and obtain a result in a reasonably short period of time, e.g., ≤5 min. The need for high accuracy and sufficient sensitivity, established at 0.001 g m–2, is a critical requirement and imposes another significant challenge since this value is beyond current LFTs reported in the literature for pesticide detection to date.
In order to achieve the selectivity and sensitivity required by the test itself, and to avoid cross reactivity with other type I pyrethroids, the production of a monoclonal antibody for both Permethrin and Phenontrin is necessary. The synthesis of the two hapten molecules and the subsequent immunization with different immunogens represent the first goal of the work.
Cancer is modern medicine’s biggest challenge. It is now thought to be responsible for one in six deaths worldwide making early diagnosis, and treatment thereon, essential for better prognoses1. Protein phosphorylation is a post-translational modification of particular interest as a biomarker in the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and a number of cancer pathways. There is therefore a need for robust, fast and low-cost techniques for the detection of these phosphorylations. Fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are a cheap and selective material for both the extraction and detection of a multitude of analytes. Often referred to as “plastic antibodies”, MIPs provide added robustness and chemical stability compared to their natural counterparts. Application of these fluorescent MIPs to a microfluidic lab-on-a-chip platform offers a fast, versatile method for the detection of biomarkers containing phosphorylated amino-acids such as phosphorylated tyrosine.
Here, we present a tuneable core-shell MIP system consisting of a polystyrene core, silica inner-shell and MIP outer-shell. The MIP outer-shell contains a urea-based fluorescent probe monomer co-polymerised into the polymer matrix that can detect phosphorylated-tyrosine based on a change in its optical properties. The phosphate group interacts with the fluorescent probe via hydrogen bonding interactions yielding a fluorescence enhancement in organic solvents. The fluorescent MIPs are to be applied to a microfluidic platform, for rapid extraction of the analyte from the aqueous sample phase and simple optical detection in the organic phase that contains the MIP microparticles.
Grazing incidence SANS and reflectometry combined with simulation of adsorbed microgel particles
(2018)
Adsorbed ethylene glycol based microgel particles on a Silicon surface were studied. Neutron reflectometry (NR) and grazing incidence small-angle neutron scattering (GISANS) were performed to investigate their internal structure. Scattering experiments on soft matter systems such as adsorbed microgels often give only partial Information about the inner structure of the polymer system. In this contribution, we discuss how the detailed inner structure of adsorbed microgel particles can be reconstructed by a combination of the specular Neutron Reflectivity (NR), Grazing Incidence Small Angle Neutron Scattering (GISANS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and a simulation in the framework of the Distorted Wave Born Approximation.
Microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor for the trace analysis of cocaine in water and body fluids
(2018)
Quick but accurate testing and on‐the‐spot monitoring of cocaine in oral fluids and urine continues to be an important toxicological issue. In terms of drug testing, a number of devices have been introduced into the market in recent decades, notably for workplace inspection or roadside testing. However, these systems do not always fulfill the requirements in terms of reliability, especially when low cut‐off levels are required. With respect to surface water, the presence of anthropogenic small organic molecules such as prescription and over‐the‐counter pharmaceuticals as well as illicit drugs like cannabinoids, heroin, or cocaine, has become a challenge for scientists to develop new analytical tools for screening and on‐site analysis because many of them serve as markers for anthropogenic input and consumer behavior. Here, a modular approach for the detection of cocaine is presented, integrating an electrochemical enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed on antibody‐grafted magnetic beads in a hybrid microfluidic sensor utilizing flexible tubing, static chip and screen‐printed electrode (SPE) elements for incubation, recognition, and cyclic voltammetry measurements. A linear response of the sensor vs. the logarithm of cocaine concentration was obtained with a limit of detection of 0.15 ng/L. Within an overall assay time of 25 minutes, concentrations down to 1 ng/L could be reliably determined in water, oral fluids, and urine, the system possessing a dynamic working range up to 1 mg/L.
Analytical Sciences has developed from Ostwald’s “unentbehrlichen Dienstmagd” to a chemical discipline at the core of many of today’s fundamental and applied scientific problems and innovations. An atomic or molecular understanding of basic processes in chemistry, soft matter physics, materials and life science is enabled only through new analytical methods and instrumentation. Similar observations can be found for pressing sociopolitical conflicts of the future: A rational discussion of global climate change or new energy sources is only possible with reliable analytical results. Progress in Analytical Sciences is only possible if the underlying interdisciplinary character is acknowledged and valued. The talk will illustrate the scope of modern Analytical Science through examples from process analysis relevant to modern process intensification and industry 4.0 to bioanalysis and the use of synchrotron radiation to elucidate fundamental reactions materials.
Two calibration-free (CF) LIBS approaches are used for the quantitative analysis of cement samples: the CF-LIBS based on the Boltzmann plot method and the Monte Carlo (MC) LIBS based on the iterative spectrum fitting. In CF-LIBS, the inverse problem is solved, i.e. the elemental concentrations are determined by the reconstruction of plasma parameters from spectra. The MC-LIBS technique solves the direct problem by finding the highest correlation between the model-generated and experimental spectrum. The accuracy of both calibration-free LIBS methods suffers from factors such as inaccurately determined instrumental function, the deviation of experimental plasma from the mathematical model used, not taking into account the collection geometry, and from the uncertainty of spectroscopic data. The both calibration-free LIBS approaches are first applied to synthetic spectra which perfectly suit the mathematical model of the method, i.e. the model of the uniform, isothermal, and stationary plasma. This test yields the accuracy of both the approaches for the ideal case. In addition, the accuracy of both the methods is investigated for non-uniform and non-isothermal plasma, because real laser-induced plasma often has high gradients in temperature and particle number densities. Finally, both calibration-free LIBS approaches are applied to experimental spectra obtained from cement samples. The figures of merits of two approaches are compared when working with both synthetic and experimental spectra.
An improved algorithm for calibration-free laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF LIBS) will be presented which includes several novel features in comparison with previously proposed similar algorithms. In particular, it allows using spectral lines with arbitrary optical thickness for the construction of Saha-Boltzmann plots, retrieves the absorption path length (plasma diameter) directly from a spectrum, replaces the Lorentzian line profile function by the Voigt function, and allows for self-absorption correction using pre-calculated and tabulated data rather than approximating functions. The tabulated data embody the solutions of the radiative transfer equation for numerous combinations of optical thicknesses and line widths. The algorithm is thoroughly verified using synthetic spectra.
Ammoniakemissionen in die Umwelt erfolgen insbesondere durch die Landwirtschaft (93,6 %), aber auch durch Verbrennungsprozesse in der die Abfallwirtschaft (2,3 %) und den Straßenverkehr (1,8 %). Dieser Stoff ist selbst in geringen Konzentrationen nicht nur eine Geruchsbelästigung, sondern auch eine Substanz mit ökologischer und klimatischer Relevanz.
Die Bestimmung von Ammoniak in relevanten Konzentrationen von kleiner 25 μg m-3 erfolgt im Allgemeinen über NH4+ als Analyten, spektralfotometrisch oder mit der Ionenchromatographie nach Überführung in die flüssige Phase. Wegen der niedrigen Konzentrationen an Ammoniak in der Außenluft wird meist eine gesammelte Probe verwendet oder die Bestimmung erfolgt nach einer aktiven, anreichernden Probenahme.
Die eigenen Arbeiten sollen dazu beitragen, die Ammoniak-Bestimmung in der Außenluft präziser, sowie schneller und kostengünstiger zu machen.
Die BAM prüfte daher kommerzielle elektrochemische und Metalloxid-basierte Sensoren, die für diesen Konzentrationsbereich aber nur bedingt geeignet sind. Deshalb wurden alternativ eigene Entwicklungen zum Nachweis von Ammoniak im Spurenbereich aufgenommen, wobei der Analyt über die Änderung der Fluoreszenz eines BODIPY-Farbstoffs bei 550 nm mittels eines portablen Fluoreszenz-Sensors direkt aus der Gasphase gemessen wird.
Zur Kalibrierung von Ammoniak-Sensoren und -Messgeräten steht ein stationäres System basierend auf der Mischung von zertifizierten Prüfgasen aus Druckflaschen mit kalibrierten Massendurchfluss-regler (MFC) zur Verfügung. Darüber hinaus erfolgt eine chemische Analyse der verwendeten Gasgemische mittels eines Massenspektrometers.
Für die Kalibrierung und Prüfung von Sensoren und Messgeräten vor Ort wurde ein mobiles Prüfsystem entwickelt. Die Generierung von Ammoniak-haltigen Gasen im Spurenbereich von 0,5 nmol/mol bis 500 nmol/mol erfolgt durch das Permeationsverfahren nach ISO 6145-10.
Für die Realisierung der Rückführbarkeit der Ammoniakbestimmung werden von den Nationalen Metrologischen Instituten sowie designierten Instituten Standards bereitgestellt und auch weiterentwickelt. Die primären metrologischen Standards beruhen auf SI-Einheiten und sind die Basis für eine Rückführbarkeit der Sensoren bzw. Analysengeräte.
In civil engineering, the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been applied as a fast and reliable method for a quantitative evaluation of concrete cores. Due to a two-dimensional scanning, the heterogeneity of concrete can be evaluated and elements like Cl, Na, and S are related to the cement matrix only. This study deals with the temporal evaluation and imaging of laser-induced plasmas on cement-based materials, in order to investigate the impact of aggregates with diffrent grain size on the spectral response in LIBS.
Two calibration-free LIBS techniques are used for the quantitative analysis of synthetic cement samples: the CF-LIBS based on the Boltzmann plot method and the Monte Carlo (MC) LIBS based on the iterative spectrum fitting. In CF-LIBS, the inverse problem is solved, i.e. the elemental concentrations are determined by the reconstruction of plasma parameters from spectra. The MC-LIBS technique solves the direct problem by finding the highest correlation between the model-generated and experimental spectrum. The accuracy of both calibration-free LIBS methods suffers from factors such as inaccurately determined instrumental function, the deviation of experimental plasma from the mathematical model used, not taking into account the collection geometry and from the uncertainty of spectroscopic data. Therefore, the both calibration-free LIBS approaches are applied to synthetic spectra which perfectly suit the mathematical model of the method. This test yields the accuracy of both the approaches for the ideal case. In addition, the accuracy of both methods is investigated for non-isothermal plasma, because real laser-induced plasma often has high gradients in temperature. Both methods assume an isothermal plasma.
Three fluorescent molecular rotors of 4-dimethylamino-4-nitrostilbene (4-DNS) were investigated for their potential use as viscosity probes to indicate the content of kerosene in diesel/kerosene blends, a wide-spread activity to adulterate fuel. In solvents with low viscosity, the dyes rapidly deactivate via a so-called twisted intramolecular charge transfer state, efficiently quenching the fluorescence. Measurements of diesel/kerosene blends revealed a good linear correlation between the decrease in fluorescence and the increase of the fraction of the less viscous kerosene in diesel/kerosene blends. Immobilization of the hydroxy derivative 4-DNS-OH in cellulose paper yielded test strips that preserve the fluorescent indicator's behavior. Combination of the strips with a reader based on a smartphone and a controlling app allowed to create a simple field test. The method can reliably detect the presence of kerosene in diesel from 7 to 100%, outperforming present standard methods for diesel adulteration.
This paper describes a wireless mobile prototype able to perform optical measurements by means of a miniatur-ized spectrometer for low light analysis, e.g. fluorescent sensors. Evaluations, calculations, calibration management and result display are performed by a computer or a standard tablet. The device was designed primarily to detect traces of oil in drinking or ground water and for the analyses of crude oils. However, it can also address a wide range of fluorescent sensors. The fast and user-friendly inspection of water quality or oil properties, as well as the adaptability and mobility, make the device attractive for a variety of users. Further application areas could be easily imple-mented by adapting the optics and the software (database, data processing and calibration plots, etc.)
This paper describes a wireless mobile prototype able to perform optical measurements by means of a miniaturized spectrometer for low light analysis, e.g. fluorescent sensors.
Evaluations, calculations, calibration management and result display are performed by a computer or a standard tablet. The device was designed primarily to detect traces of oil in drinking or ground water and for the analyses of crude oils. However, it can also address a wide range of fluorescent sensors. The fast and user-friendly inspection of water quality or oil properties, as well as the adaptability and mobility, make the device attractive for a variety of users. Further application areas could be easily implemented by adapting the optics and the software (database, data processing and calibration plots, etc.).
Sialic acid (SA) is a cell surface glycan, which has been found to be upregulated on more aggressive cancers. Therefore, there is a great interest in developing methods for detection of SA on a great interest in developing methods for detection of SA o on cancer cells. We are screening SA on cell lines by fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA -MIPs. Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) is a digital holographic technique. Various cellular parameters can be visualized and calculated from the particular hologram, including individual cell area, thickness, volume and population confluence and cell counts. The aim was to investigate the possible uptake of SA in macrophage cell lines in in vitro cell cultures and check if they affected the cell.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally according to the WHO 2018. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervix and thyroid cancer are the most common among women. Sialic acid (SA) plays an important role in a variety of biological processes in cells. Tumor cells express high levels of SA, which is often associated with poor prognosis due to increased invasive potential. In this study, we have performed a screening of SA-MIPs binding to different cancer cell lines. The overall aim is to use the SA-MIPs for detection of tumor cells, analyzed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. To confirm the levels of SA expression on the investigated cell lines, we started out by analyzing the binding of the lectins MAL I and SNA. The staining pattern of the two lectins binding to either α-2,3 or α-2,6 linkage SA, respectively, was compared with the staining pattern of the SA-MIPs. We show that the different cell types analyzed have a varying pattern of SA-MIP binding. The comparison with lectin binding will be further evaluated.
Glycosylation is a post-translational modification that is involved in the regulation of many biological processes. The glycosylation pattern in cancer cells differs from that in normal cells. One of the main alterations that has been observed in several cancers is the increase of sialic acids at the end of the glycan. The increase of sialic acids and other alterations affect development and progression of tumors and are found to play an important role in cancer invasiveness and metastasis. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic recognition elements that show high selectivity and affinity for their targets. These polymers show promising applications in detection methods for cancer cells. In this study newly synthesized MIPs, labelled with a nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD) fluorophore, are investigated for their specificity and utility in the detection of cancer cell-related sialic acids.
Laser-induced plasma (LIP) has drawn significant amount of attentions in the past decades, particular in elemental analyses for solid or liquid samples. Through proper focusing of the highly energetic laser beam, the plasma can also be ignited in the ambient air, where airborne analytes can be ionized. Such an effect enabled the use of airborne LIP as an ambient ionization source for mass spectrometric analyses. In contrast to other ambient desorption/ionization sources, airborne LIP does not require a specific discharge medium or expensive gas stream. Meanwhile, the airborne LIP produces reagent ion species for both proton-transfer and charge-transfer reactions in addition to the vacuum ultraviolent photons that are capable of promoting single photon ionization, which can be utilized to ionize polar and non-polar analytes. In order to gauge the analytical performance of airborne LIP, it is critical to understand the undergoing chemistry and physics during and after the plasma formation.
Due to the ambient nature of airborne LIP, the variations of air composition and flow strongly affect the plasma behaviors. Preliminary result suggested the addition of a laminar flow of nitrogen gas favored the formation of protonated species (MH+) against the molecular ones (M+). Although the gas addition approach cannot fully tune the ionization process towards the specific production of pseudo-molecular species versus molecular ones, the alternation of molecular ion formation can be used for analyte recognitions through post processing of the ion patterns. The pulsed character of the used lasers makes the reagent ion equilibrium both transient- and highly fluid-dynamically controlled. The acoustic shock-waves induced by the airborne LIP get affected by an applied gas streams towards the plasma center, influencing the molecular-ion and ion-ion interactions in the near proximity of the plasma.
To understand the airborne LIP formation, the temporally and spatially resolved optical emission spectra were recorded. The results will be correlated to time-resolved mass-spectrometric investigations of the ion profile during different stages of the plasma formation. As one example, the formation of pyrylium ion originating from aromatic compounds will be highlighted.
Expansion dynamics of laser-induced plasma is studied for different focal positions of the ablation laser in the pressure range 10-2 - 105 Pa of the ambient air. The experimental results indicate that both the parameters significantly affect the plasma size, shape, intensity, reproducibility, and distance from the target surface. At pressures above 10 Pa, the plasma plume is confined by the ambient gas; the plumes are more compact and travel shorter distances from the target as compared to the analogous plume characteristics at pressures below 10 Pa. The pulse-to-pulse reproducibility of the integral emission intensity of the plasma is also different for different focal positions and pressures. It is found that the focal positions -1 cm and -2 cm below the target surface yield the most reproducible and intense emission signals as measured at the 600 ns delay time with the 100 ns gate. The information obtained can be of importance for pulsed laser deposition, laser welding, and analytical spectroscopy at reduced pressures. In general, a correct choice of the focal position and pressure of an ambient gas is very important for obtaining the strongest plasma emission, good reproducibility, and desired plasma plume shape.
The equation of state for plasmas containing negative and positive ions of elements and molecules formed by these elements is modeled under the assumption that all ionization processes and chemical reactions are at local thermal equilibrium and the Coulomb interaction in the plasma is described by the Debye–Hückel theory. The hierarchy problem for constants of molecular reactions is resolved by using three different algorithms for high, medium, and low temperatures: the contraction principle, the Newton–Raphson method, and a scaled Newton–Raphson method, respectively. These algorithms are shown to have overlapping temperature ranges in which they are stable. The latter allows one to use the developed method for calculating the equation of state in combination with numerical solvers of Navier–Stokes equations to simulate laser-induced Plasmas initiated in an atmosphere and to study formation of molecules and their ions in such plasmas. The method is applicable to a general chemical network. It is illustrated with examples of Ca–Cl and C–Si–N laser-induced plasmas.
Laser induced plasma (LIP) is a highly dynamic, short living event which presents significant difficulty for both diagnostics and modeling. The former requires precise spatially- and time-resolved measurements on a micron-nanosecond scale while the latter needs numerous descriptive parameters; many of them can only be obtained from experiment. Diagnostics and modeling should always complement each other for obtaining a truthful picture of LIP.
In this presentation, a newly developed collisional-dominated model will be presented. The model is based on the coupled Navier-Stokes, state, radiative transfer, material transport, and chemical equations. The model incorporates plasma chemistry through the equilibrium approach that relies on atomic and molecular partition functions. Several chemical systems are modeled including Si-C-Cl-N and B-H-Cl systems.
The model is used to study the equilibrium states of the systems as functions of the concentrations of plasma species and plasma temperature. The model also predicts the evolution of number densities of atomic and molecular species in the expanding plasma plume.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures, thermodynamic properties, and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, microreactions, pump and probe diagnostics, tomography, temporal and spatial resolution. Basics of plasma computer modeling will be presented.
The synthesis, characterization, and application of mesoporous materials containing boron–dipyrromethene (BODIPY) moieties that allow the sensitive and selective detection of HgII in aqueous environments by fluorescence enhancement is reported. For this purpose, BODIPY dye I containing a thia‐aza crown ether receptor as the fluorescent probe for the detection of HgII in aqueous environments is encapsulated into mesoporous materials to avoid self‐quenching or aggregation in water. Determination of HgII is accomplished within a few seconds with high selectivity and sensitivity, reaching a limit of detection of 12 ppt. The determination of trace amounts of HgII in natural waters and in fish extracts is demonstrated by using our sensing material. The incorporation of the material into several μ‐PAD strips yields a portable, cheap, quick, and easy‐to‐handle tool for trace HgII analysis in water.
Playing with Droplets
(2018)
Microfluidic devices are powerful analytical tools with appealing features such as miniaturized size, low reagent and sample consumption, rapid response and short measurement times. As society wants to be ever better, earlier and more comprehensively informed about critical factors in life, work, and the environment, the demand for powerful measurement devices for use outside of the laboratory constantly increases.
Mit Tröpfchen Spielen
(2018)
Mikrofluidische Systeme sind leistungsstarke analytische Tools mit attraktiven Eigenschaften wie miniaturisierter Größe, geringem Reagenzien und Probenverbrauch, schneller Ansprech- und kurzer Messzeit. Der Bedarf solcher leistungsstarken, miniaturisierten und direkt vor Ort anwendbaren Sensorsysteme steigt kontinuierlich, hauptsächlich durch das Bedürfnis der Gesellschaft, schneller, besser und umfassender über kritische Faktoren im Lebens- und Arbeitsumfeld sowie der Umwelt informiert zu sein.
Emissions of ammonia into the environment are mainly caused by agriculture, but also by combustion processes in waste and by road traffic. Even at low concentrations, this substance is not only an odour nuisance, but also a substance with ecological and climatic relevance. Therefore, BAM tested commercial electrochemical, and metal oxide based sensors, which have limited suitability for measuring in the environmental molar fraction range. Alternatively, own developments for the detection of ammonia in the trace range were implemented, wherein the analyte is measured by changing the fluorescence of a BODIPY dye at 550 nm by means of a portable fluorescence sensor directly from the gas phase. For the calibration of ammonia sensors and measuring instruments, a stationary system based on the mixture of certified test gases from pressure cylinders with calibrated mass flow controllers is available. A test gas generator was developed for on-site calibration and testing of sensors and measuring devices. The generation of ammonia-containing gases in the environmental relevant range of levels below 1000 nmol/mol is carried out by the permeation method according to ISO 6145-10. For the traceability of ammonia, standards are provided and further developed by the National Metrological Institutes and designated institutes. Metrological standards are based on SI units and are a basis for traceability of sensors or gas analysers.
The development and improvement of new ionization techniques for mass spectrometry often requires dedicated, specific sampling approaches. Recently, a novel ionization scheme for ambient MS has been introduced based on a quasi-continuous laser-induced plasma, which was ignited directly before the MS inlet. This setup combines the general advantages of ambient ionization, provides electro neutrality, sufficient duty cycle and a ubiquitous plasma medium.
A high repetition rate DPSS laser (Conqueror 3-LAMBDA, Nd:YVO4, 1 - 500 kHz, average output power: 12 W at 50 kHz, Compact Laser Solutions GmbH, Germany) and the corresponding optomechanical system were installed on an optical breadboard above the inlet of a LCQ DecaXP ion trap mass spectrometer. The quasi-continuous airborne plasma was ignited inside the sprayed sample in front of the inlet via focused laser irradiation.
The introduction of liquid samples into laser-induced plasmas requires higher plasma power during solvent evaporation as compared to gaseous samples. This increased demand was approached via a two-fold strategy: Firstly, an alternative, more powerful, laser plasma driven by the fundamental instead of the second harmonic wavelength was implemented, which provided a 10-fold increase of signal intensity, while maintaining the same reagent ion pattern as the previous plasma. Protonated water clusters [(H2O]nH]+, NH4+ as well as charge transfer promoting ion O2+, dominated the reagent ion mass spectrum. Secondly, a miniaturized nebulizer was used to minimize the size of the plasma quenching solvent droplets. The result of these improvements was a new and very stable ion source for direct microfluidic coupling. A variety of samples demonstrated the performance of the ion source.
A laser-driven plasma was shown to be a powerful ion source for gaseous and solid samples. For the first time, liquid samples were examined using the novel source. In addition to demonstrating an improved strategy for igniting the laser plasma, this contribution also covers the miniaturization of the spray source for enhanced ionization, while minimizing sample consumption via a microfluidic spray systems.
Tandem MS techniques are widely used for both, structure and sequence elucidation of biopolymers. Thereby, fragmentation activation is realized by various methods, for example with lasers or collisions with neutral gases. In this study, we present a new Tandem MS System using a commercially available vacuum ultraviolet lamp. On the one hand, this approach provides efficient fragmentation in both ionization modes, positive as well as negative. On the other hand, it enables an additional previously not achieved post ionization of the fragments. While the first results in atypical fragment patterns and, thus provides orthogonal information, the second is crucial especially to identify low abundant ions.
Cyanide is known to be a very hazardous and toxic substance. Through the binding to cytochrome oxidase it inhibits the oxygen utilization in cells. The LD50 of cyanide is as low as 1.0 mg/kg. Therefore it is inalienable to develop sensing methods to detect cyanide with a very high selectivity and sensitivity.
In our group we developed a non-fluorescent monomer which is able to detect cyanide-anions with very high selectivity and sensitivity based on a “turn-on” fluorescence method. As cyanide-source we used tetrabutylammoniumcyanide (TBAC). Using an excitation wavelength of 600 nm the increase in fluorescence at 642 nm is strictly selective with cyanide-anions. Different anions like fluoride, hydroxide or acetate show no increase at all. With this new detection system, concentrations as low as 1.6 nM can be detected.
Fluorometric sensing is a versatile approach for trace analysis outside of the laboratory, requiring suitable sensor materials and their integration into sensing devices. The versatility of fluorophores as probes, especially in terms of the possibility to tailor their optical as well as their recognition properties by synthetic modifications in a wide range, renders them as superior active component for the preparation of optical sensing devices. Recent works at BAM in this field include, for example, the detection of nerve gas agents, illustrating impressively the aforementioned benefits of fluorophores in optical sensing applications.
In the interdisciplinary project presented here, we target hazardous gases such as ammonia, benzene, and hydrogen sulfide, next to others, which pose a major threat to human health and environmental safety and for which the availability of a sensitive and reliable detection method is highly desirable. The dyes presented follow a “turn-on” fluorescence schematic, which allows for the selective and sensitive detection of the respective gaseous analyte. The immobilization of the probe in polymeric matrices is then the next step toward the fabrication of a prototype device for molecular sensing. Further steps in the project include the assembly of instruments for test-atmosphere generation, the referencing of the sensor system, development and implementation of an optical setup, and the testing of the prototype device under laboratory conditions and in the field.
In this presentation, we give an overview over the recent developments on this topic in our groups. Highlights are hydrogen sulfide sensitive, BODIPY based transition metal complexes, which allow for a sensitive as well as selective detection of the toxic gas. In addition, we present a novel class of highly substituted BODIPY derivatives – pocket-BODIPYs – which are of a synthetically high versatility and can readily be modified to create pockets in the periphery of the molecule of defined geometries. This is illustrated on the successful encapsulation of benzene by a pocket-BODIPY derivative, confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis as well as by further spectroscopic and analytical methods.
Fluorometric sensing is a versatile approach for trace analysis outside of the laboratory, requiring suitable sensor materials and their integration into sensing devices. The versatility of fluorophores as probes, especially in terms of the possibility to tailor their optical as well as their recognition properties by synthetic modifications in a wide range, renders them as superior active component for the preparation of optical sensor devices. Recent works at BAM in this field include, for example, the detection of nerve gas agents,illustrating impressively the aforementioned benefits of fluorophores in optical sensing applications.
In the interdisciplinary approach presented here, we target hazardous gases such as ammonia, benzene, and hydrogen sulfide, next to others, which pose a major threat to human health and environmental safety and for which the availability of a sensitive and reliable detection method is highly desirable.
The dyes presented follow a “turn-on” fluorescence schematic, which allows for the selective and sensitive detection of the respective gaseous analyte. The immobilization of the probe in polymeric matrices is then the next step toward the fabrication of a prototype device for molecular sensing. Further steps in the project include the assembly of instruments for test-atmosphere generation, the referencing of the sensor system, development and implementation of an optical setup, and the testing of the prototype device under laboratory conditions and in the field.
In this presentation, we give an overview over the recent developments on this topic in our groups, including fluorophore designs investigated for the detection of benzene, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide as well as approaches for the design of the sensing device.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers with Integrated Fluorescence as Versatile Biomimetic Sensing Matrices
(2018)
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are an established, versatile and high-performance matrix for the selective separation or enrichment of (bio)chemical species, especially small molecules of biochemical or environmental relevance. MIPs are prepared through the polymerization of a mixture of functional monomers and cross-linkers in the presence of the template with subsequent extraction of the latter. Conceptionally, this process can be seen as mimicking in a strongly accelerated, though single-step manner a biological process such as antibody formation. Because the resulting MIPs contain cavities in their matrix that are complementary in size, shape and electronic/ electrostatic or hydrogen bonding demand to the imprinted target molecule or template, these polymers are frequently termed “artificial antibodies”. Compared to natural antibodies, they are chemically and physically much more robust. Regarding sensitivity and selectivity, however, there is still a gap to bridge before MIPs can fully compete with antibodies.
Another favorable aspect that distinguishes MIPs from antibodies is that they can be endowed with an explicit function, allowing the use of MIPs in applications that require more than only an efficient binder. For instance, if specifically designed and polymerizable fluorescent indicators are integrated as functional monomers into a MIP, direct fluorescence sensing can be accomplished. Because MIPs can be prepared in a variety of different formats, their combination with miniaturized or other specific analytical techniques or sensory devices is possible, especially when the transduction mode is light. This presentation will introduce basic design considerations, challenges, limitations and the potential that lies with such sensor materials with some recent examples of our group, targeting various organic oxoanions as analytes.
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.
Supramolecular chemistry, fluorescence detection, hybrid (nano)materials and device miniaturization are in themselves highly interesting areas of research, yet especially their combination paves the way to (bio)chemical analysis systems that show outstanding performance. The lecture gives an overview of the toolbox of single components developed in BAM’s Chemical and Optical Sensing Division over the years, and how their combination can result in powerful sensors, quick tests and assays. While at the core of a development is the analytical problem, that is, the determination of a certain analyte in a sample of interest with the required sensitivity and selectivity by a specific end user in a given setting, signaling mechanisms, recognition elements, signal transduction modes, materials functionalization, device design and system integration are adequately chosen, tailored and adapted. Examples including molecularly imprinted polymers, hybrid mesoporous nanomaterials, gated indicator release systems, microfluidic devices, test strips and smartphone-based analysis will be presented.
We introduce herein boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes as a new class of fluorophores for the design of reporter dyes for supramolecular host–guest complex formation with cucurbit[7]uril (CB7). The BODIPYs contain a protonatable aniline nitrogen in the meso-position of the BODIPY chromophore, which was functionalized with known binding motifs for CB7. The unprotonated dyes show low fluorescence due to photoinduced electron transfer (PET), whereas the protonated dyes are highly fluorescent. Encapsulation of the binding motif inside CB7 positions the aniline nitrogen at the carbonyl rim of CB7, which affects the pKa value, and leads to a host-induced protonation and thus to a fluorescence increase. The possibility to tune binding affinities and pKa values
is demonstrated and it is shown that, in combination with the beneficial photophysical properties of BODIPYs, several new applications of host–dye reporter pairs can be implemented. This includes indicator displacement assays with favourable absorption and
emission wavelengths in the visible spectral region, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and noncovalent surface functionalization
with fluorophores.
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").
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. In this work, we develop a simple system for the on-field detection of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in water and soil. The test is based on fluorescence emission of a 4-dimethylamino-4′-nitrostilbene derivative (4-DNS-OH). This fluorescent molecular rotor is embedded in a hydrophobic polymeric matrix (PVDF), avoiding interactions with water and providing a robust support for use in test-strip fashion. For the fluorescence detection a portable sensor device was developed, featuring two excitation LEDs, a micro-spectrometer and Bluetooth control. A limit of detection of at least 6 ppm of TPH in water was demonstrated.
Application of pesticides is ubiquitous to better manage agricultural production. However, most of these compounds are harmful or toxic for humans and highly persistent in the environment, even in the crops themselves. Therefore, the rapid and reliable monitoring of pesticide residues is a very important area of environmental analysis. If conducted directly in the field, the use of fluorescence sensing methods is particularly attractive, because they allow for sensitive and rapid analyses while being very versatile. Recently, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as promising candidates for the primary sensing phase. Their robustness, low price and tunability render them an attractive alternative to more conventional biosensors based on antibodies.
At present, a number of MIP formats are available besides the initial bulk polymer monoliths. Core/shell micro- and nanoparticles are especially suitable for sensor applications. A thin shell provides many advantages compared to a bulk polymer, such as fast diffusion of analyte, homogeneity of binding cavities and a higher number of binding sites closer to the surface. A strategy for sensory MIP synthesis is to introduce the fluorophore covalently into the polymer layer. The fluorescent probe monomer may thus consist of a fluorophore unit, a polymerizable unit and a recognition unit.
One of the issues in targeting acidic pesticides such as 2,4-D is the fact that usually their deprotonated form is used for imprinting in organic solvents, commonly as the tetraalkylammonium salt. This approach harbours drawbacks when it comes to analytical rebinding, because real samples seldom contain such counterions. In our group, we have thus developed a new fluorescent probe monomer containing the 2-aminopyridine moiety, which forms strong enough intermolecular hydrogen bonds with the carboxylic acid group of neat 2,4-D. During a titration of the probe monomer with the analyte, hydrogen bond formation is indicated by spectral shifts and fluorescence enhancement. Crystallography studies verified complex formation. The higher fluorometric response of the core-shell MIP compared to a non-imprinted control polymer proved successful imprinting.
Here, we will discuss the pros and cons of neutral molecule vs. salt imprinting, potentially expanding the possibilities of fluorescent sensory MIPs.
Sialic acid (SA) is a cell surface glycan, which has a strong role in many cell activities including differentiation, proliferation, and the immune response. The amount of SA has been found to be correlated with cancer, with an upregulation on more aggressive cancers. Therefore, there is great interest in developing methods for detection of SA on cancer cells. We are screening SA on cancer cell lines by using fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA-MIPs.Macrophages, which evolve from mono-cytes, are well known for their extraordinary ability to phagocytose foreign objects. This could lead to the hypothesis that the SA-MIPs can be recognized by macrophages as foreign object; thus leading to internalization and potential degradation. We have discovered that SA-MIPs can be detected after incubation with the RAW macrophage cells, with increasing fluorescence over time. The microscopy analysis shows that the RAW cells ingest the SA-MIP particles. This information is important when planning to use SA-MIPs in future in vivo applications.
Sialic acid (SA) is a cell surface glycan, which has a decisive role in many cell activities including differentiation, proliferation, and the immune response. The amount of SA has been found to correlate with cancer, with an upregulation on more aggressive cancers. Therefore, there is a great interest in developing methods for detection of SA on cancer cells. We are screening SA on cancer cell lines by using fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers, SA-MIPs. Macrophages, which evolve from mono-cytes, are well known for their extraordinary ability to phagocytose foreign objects. This could lead to the hypothesis that the SA-MIPs can be recognized by macrophages as foreign object; thus leading to internalization and potentially degradation.
We have demonstrated that SA-MIPs can be detected after incubation with the RAW macrophage cells, with increasing fluorescence over time. The microscopy analysis shows that the RAW cells ingest the SA-MIP particles. This information is important when planning to use SA-MIPs in future in vivo applications.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its early detection and resultant treatment contributes significantly to patient recovery and survival. Detection is currently based on magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, methods that are expensive, while processing of the results is time consuming. There is a need for low-cost cancer-detection techniques that give conclusive results in the shortest time possible. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) targeting tumor markers on cancerous cells may provide a cheaper solution for cancer detection. Thin MIP layers immobilized on particle platforms are known to give faster response times and increased selectivity in comparison to bulk MIPs. It has been reported that a fluorescent monomer can be incorporated into the MIP layer, allowing for faster detection of the target group, thus significantly shortening the turn-around time for biopsies.
Changes in sialylation patterns of cell surface glycoproteins indicate malignancy. Here, we present the development of MIPs that target sialic acid-terminated glycoproteins (SA MIPs), prepared as a thin layer on a silica nanoparticle platform. A fluorescent monomer is incorporated into the MIP layer, and upon binding of the target group to the specific binding pockets in the MIP, the fluorescence signal is enhanced. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used for structural characterization. To validate the specificity, fluorescence changes of MIPs in the presence and absence of template are compared to their corresponding non-imprinted polymer particles (NIP). Initial binding experiments with tumor cells using fluorescence microscopy demonstrate that the presented technique shows promise as a cheaper alternative to current detection methods, while allowing for relatively shorter analysis of biopsy results.
Small-molecule oxoanions are often imprinted noncovalently as carboxylates into molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), requiring the use of an organic counterion. Popular species are either pentamethylpiperidine (PMP) as a protonatable cation or tetraalkylammonium (TXA) ions as permanent cations. The present work explores the influence of the TXA as a function of their alkyl chain length, from methyl to octyl, using UV/vis absorption, fluorescence titrations, and HPLC as well as MD simulations. Protected phenylalanines (Z-L/D-Phe) served as templates/analytes. While the influence of the counterion on the complex stability constants and anion-induced spectral changes shows a monotonous trend with increasing alkyl chain length at the prepolymerization stage, the cross-imprinting/rebinding studies showed a unique pattern that suggested the presence of adaptive cavities in the MIP matrix, related to the concept of induced fit of enzyme−substrate interaction. Larger cavities formed in the presence of larger counterions can take up pairs of Z-X-Phe and smaller TXA, eventually escaping spectroscopic detection. Correlation of the experimental data with the MD simulations revealed that counterion mobility, the relative distances between the three partners, and the hydrogen bond lifetimes are more decisive for the response features observed than actual distances between interacting atoms in a complex or the orientation of binding moieties. TBA has been found to yield the highest imprinting factor, also showing a unique dual behavior regarding the interaction with template and fluorescent monomer. Finally, interesting differences between both enantiomers have been observed in both theory and experiment, suggesting true control of enantioselectivity. The contribution concludes with suggestions for translating the findings into actual MIP development.
Probe 1, which contains an anilinopyridine chromophore and an azaoxa macrocyclic subunit, presented an absorption band centered at 340 nm in acetonitrile. Addition of Fe(III), Cr(III) and Hg(II) induced the growth of a new absorption band at 430 nm (with color change from colorless to yellow), whereas in the presence of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II), less marked changes were observed. The color changes observed upon addition of Fe(III), Cr(III) and Hg(II) were ascribed to the formation of 1:1 stoichiometry complexes with probe 1. Coordination of Fe(III), Cr(III) and Hg(II) with the pyridine fragment of 1 induced an enhancement of the charge transfer character accompanied with a marked bathochromic shift that was reflected in a color change from colorless to yellow. The strength of the interaction between probe 1 and Fe(III) cation was modulated upon interaction with anions. Of all the anions tested, only cyanide was able to induce the bleaching of the yellow 1·Fe(III) complex solution. This bleaching was ascribed to
the formation of 1·Fe(III)-CN complex that restored, to some extent, the optical features of the free probe allowing the chromogenic sensing of cyanide. Besides, 1·Fe(III) complex was used to detect
cyanide in acetonitrile-water 90:10 v/v mixtures with good recoveries.
An improved algorithm for calibration-free laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF LIBS) is presented which includes several novel features in comparison with previously proposed similar algorithms. In particular, it allows using spectral lines with arbitrary optical thickness for the construction of Saha-Boltzmann plots, retrieves the absorption path length (plasma diameter) directly from a spectrum, replaces the Lorentzian line profile function by the Voigt function, and allows for self-absorption correction using pre-calculated and tabulated data rather than approximating functions. The tabulated data embody the solutions of the radiative transfer equation for numerous combinations of optical thicknesses and line widths. The algorithm is thoroughly verified with synthetic spectra.
Laser-induced plasmas are widely used in many areas of science and technology; examples include spectrochemical analysis, thin film deposition, material processing, and even jet propulsion. Several topics will be addressed. First, general phenomenology of laser-induced plasmas will be discussed. Then, a chemical model will be presented based on a coupled solution of Navier-Stokes, state, radiative transfer, material transport, and chemical (Guldberg-Waage) equations. Results of computer simulations for several chemical systems will be shown and compared to experimental observations obtained by optical imaging, spectroscopy, and tomography. The latter diagnostic tools will also be briefly discussed. Finally, a prospective application of laser-induced plasma and plasma modeling will be illustrated on the example of calibration-free MC LIBS (Monte Carlo Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy), in which concentrations of elements in materials are found by fitting model-generated and experimental spectra.
Accuracy of calibration-free (CF) methods in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) depends on experimental conditions and instrumental parameters that must match a CF LIBS model. Here, the numerical study is performed to investigate effects of various factors, such as the optical density, plasma uniformity, line overlap, noise, spectral resolution, electron density and path length on the results of CF-LIBS analyses. The effects are examined one-by-one using synthetic spectra of steel slag samples that fully comply with the mathematical model of the method. Also, the algorithm includes several new features in comparison with previously proposed CF algorithms. In particular, it removes limits on the optical thickness of spectral lines that are used for the construction of the Saha-Boltzmann plot; it retrieves the absorption path length (Plasma diameter) directly from spectral lines; it uses the more realistic Voigt line profile function instead of the Lorentzian function; and it employs the pre-calculated and tabulated thin-to-thick line ratios instead of approximating functions for selfabsorption correction.
Die Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) ist eine Ressortforschungseinrichtung, die zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Sachgüter, forscht, prüft und berät. Im Fokus aller Tätigkeiten in der Materialwissenschaft, der Werkstofftechnik und der Chemie steht dabei die technische Sicherheit von Produkten und Prozessen. Dazu werden Substanzen, Werkstoffe, Bauteile, Komponenten und Anlagen sowie natürliche und technische Systeme erforscht und auf sicheren Umgang oder Betrieb geprüft und bewertet. Schwerpunkt des Vortrages sind multimodale Polymeranalytik, nanoskalige Sensormaterialien und die Charakterisierung von technischen Eigenschaften von Polymeren sowie ihre Alterung und Umweltrelevanz.
A novel technique based on laser induced plasma imaging is proposed to measure residual pressure in sealed containers with transparent walls, e.g. high voltage vacuum interrupter in this paper. The images of plasma plumes induced on a copper target at pressure of ambient air between 10−2Pa and 105Pa were acquired at delay times of 200ns, 400ns, 600ns and 800ns. All the plasma images at specific pressures and delay times showed a good repeatability. It was found that ambient gas pressure significantly affects plasma shape, plasma integral intensities and expansion dynamics. A subsection characteristic method was proposed to extract pressure values from plasma images. The method employed three metrics for identification of high, intermediate and low pressures: the distance between the target and plume center, the integral intensity of the plume, and the lateral size of the plume, correspondingly. The accuracy of the method was estimated to be within 15% of nominal values in the entire pressure range between 10−2Pa and 105Pa. The pressure values can be easily extracted from plasma images in the whole pressure range, thus making laser induced plasma imaging a promising technique for gauge-free pressure detection.
Laser induced plasma (LIP) is a dynamic, short living event which presents significant difficulty for modeling. In this report, a collisional-dominated chemical model developed earlier* is expanded by the inclusion of a new method for calculation of chemical reactions. The model consists of the coupled Navier-Stokes, state, radiative transfer, material transport, and chemical equations. The latter are written in terms of atomic and molecular partition functions rather than reaction rates. Typically, a solution of such the system of chemical equations is difficult for the entire range of plasma temperatures and densities because reaction constants may vary by hundreds orders of magnitude owing to extreme plasma conditions. No numerical solver of non-linear systems of equations handles this situation with ease. We resolve the problem by using a hierarchical approach. First, we rank the reactions according to their ascendancy. Second, we exploit either the contraction or Newton-Raphson algorithms to solve the system of chemical equations. We illustrate the approach by performing a series of calculations for reacting species Si, C, N, Ca, Cl and their molecules in laser induced plasmas.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures, thermodynamic properties, and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, microreactions, pump and probe diagnostics, tomography, temporal and spatial resolution. Basis of plasma computer modeling will be presented.
2,4-D ist ein in der Landwirtschaft weitverbreitetes Pflanzenschutzmittel, das Grundwasser kontaminiert, sich innerhalb der Nahrungskette anreichert und Umwelt- und Gesundheitsprobleme verursachen kann. Hier stellen die Autoren ein mikrofluidisches Nachweissystem für die Echtzeitdetektion von 2,4-D in Grund- oder Oberflächenwasser vor. Es basiert auf der Kombination 2,4-D-selektiver, fluoreszierender, molekular geprägter Polymer-(MIP-)Mikropartikel mit einem 3D-mikrofluidischen Extraktions- und Detektionssystem. Messungen vor Ort sollen damit künftig möglich sein.
Tandem MS techniques are widely used for both, structure and sequence elucidation of biopolymers. Thereby, fragmentation activation is realized by various methods, for example with lasers or collisions with neutral gases. In this study, we present a new Tandem MS system using a commercially available vacuum ultraviolet lamp. On the one hand, this approach provides efficient fragmentation in both ionization modes, positive as well as negative. On the other hand, it enables an additional previously not achieved post ionization of the fragments. While the first results in atypical fragment patterns and, thus provides orthogonal information, the second is crucial especially to identify low abundant ions.
The development and enhancement of new ionization techniques for mass spectrometry often needs to be custom-tailored for specific sampling approaches. Here, a direct sampling ionization technique is presented for ambient mass spectrometry. Ambient mass spectrometry based techniques are typically used to analyze samples in their native states without sample pretreatment. This new design is based on a quasi-continuous airborne plasma which is ignited inside the particulate air via a focused laser irradiation. Desorption and ionization of the analyte molecules are achieved by the laser plasma without reaching the plasma. The ionization process is induced by interaction with nascent ionic fragments, electrons and ultraviolet photons in the plasma vicinity. Previously, this method was solely used for the characterization of solid and gaseous analytes. The sample introduction was occurred via thermal desorption and headspace analysis. This study focuses on the potential applicability of liquid samples. In comparison to previous approaches, the usage of liquid samples has an impact on the stability of typically used plasma of 532 nm. It was necessary to realize an alternative plasma using light of the fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm. That new plasma resulted in a significant more stable and bright plasma and the first laser plasma ionization spectrum was recorded for an analyte in the condensed phase with a mass spectrometer of type LCQ DecaXP.
A versatile ionization scheme for atmospheric pressure MS is presented. It is based on a quasi-continuous laser-induced plasma (LIP), generated by a 26 kHz pulsed DPSS-laser, which is ignited in front of the MS inlet. Analytes are determined with different sampling regimes, comprising either an ambient desorption/ionization mechanism, a liquid-phase or gas-phase sample introduction.
The MS signal closely resembles the ionization behavior of APCI-like plasma-based sources, such as DBD or DART. Though LIPs are known to efficiently atomize/ionize any sample material, mass spectra of intact molecular ions are recorded, exhibiting low fragment-ion content. To understand this contradictory behavior, the plasma properties are investigated that lead to the formation of molecular ions. Comprehensive studies include optical emission spectroscopy, shadowgraph imaging and mass spectrometry diagnostics.
The results show that the ionization of analyte does not occur in the plasma itself, but in the cold adjacent gas layer. The pulsed character of LIPs induces an expanding shockwave, which concentrically expands around the plasma core and sweeps the molecules toward the plasma edges, where they are ionized either directly by the self-emission of the hot core or via interaction with secondary reactants. However, this unidirectional transport causes a rarefaction inside the plasma center, which leads to a decrease in plasma intensity and number density. Thus, a restoration of the former gaseous medium by other dynamically equilibrated diffusion processes would be favorable. Besides gas replenishing, we demonstrate the beneficial use of an acoustical standing wave inside an ultrasonic resonator on the performance of the LIP.
Mass spectrometry is applied as a tool for the elucidation of molecular structures. This premises that gas-phase structures reflect the original geometry of the analytes, while it requires a thorough understanding and investigation of the forces controlling and affecting the gas-phase structures. However, only little is known about conformational changes of oligonucleotides in the gas phase. In this study, a series of multiply charged DNA oligonucleotides (n¼15–40) has been subjected to a comprehensive tandem mass spectrometric study to unravel transitions between different ionic gas-phase structures. The nucleobase sequence and the chain length were varied to gain insights into their influence on the geometrical oligonucleotide organization. Altogether, 23 oligonucleotides were analyzed using collision-induced fragmentation. All sequences showed comparable correlation regarding the characteristic collision energy. This value that is also a measure for stability, strongly correlates with the net charge density of the precursor ions. With decreasing charge of the oligonucleotides, an increase in the fragmentation energy was observed. At a distinct charge density, a deviation from linearity was observed for all studied species, indicating a structural reorganization. To corroborate the proposed geometrical change, collisional cross-sections of the oligonucleotides at different charge states were determined using ion mobility-mass spectrometry. The results clearly indicate that an increase in charge density and thus Coulomb repulsion results in the transition from a folded, compact form to elongated structures of the precursor ions. Our data show this structural transition to depend mainly on the charge density, whereas sequence and size do not have an influence.
Rationale: The most commonly used fragmentation methods in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) are collision‐induced dissociation (CID) and higher energy collisional dissociation (HCD). While in CID the preselected ions in the trap are resonantly (and m/z exclusively) excited, in HCD the entire m/z range experiences the dissociative acceleration. The different excitation is reflected in different fragment distributions. Methods: As a test‐bed for particularly pronounced fragmentation specificity, here MS/MS experiments on several 4‐mer oligonucleotides were conducted employing both collision methods and the results were thoroughly compared. Oligonucleotides are shown to be sensitive probes to subtle changes, especially in the negative ion mode. A detailed analysis of these differences reveals insight into the dissociation mechanics. Results: Thedifferencesarerepresentedinheat‐maps,whichallowforadirectvisualinspection oflargeamountsofdata.Inthesefalsecolourrepresentationsthe,sometimessubtle,changesinthe individual dissociation product distributions become distinct. Another advantage of these graphic plots can be found in the formation of systematic patterns. These patterns reflect trends in dissociation specificity which allow for the formulation of general rules in fragmentation behavior. Conclusions: Instruments equipped with two different excitation schemes for MS/MS are today widely available. Nonetheless, direct comparisons between the individual results are scarcely made. Such comparative studies bear a powerful analytical potential to elucidate fragmentation reaction mechanism.
We found cascade IR generation in Al laser induced plasma. This generation includes doublet transitions 3s25s 2S1∕2→ 3s24p 2P1∕2,3∕2 → 3s24s 2S1∕2; corresponding to strong lines at 2110 and 2117 nm, and much weaker lines at 1312–1315 nm. The 3s25s2S 1∕2 starting IR generation level is directly pumped from the 3s23p 2P3∕2 ground level. The starting level for UV generation at 396.2 nm (transitions 3s24s 2S1∕2 → 4p 2P3∕2) is populated due to the fast collisional processes in the plasma plume. These differences led to different time and special dependences on the lasing in the IR and UV spectral range within the aluminum laser induced plasma.
Quantitative analysis of complex proteins is a challenging task in modern bioanalytical chemistry. Commonly available isotope labels are still suffering from limitations and drawbacks, whereas new metal labels open numerous possibilities in mass spectrometric analyses. In this work, we have developed a newmetal labeling strategy to tag glycan structures of proteins, more particularly antibodies. The oligosaccharide glycans were selectively trimmed to the last N-acetylglucosamine to which an artificial azide containing galactose residue was bound. This azide can be used for subsequent cycloaddition of an alkyne. Therefore, we developed a lanthanide-containing macrocyclic reagent to selectively connect to this azido galactose. In summary, the glycan structures of an antibody can be labeled with a metal functionality using this approach. Furthermore, the functionality of the antibodies can be fully maintained by labeling the Fc glycans instead of using labeling reagents that target amino or thiol groups. This approach enables the possibility of using elemental, besides molecular mass spectrometry, for quantitative analyses or imaging experiments of antibodies in complex biological samples.
Chemical functionalization for quantitative spectroscopic labeling on macroscopically flat surfaces
(2018)
This chapter highlights the application of chemical derivatization (CD) to facilitate the quantification of surface functional groups being an important issue for a wide field of applications. The selective attachment of a chemical label to a surface functional group being afterwards exclusively detectable by a highly sensitive technique overcomes the problem of characterizing low amounts of functional groups on macroscopically flat surfaces. The most frequently employed methods include CD X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet/visible absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Herein, the basic conditions for the different techniques regarding the specific surface functional group which need to be quantified are discussed. Additionally, the substrate highly influences the compatibility of the corresponding method. Because not just the quantification but also the preparation of the desired application is important, a summary of different preparation methods for glass, polymer and gold substrates is presented.