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Contamination of natural bodies of water or soil with oils and lubricants (or generally, hydrocarbon derivatives such as petrol, fuels, and others) is a commonly found phenomenon around the world due to the extensive production, transfer, and use of fossil fuels. In this work, we develop a simple system for the on-field detection of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in water and soil. The test is based on the measurement of the fluorescence signal emitted by the molecular rotor 2-[ethyl[4-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethenyl]phenyl]amino]ethanol (4-DNS-OH). This dye is embedded in a hydrophobic polymeric matrix (polyvinylidene fluoride), avoiding interactions with water and providing a robust support for use in a test strip fashion. Together with the strips, an embedded optical system was designed for fluorescence signal read-out, featuring a Bluetooth low-energy connection to a commercial tablet device for data processing and analysis. This system works for the detection and quantification of TPHs in water and soil through a simple extraction protocol using a cycloalkane solvent with a limit of detection of 6 ppm. Assays in surface and sea waters were conclusive, proving the feasibility of the method for in-the-field operation.
Fluorescent labels have strongly contributed to many advancements in bioanalysis, molecular biology, molecular imaging, and medical diagnostics. Despite a large toolbox of molecular and nanoscale fluorophores to choose from, there is still a need for brighter labels, e.g., for flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, that are preferably of molecular nature. This requires versatile concepts for fluorophore multimerization, which involves the shielding of dyes from other chromophores and possible quenchers in their neighborhood. In addition, to increase the number of readout parameters for fluorescence microscopy and eventually also flow cytometry, control and tuning of the labels’ fluorescence lifetimes is desired. Searching for bright multi-chromophoric or multimeric labels, we developed PEGylated dyes bearing functional groups for their bioconjugation and explored their spectroscopic properties and photostability in comparison to those of the respective monomeric dyes for two exemplarily chosen fluorophores excitable at 488 nm. Subsequently, these dyes were conjugated with anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 immunoglobulins to obtain fluorescent conjugates suitable for the labeling of cells and beads. Finally, the suitability of these novel labels for fluorescence lifetime imaging and target discrimination based upon lifetime measurements was assessed. Based upon the results of our spectroscopic studies including measurements of fluorescence quantum yields (QY) and fluorescence decay kinetics we could demonstrate the absence of significant dye-dye interactions and self-quenching in these multimeric labels. Moreover, in a first fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) study, we could show the future potential of this multimerization concept for lifetime discrimination and multiplexing.
Antibacterial photodynamic therapy (a‐PDT) has emerged as a promising non‐invasive therapeutic modality that utilizes the combination of a photosensitive agent, molecular oxygen, and excitation light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), demonstrating remarkable activity against multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections. However, the effective use of conventional photosensitizers is significantly limited by a number of their shortcomings, namely, poor water solubility and low selectivity. Herein, we present a novel biocompatible water‐soluble nanocomposite based on hydrophobic tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) molecules and hydrophilic ternary AgInS2/ZnS quantum dots incorporated into a chitosan matrix as an improved photosensitizer for a‐PDT. We demonstrated that TPP molecules could be successfully transferred into chitosan solution while remaining primarily in the form of monomers, which are capable of singlet oxygen generation. We performed a detailed analysis of the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between quantum dots and TPP molecules within the nanocomposite and proposed the mechanism of the singlet oxygen efficiency enhancement via FRET.
We synthesized a generation of water-soluble, atomically precise gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) with anisotropic Surface containing a short dithiol pegylated chain (AuMHA/TDT). The AuMHA/TDT exhibit a high brightness (QY ∼ 6%) in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectrum with a detection above 1250 nm.
Furthermore, they show an extended half-life in blood (t1/2ß = 19.54 ± 0.05 h) and a very weak accumulation in organs. We also developed a non-invasive, whole-body vascular imaging system in the SWIR window with high-resolution, benefiting from a series of Monte Carlo image processing. The imaging process enabled to improve contrast by 1 order of magnitude and enhance the spatial Resolution by 59%. After systemic administration of these nanoprobes in mice, we can quantify vessel complexity in depth (>4 mm), allowing to detect very subtle vascular disorders non-invasively in bone morphogenetic protein 9 (Bmp9)-deficient mice. The combination of these anisotropic surface charged Au NCs plus an improved SWIR imaging device allows a precise mapping at high-resolution and an in depth understanding of the organization of the vascular network in live animals.
Redox switches are applied in various fields of research, including molecular lifts, electronic devices and sensors. Switching the absorbance between UV and Vis/NIR by redox processes is of interest for applications in light harvesting or biomedicine.
Here, we present a series of push-pull benzothiadiazole derivatives with high fluorescence quantum yields in solution and in the crystalline solid state. Spectroelectrochemical analysis reveals the switching of UV-absorption in the neutral state to Vis/NIR absorption in the reduced state. We identify the partial irreversibility of the switching process, which appears to be reversible on the cyclic voltammetry timescale.
Surface-functionalized polymer beads encoded with molecular luminophores and nanocrystalline emitters such as semiconductor nanocrystals, often referred to as quantum dots (QDs), or magnetic nanoparticles are broadly used in the life sciences as reporters and carrier beads. Many of these applications require a profound knowledge of the chemical nature and total number of their surface functional groups (FGs), that control bead charge, colloidal stability, hydrophobicity, and the interaction with the environment and biological systems. For bioanalytical applications, also the
number of groups accessible for the subsequent functionalization with, e.g., biomolecules or targeting ligands is relevant. In this study, we explore the influence of QD encoding on the amount of carboxylic acid (COOH) surface FGs of 2 μm polystyrene microparticles (PSMPs). This is done for frequently employed oleic acid and oleylamine stabilized, luminescent core/shell CdSe QDs and two commonly used encoding procedures. This included QD addition during bead formation by a thermally induced polymerization reaction and a post synthetic swelling procedure. The accessible number of COOH groups on the surface of QD-encoded and pristine beads was quantified by two colorimetric assays, utilizing differently sized reporters and electrostatic and covalent interactions. The results were compared to the total number of FGs obtained by a conductometric titration and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition, a comparison of the impact of QD and dye encoding on the bead surface chemistry was performed. Our results demonstrate the influence of QD encoding and the QD-encoding strategy on the number of surface FG that is ascribed to an interaction of the QDs with the carboxylic acid groups on the bead surface. These findings are of considerable relevance for applications of nanoparticle-encoded beads and safe-by-design concepts for nanomaterials.
Carbon dots have attracted much attention due to their unique optical, chemical and electronic properties enabling a wide range of applications. The properties of carbon dots can be effectively adjusted through modifying their chemical composition. However, a major challenge remains in understanding the core and surface contributions to optical and electronic transitions. Here, three blue luminescent carbon dots with carboxyl, amino and hydroxyl groups were comprehensively characterized by UV-vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The influence of the surface functionality on their fluorescence was probed by pH-dependent photoluminescence measurements. Moreover, the hydrogen bonding interactions between water and the surface groups of carbon dots were characterized by infrared spectroscopy. Our results show that both core and surface electronic states of blue luminescent carbon dots contribute to electronic acceptor levels while the chemical nature of the surface groups determines the hydrogen bonding behavior of the carbon dots. This comprehensive spectroscopic study demonstrates that the surface chemistry has a profound influence on the electronic configuration and surface–water interaction of carbon dots, thus affecting their photoluminescence properties.
Highly emissive phenanthrene-fused boron–dipyrromethene (PBDP) dyes have been spectroscopically characterized in a series of solvents. The influence of different substituents (-H,
-I, -CN, -DMA or a 15C5-crown ether) in the para-position of a phenyl ring attached to the meso-position of the BODIPY core is discussed. This family of dyes has an intense emission at lambda > 630 nm, with fluorescence quantum yields between 0.7 and 1.0 in all solvents studied, except in the case of the dimethylamino-substituted
derivative, PBDP-DMA, which undergoes excited-state intramolecular charge transfer (CT), leading to broadband dual fluorescence in highly polar solvents. Introduction of a weaker electron donor such as a benzocrown to the meso-position is not able to trigger a second (charge or electron transfer) process and, interestingly, heavy atom (iodine, PBDP-I derivative) substitution at that moiety does also not have a relevant influence on the photophysics, i.e., enhanced intersystem crossing was not observed.
Electrochemical studies of PBDP-DMA complement the data reported and stress the fact that the decrease in fluorescence of PBDP-DMA in highly polar solvents is due to an excited-state CT process
rather than to a photoinduced electron transfer (PET).
Fluorescent sensory MIP (molecularly imprinted polymer) particles were combined with a droplet-based 3D microfluidic system for the selective determination of a prototype small-molecule analyte of environmental concern, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or 2,4-D, at nanomolar concentration directly in water samples. A tailor-made fluorescent indicator cross-linker was thus designed that translates the binding event directly into an enhanced fluorescence signal. The phenoxazinone-type cross-linker was co-polymerized into a thin MIP layer grafted from the surface of silica microparticles following a RAFT (reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer) polymerization protocol. While the indicator cross-linker outperformed its corresponding monomer twin, establishment of a phase-transfer protocol was essential to guarantee that the hydrogen bond-mediated signalling mechanism between the urea binding site on the indicator cross-linker and the carboxylate group of the analyte was still operative upon real sample analysis. The latter was achieved by integration of the fluorescent core-shell MIP sensor particles into a modular microfluidic platform that allows for an in-line phasetransfer assay, extracting the analyte from aqueous sample droplets into the organic phase that contains the sensor particles. Real-time fluorescence determination of 2,4-D down to 20 nM was realized with the system and applied for the analysis of various surface water samples collected from different parts of the world.
Gene-V protein (G5P/GVP) is a single-stranded (ss)DNA-binding protein (SBP) of bacteriophage f1 that is required for DNA synthesis and repair. In solution, it exists as a dimer that binds two antiparallel ssDNA strands with high affinity in a cooperative manner, forming a left-handed helical protein–DNA filament. Here, we report on fluorescence studies of the interaction of G5P with different DNA oligonucleotides having a hairpin structure (molecular beacon, MB) with a seven base-pair stem (dT24-stem7, dT18-stem7), as well as with DNA oligonucleotides (dT38, dT24) without a defined secondary structure. All oligonucleotides were end-labeled with a Cy3-fluorophore and a BHQ2-quencher. In the case of DNA oligonucleotides without a secondary structure, an almost complete quenching of their strong fluorescence (with about 5% residual intensity) was observed upon the binding of G5P. This implies an exact alignment of the ends of the DNA strand(s) in the saturated complex. The interaction of the DNA hairpins with G5P led to the unzipping of the base-paired stem, as revealed by fluorescence measurements, fluorescence microfluidic mixing experiments, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay data. Importantly, the disruption of ssDNA’s secondary structure agrees with the behavior of other single-stranded DNA-binding proteins (SBPs). In addition, substantial protein-induced fluorescence enhancement (PIFE) of the Cy3-fluorescence was observed.
To demonstrate the potential of time-resolved flow cytometry (FCM) for bioanalysis, clinical diagnostics, and optically encoded bead-based assays, we performed a proof-of-principle study to detect biomolecular interactions utilizing fluorescence lifetime (LT)-encoded micron-sized polymer beads bearing target-specific bioligands and a recently developed prototype lifetime flow cytometer (LT-FCM setup). This instrument is equipped with a single excitation light source and different fluorescence detectors, one operated in the photon-counting mode for time-resolved measurements of fluorescence decays and three detectors for conventional intensity measurements in different spectral windows. First, discrimination of bead-bound biomolecules was demonstrated in the time domain exemplarily for two targets, Streptavidin (SAv) and the tumor marker human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). In a second step, the determination of biomolecule concentration levels was addressed representatively for the inflammation-related biomarker tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) utilizing fluorescence intensity measurements in a second channel of the LT-FCM instrument. Our results underline the applicability of LT-FCM in the time domain for measurements of biomolecular interactions in suspension assays. In the future, the combination of spectral and LT encoding and multiplexing and the expansion of the time scale from the lower nanosecond range to the longer nanosecond and the microsecond region is expected to provide many distinguishable codes. This enables an increasing degree of multiplexing which could be attractive for high throughput screening applications.
In this work, we describe the synthesis, structural and photophysical characterization of four novel Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes bearing tetradentate luminophoric ligands with high photoluminescence quantum yields (FL) and long excited state lifetimes (s) at room temperature, where the results were interpreted by means of DFT calculations. Incorporation of fluorine atoms into the tetradentate ligand favors aggregation and thereby, a shortened average distance between the metal centers, which provides accessibility to metal–metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (3MMLCT) excimers acting as red-shifted Energy traps if compared with the monomeric entities. This supramolecular approach provides an elegant way to enable room-temperature phosphorescence from Pd(II) complexes, which are otherwise quenched by a thermal population of dissociative states due to a lower ligand field splitting. Encapsulation of These complexes in 100 nm-sized aminated polystyrene nanoparticles enables concentration-controlled aggregation-enhanced dual emission. This phenomenon facilitates the tunability of the absorption and emission colors while providing a rigidified environment supporting an enhanced FL up to about 80% and extended s exceeding 100 ms. Additionally, these nanoarrays constitute rare examples for selfreferenced oxygen reporters, since the phosphorescence of the aggregates is insensitive to external influences, whereas the monomeric species drop in luminescence lifetime and intensity with increasing triplet molecular dioxygen concentrations (diffusion-controlled quenching).
We developed a procedure to prepare luminescent LiYF4:Yb/LiYF4 and LiYF4:Yb,Er/LiYF4 core/shell nanocrystals with a size of approximately 40 nm revealing luminescence decay times of the dopant ions that approach those of high-quality laser crystals of LiYF4:Yb (Yb:YLF) and LiYF4:Yb,Er (Yb,Er:YLF) with identical doping concentrations. As the luminescence decay times of Yb3+ and Er3+ are known to be very sensitive to the presence of quenchers, the long decay times of the core/shell nanocrystals indicate a very low number of defects in the core particles and at the core/shell interfaces. This improvement in the performance was achieved by introducing two important modifications in the commonly used oleic acid based synthesis. First, the shell was prepared via anewly developed method characterized by a very low nucleation rate for particles of pure LiYF4 shell material. Second, anhydrous acetates were used as precursors and additional drying steps were applied to reduce the incorporation of OH− in the crystal lattice, known to quench the emission of Yb3+ ions. Excitation power density (P)-dependent absolute measurements of the upconversion luminescence quantum yield (Φ,UC) of LiYF4:Yb,Er/LiYF4 core/shell particles reveal a maximum value of 1.25% at P of 180 W·cm−2.
Although lower than the values reported for NaYF4:18%Yb,2%Er core/shell nanocrystals with comparable sizes, these Φ, UC values are the highest reported so far for LiYF4:18%Yb,2%Er/LiYF4 nanocrystals without additional dopants. Further improvements May nevertheless be possible by optimizing the dopant concentrations in the LiYF4 nanocrystals.
Luminescence-encoded microbeads are important tools for many applications in the life and material sciences that utilize luminescence detection as well as multiplexing and barcoding strategies. The preparation of such beads often involves the staining of premanufactured beads with molecular luminophores using simple swelling procedures or surface functionalization with layer-by-layer (LbL) techniques. Alternatively, these luminophores are sterically incorporated during the polymerization reaction yielding the polymer beads. The favorable optical properties of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), which present broadly excitable, size-tunable, narrow emission bands and low photobleaching sensitivity, triggered the preparation of beads stained with QDs. However, the colloidal nature and the surface chemistry of these QDs, which largely controls their luminescence properties, introduce new challenges to bead encoding that have been barely systematically assessed. To establish a straightforward approach for the bead encoding with QDs with minimized loss in luminescence, we systematically assessed the incorporation of oleic acid/oleylamine-stabilized CdSe/CdS-core/shell-QDs into 0.5–2.5 μm-sized polystyrene (PS) microspheres by a simple dispersion polymerization synthesis that was first optimized with the organic dye Nile Red. Parameters addressed for the preparation of luminophore-encoded beads include the use of a polymer-compatible ligand such as benzyldimethyloctadecylammonium chloride (OBDAC) for the QDs, and crosslinking to prevent luminophore leakage. The physico-chemical and optical properties of the resulting beads were investigated with electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, optical spectroscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. Particle size distribution, fluorescence quantum yield of the encapsulated QDs, and QD leaking stability were used as measures for bead quality. The derived optimized bead encoding procedure enables the reproducible preparation of bright PS microbeads encoded with organic dyes as well as with CdSe/CdS-QDs. Although these beads show a reduced photoluminescence quantum yield compared to the initially very strongly luminescent QDs, with values of about 35%, their photoluminescence quantum yield is nevertheless still moderate.
Time-resolved flow cytometry represents an alternative to commonly applied spectral or intensity multiplexing in bioanalytics. At present, the vast majority of the reports on this topic focuses on phase-domain techniques and specific applications. In this report, we present a flow cytometry platform with time-resolved detection based on a compact setup and straightforward time-Domain measurements utilizing lifetime-encoded beads with lifetimes in the nanosecond range. We provide general assessment of time-domain flow cytometry and discuss the concept of this platform to address achievable resolution limits, data analysis, and requirements on suitable encoding dyes. Experimental data are complemented by numerical calculations on photon count numbers and impact of noise and measurement time on the obtained lifetime values.
Two nanosensors for simultaneous optical measurements of the bioanalytically and biologically relevant analytes temperature (“T”), oxygen (“O”), and pH (“P”) have been designed. These “TOP” nanosensors are based on 100 nmsized silica-coated polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) doped with a near-infrared emissive oxygen- and temperature-sensitive chromium(III) complex ([Cr(ddpd)2][BPh4]3, CrBPh4) and an inert reference dye (Nile Red, NR or 5,10,15,20tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) porphyrin, TFPP) and are covalently labeled with pHsensitive fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). These emitters can be excited at the same wavelength and reveal spectrally distinguishable emission bands, allowing for ratiometric intensity-based and time-resolved studies in the visible and near-infrared wavelength region. Studies in PBS buffer solutions and in a model body liquid demonstrate the applicability of these nanosensors for the sensitive luminescence readout of TOP simultaneously at the same spatialposition.
The efficient and sensitive detection of pathogenic microorganisms in aqueous environments, such as water used in medical applications, drinking water, and cooling water of industrial plants, requires simple and fast methods suitable for multiplexed detection such as flow cytometry (FCM) with optically encoded carrier beads. For this purpose, we combine fluorescent Cd-free Ag−In−S ternary quantum dots (t-QDs) with fluorescence Lifetimes (LTs) of several hundred nanoseconds and superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (SPIONs) with mesoporous CaCO3 microbeads to a magneto-fluorescent bead platform that can be surface-functionalized with bioligands, such as antibodies. This inorganic bead platform enables immuno-magnetic separation, target enrichment, and target quantification with optical readout. The beads can be detected with steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM). Moreover, they are suited for readout by time gated emission. In the following, the preparation of these magneto-fluorescent CaCO3 beads, their spectroscopic and analytic characterization, and their conjugation with bacteria-specific antibodies are presented as well as proof-of-concept measurements with Legionella pneumophila including cell cultivation and plating experiments for bacteria quantification. Additionally, the possibility to discriminate between the long-lived emission of the LT-encoded capture and carrier CaCO3 beads and the short-lived Emission of the dye-stained bacteria with time-resolved fluorescence techniques and single wavelength excitation is demonstrated.
The molecular ruby analogue [Cr(ddpd)2]3+ (ddpd=N,N’-dimethyl-N,N’-dipyridine-2-ylpyridine-2,6-diamine) exhibits near infrared (NIR) emission with a high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield ΦPL of 11 % and a lifetime of 898 μs in deaerated water at room temperature. While ligand-based control of the photophysical properties has received much attention, influences of the counter anions and microenvironment are still underexplored. In this study, the luminescence properties of the molecular ruby were systematically examined for the counter anions Cl−, Br−, [BF4]−, [PF6]−, [BPh4]−, and [BArF24]− in acetonitrile (MeCN) solution, in crystals, and embedded into polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNP). Stern-Volmer analyses of the oxygen quenching studies in the intensity and lifetime domain showed the highest oxygen sensitivity of the complexes with the counter anions of [BF4]− and [BArF24]−, which also revealed the longest luminescence lifetimes. Embedding [Cr(ddpd)2][PF6]3 in PSNPs and shielding with poly(vinyl alcohol) yields a strongly NIR-emissive oxygen-insensitive material with a record ΦPL of 15.2 % under ambient conditions.
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.
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.
Biofilms are ubiquitous in nature and in the man-made environment. Given their harmful effects on human health, an in-depth understanding of biofilms and the monitoring of their formation and growth are important. Particularly relevant for many metabolic processes and survival strategies of biofilms is their extracellular pH. However, most conventional techniques are not suited for minimally invasive pH measurements of living biofilms. Here, a fluorescent nanosensor is presented for ratiometric measurements of pH in biofilms in the range of pH 4.5–9.5 using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The nanosensor consists of biocompatible polystyrene nanoparticles loaded with pH-inert dye Nile Red and is surface functionalized with a pH-responsive fluorescein dye. Its performance was validated by fluorometrically monitoring the time-dependent changes in pH in E. coli biofilms after glucose inoculation at 37 °C and 4 °C. This revealed a temperature-dependent decrease in pH over a 4-h period caused by the acidifying glucose metabolism of E. coli. These studies demonstrate the applicability of this nanosensor to characterize the chemical microenvironment in biofilms with fluorescence methods.
A first tricolor fluorescent pH nanosensor is presented, which was rationally designed from biocompatible carboxylated polystyrene nanoparticles and two analyte-responsive molecular fluorophores. Its fabrication involved particle staining with a blue-red-emissive dyad, consisting of a rhodamine moiety responsive to acidic pH values and a pH-inert quinoline fluorophore, followed by the covalent attachment of a fluorescein dye to the particle surface that signals neutral and basic pH values with a green fluorescence. These sensor particles change their fluorescence from blue to red and green, depending on the pH and excitation wavelength, and enable ratiometric pH measurements in the pH range of 3.0−9.0. The localization of the different sensor dyes in the particle core and at the particle surface was confirmed with fluorescence microscopy utilizing analogously prepared polystyrene microparticles. To show the application potential of these polystyrene-based multicolor sensor particles, fluorescence microscopy studies with a human A549 cell line were performed, which revealed the cellular uptake of the pH nanosensor and the differently colored emissions in different cell organelles, that is, compartments of the endosomal-lysosomal pathway. Our results demonstrate the underexplored potential of biocompatible polystyrene particles for multicolor and multianalyte sensing and bioimaging utilizing hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic stimuli-responsive luminophores.
Rapid testing methods for the use directly at apointof need are expected to unfold their true potential especiallywhen offering adequate capabilities for the simultaneousmeasurement of multiple analytes of interest. Considering theunique modularity,high sensitivity,and selectivity of antibody-gated indicator delivery (gAID) systems,amultiplexed assayfor three small-molecule explosives (TATP, TNT,PETN) wasthus developed, allowing to detect the analytes simultaneouslywith asingle test strip at lower ppb concentrations in the liquidphase in < 5min using afluorescence reader or asmartphonefor readout. While the TNT and PETN systems were newlydeveloped here,all the three systems also tolerated harshermatrices than buffered aqueous model solutions.Besidesasingle-track strip,the outstanding modularity of the hybridbiosensor materials in combination with strip-patterningtechnologies allowed us to obtain amultichannel strip inastraightforwardmanner,offering comparable analyticalperformance while allowing to be tailored even more to theusersneed.
The core−shell NaYF4:Yb3+/Tm3+@NaYF4:Yb3+ upconversion nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a solvothermal method, and a layer of mesoporous silica (mSiO2) was successfully coated on the periphery of the core−shell nanoparticles to transform their surface from lipophilic to hydrophilic, further expanding their applications in biological tissues. The physical phase, morphology, structure, and fluorescence properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ζ potential analysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that the material has a hexagonal structure with good hydrophilicity and emits intense fluorescence under 980 nm pump laser excitation. The non-contact temperature sensing performance of nanoparticles was evaluated by analyzing the upconversion fluorescence of Tm3+ (1G4 → 3F4 and 3F3 → 3H6) in the temperature range of 284−344 K. The absolute and relative sensitivities were found to be 0.0067 K−1 and 1.08 % K−1, respectively, with high-temperature measurement reliability and good temperature cycling performance. More importantly, its temperature measurement in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution is accurate. In addition, the temperature of the cells can be increased by adjusting the laser power density and laser irradiation time. Therefore, an optical temperature sensing platform was built to realize the application of real-time monitoring of cancer cell temperature and the dual function of photothermal therapy.
The tendency of boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes to associate in water is well known, and usually a cause for inferior fluorescence properties. Synthetic efforts to chemically improve BODIPYs’ water solubility and minimize this problem have been numerous in the past. However, a deeper understanding of the phenomena responsible for fluorescence quenching is still required. Commonly, the spectroscopic behaviour in aqueous media has been attributed to aggregate or excimer formation, with such works often centring on a single BODIPY family. Herein, we provide an integrating discussion including very diverse types of BODIPY dyes. Our studies revealed that even subtle structural changes can distinctly affect the association behaviour of the fluorophores in water, involving different photophysical processes. The palette of behaviour found ranges from unperturbed emission, to the formation of H or J aggregates and excimers, to the involvement of tightly bound, preformed excimers. These results are a first step to a more generalized understanding of spectroscopic properties vs. structure, facilitating future molecular design of BODIPYs, especially as probes for biological applications.
With the reduction of large oil spills because of stricter regulations and safety measures, the question of how to manage smaller oil spills arises. Few on-site analytical tools are available for first responders or other law enforcement personnel to rapidly test for crude oil in the early management of localized polluted areas. The approach reported here relies on well-described computer-assisted multivariate data analysis of the intrinsic fluorescence fingerprints of crude oils to build a multivariate model for the rapid classification of crude oils and the prediction of their properties. Thanks to a dedicated robust portable reader, the method allowed classification and accurate prediction of various properties of crude oil samples like density (according to API, the American Petroleum Institute and viscosity as well as composition parameters such as volume fractions of paraffins or aromatics. In this way, autonomous operation in on-site or in-the-field applications becomes possible based on the direct (undiluted and untreated) measurement of samples and a rapid, tablet-operated readout system to yield a robust and simple analytical test with superior performance. Testing in real-life scenarios allowed the successful classification and prediction of a number of oil spill samples as well as weathered samples that closely resemble samples collected by first responders.
Merocyanine–triarylamine bichromophores are readily synthesized by sequentially Pd-catalyzed insertion alkynylation–Michael–Suzuki four-component reactions. White-light emissive systems form upon aggregation in 1 : 99 and 0.1 : 99.9 vol% CH2Cl2–cyclohexane mixtures, ascribed to aggregation-induced dual emission (AIDE) in combination with partial energy transfer between both chromophore units as supported by spectroscopic studies.
Objective: The utilization of fluorescein-guided biopsies and resection has been recently discussed as a suitable strategy to improve and expedite operative techniques for the resection of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. However, little is known about the optical properties of sodium fluorescein (NaFl) in human tumor tissue and their potential impact on ex vivo analyses involving fluorescence-based methods.
Methods: Tumor tissue was obtained from a study cohort of an observational study on the utilization of fluorescein-guided biopsy and resection (n=5). The optical properties of fluorescein-stained tissue were compared to the optical features of the dye in vitro and in control samples consisting of tumor tissue of high-grade glioma patients (n=3) without intravenous (i.v.) application of NaFl. The dye-exposed tumor tissues were used for optical measurements to confirm the detectability of NaFl emission ex vivo. The tissue samples were fixed in 4%PFA, immersed in 30% sucrose, embedded in Tissue-Tek OCT compound, and cut to 10 mm cryosections. Spatially resolved emission spectra from tumor samples were recorded on representative slides with a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope FV1000 (Olympus GmbH, Hamburg, Germany) upon excitation with lexc = 488 nm.
Results: Optical measurements of fluorescein in 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) under in vitro conditions showed an absorption maximum of lmax abs = 479 nm as detected with spectrophotometer Specord 200 and an emission peak at lmax em = 538 nm recorded with the emCCD detection system of a custom-made microscope-based single particle setup using a 500 nm long-pass filter. Further measurements revealed pH- and concentration-dependent emission spectra of NaFl. Under ex vivo conditions, confocal laser scanning microscopy of fluorescein tumor samples revealed a slight bathochromic shift and a broadening of the emission band.
Conclusion: Tumor uptake of NaFl leads to changes in the optical properties – a bathochromic shift and broadening of the emission band – possibly caused by the dye’s high pH sensitivity and concentration-dependent reabsorption acting as an innerfilter of the dye’s emission, particularly in the short wavelength region of the Emission spectrum where absorption and fluorescence overlap. Understanding the ex vivo optical properties of fluorescein is crucial for testing and validating its further applicability as an optical probe for intravital microscopy, immunofluorescence localization studies, and flow cytometry analysis.
Singlet oxygen can severely damage biological tissue, which is exploited in photodynamic therapy (PDT). In PDT, the effective range is limited by the distribution of the photosensitizer (PS) and the illuminated area. However, no distinction is made between healthy and pathological tissue, which can cause undesired damage. This encouraged us to exploit the more acidic pH of cancerous tissue and design pH-controllable singlet oxygen-generating boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes. A pH sensitivity of the dyes is achieved by the introduction of an electronically decoupled, photoinduced electron transfer (PET)-capable subunit in meso-position of the BODIPY core. To favor triplet-state formation as required for singlet Oxygen generation, iodine substituents were introduced at the chromophore core. The resulting pH-controlled singlet oxygen-generating dyes with pKa values in the physiological range were subsequently assessed regarding their potential as pH-controlled PS for PDT.
Using HeLa cells, we could successfully demonstrate markedly different pH-dependent cytotoxicities upon illumination.
This contribution reports the development of a polymerizable BODIPY-type fluorescent probe targeting small-molecule carboxylates for incorporation into molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The design of the probe crosslinker includes a urea recognition site p-conjugated to the 3-position of the BODIPY core and two methacrylate moieties. Titration experiments with a carboxylate-expressing antibiotic, levofloxacin (LEVO), showed a blue shift of the absorption band as well as a broadening and decrease in emission, attributed to hydrogen bonding between the probe’s urea group and the carboxylate group of the antibiotic. Using this probe crosslinker, core–shell particles with a silica core and a thin MIP shell were prepared for the detection of LEVO. The MIP exhibited highly selective recognition of LEVO, with an imprinting factor of 18.1 compared to the non-imprinted polymer. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the core–shell structure and spectroscopic studies revealed that the receptor’s positioning leads to a unique perturbation of the polymethinic character of the BODIPY chromophore, entailing the favourable responses. These features are fully preserved in the MIP, whereas no such response was observed for competitors such as ampicillin. The sensory particles allowed to detect LEVO down to submicromolar concentrations in dioxane. We have developed here for the first time a BODIPY probe for organic carboxylates and incorporated it into polymers using the imprinting technique, paving the way for BODIPY-type fluorescent MIP sensors.
Most studies about the interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) with cells have focused on how the physicochemical properties of NPs will influence their uptake by cells. However, much less is known about their potential excretion from cells. However, to control and manipulate the number of NPs in a cell, both cellular uptake and excretion must be studied quantitatively. Monitoring the intracellular and extracellular amount of NPs over time (after residual noninternalized NPs have been removed) enables one to disentangle the influences of cell proliferation and exocytosis, the major pathways for the reduction of NPs per cell. Proliferation depends on the type of cells, while exocytosis depends in addition on properties of the NPs, such as their size. Examples are given herein on the role of these two different processes for different cells and NPs.
Detection of pathogenic nucleic acids remains one of the most reliable approaches for the diagnosis of a broad range of diseases. Current PCR-based methods require experienced personnel and cannot be easily used for point-of care diagnostics, making alternative strategies for the sensitive, reliable, and cost-efficient detection of pathogenic nucleic acids highly desirable. Here, we report an enzyme-free method for the fluorometric detection of RNA that relies on a target-induced fluorophore transfer onto a semiconductor quantum dot (QD), uses PNA probes as selective recognition elements and can be read out with simple and inexpensive equipment. For QD-PNA conjugates with optimized PNA content, limits of detection of dengue RNA in the range of 10 pM to 100 nM can be realized within 5 h in the presence of a high excess of noncomplementary RNA.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) used for treating cancer relies on the generation of highly reactive oxygen species, for example, singlet oxygen 1O2, by light-induced excitation of a photosensitizer (PS) in the presence of molecular oxygen, inducing DNA damage in close proximity of the PS. Although many precious metal complexes have been explored as PS for PDT and received clinical approval, only recently, the potential of photoactive complexes of nonnoble metals as PS has been discovered. Using the DNA origami technology that can absolutely quantify DNA strand break cross sections, we assessed the potential of the luminescent transition metal complex [Cr(ddpd)2]3+ (ddpd=N,N’-dimethyl-N,N’-dipyridine-2-ylpyridine-2,6-diamine) to damage DNA in an air-saturated aqueous environment upon UV/Vis illumination. The quantum yield for strand breakage, that is, the ratio of DNA strand breaks to the number of absorbed photons, was determined to 1–4%, indicating efficient transformation of photons into DNA strand breaks by [Cr(ddpd)2]3+.
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.
Oligonucleotide-templated reactions (OTRs) between two reactive hybridization probes allow for the detection of a DNA or RNA of interest by exploiting the target molecule as a catalyst of chemical reactions.
The product of such a reaction commonly exhibits distinct fluorescence properties and can be detected by the means of fluorescence spectroscopy. The vast majority of OTR systems utilize organic dyes as fluorescent reporters. However, the use of brighter emitters, such as semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), has potential to improve the sensitivity of detection by providing brighter signals and permitting the use of probes at very low concentrations. Here we report an RNA-templated reaction between two fluorescently labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-based probes, which proceeds on the surface of a QD. The QD-Bound PNA probe bears a cysteine functionality, while the other PNA is functionalized with an organic dye as a thioester. OTR between these probes proceeds through a transfer of the organic dye to the QD and can be conveniently monitored via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the QD to the Cy5. The reaction was performed in a conventional fluorescence microplate reader and permits the detection of RNA in the picomolar range.
Real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy in living cells is highly desirable for a better understanding of intracellular degradative processes. Herein, we describe a reaction-based boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dye containing strongly electron-withdrawing diethyl 2-cyanoacrylate groups at the α-positions. The probe exhibits intense red fluorescence in acidic organelles or the acidified cytosol while negligible fluorescence in other regions of the cell. The underlying mechanism is a nucleophilic reaction at the central meso-carbon of the indacene core, resulting in the loss of π-conjugation entailed by dramatic spectroscopic changes of more than 200 nm between its colorless, non-fluorescent leuco-BODIPY form and its red and brightly emitting form. The reversible transformation between red fluorescent BODIPY and leuco-BODIPY along with negligible cytotoxicity qualifies such dyes for rapid and direct intracellular lysosome imaging and cytosolic acidosis detection simultaneously without any washing step, enabling the real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingo-lipid with a broad range of activities coupled to its role in G-protein coupled receptor signalling. Monitoring of both intra and extra cellular levels of this lipid is challenging due to its low abundance and lack of robust affinity assays or sensors. We here report on fluorescent sensory core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) particles responsive to near physiologically relevant levels of S1P and the S1P receptor modulator fingolimod phosphate (FP) in spiked human serum samples. Imprinting was achieved using the tetrabutylammonium (TBA) salt of FP or phosphatidic acid (DPPA·Na) as templates in combination with a polymerizable nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-urea monomer with the dual role of capturing the phospho-anion and signalling its presence. The monomers were grafted from ca 300 nm RAFT-modified silica core particles using ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker resulting in 10–20 nm thick shells displaying selective fluorescence response to the targeted lipids S1P and DPPA in aqueous buffered media. Potential use of the sensory particles for monitoring S1P in serum was demonstrated on spiked serum samples, proving a linear range of 18–60 μM and a detection limit of 5.6 μM, a value in the same range as the plasma concentration of the biomarker.
N-Benzyl aroyl-S,N-ketene acetals can be readily synthesized by condensation of aroyl chlorides and N-Benzyl 2-methyl benzothiazolium salts in good to excellent yields, yielding a library of 35 chromophores with bright solid-state emission and aggregation-induced emission characteristics.
Varying the substituent from electron-donating to electronwithdrawing enables the tuning of the solid-state emission Color from deep blue to red.
The interaction of microcroplastics (MP) with dissolved organic matter, especially humic substances, is of great importance in understanding the behavior of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems. Surface modification by humic substances plays an essential role in transport and interaction of MP with abiotic and biotic components. Previous studies on the interaction between MP and humic substances were largely based on a model compound, humic acid (Sigma-Aldrich). In our work, we therefore investigated the interaction of natural organic matter (NOM) sampled from a German surface water with low-density polyethylene particles (LDPE). Highpressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and UV/vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the incubation solutions after modifications due to the presence of LDPE, and Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the incubated microplastics. While the studies of the solutions generally showed only very small effects, Raman spectroscopic studies allowed clear evidence of the binding of humic fractions to MP. The comparison of the incubation of NOM and a lignite fulvic acid which also was tested further showed that specific signatures of the humic substances used could be detected by Raman spectroscopy. This provides an elegant opportunity to conduct broader studies on this issue in the future.
Gaining chemical control over the thermodynamics and kinetics of photoexcited states is paramount to an efficient and sustainable utilization of photoactive transition metal complexes in a plethora of technologies. In contrast to energies of charge Transfer states described by spatially separated orbitals, the energies of spinflip states cannot straightforwardly be predicted as Pauli Repulsion and the nephelauxetic effect play key roles. Guided by multireference quantum chemical calculations, we report a novel highly luminescent spin-flip emitter with a quantum chemically predicted blue-shifted luminescence. The spin-flip emission band of the chromium complex [Cr(bpmp)2]3+ (bpmp = 2,6-bis(2-pyridylmethyl) pyridine) shifted to higher energy from ca. 780 nm observed for known highly emissive chromium(III) complexes to 709 nm. The photoluminescence quantum yields climb to 20%, and very long excited state lifetimes in the millisecond range are achieved at room temperature in acidic D2O solution. Partial ligand deuteration increases the quantum yield to 25%. The high excited state energy of [Cr(bpmp)2]3+ and its facile reduction to [Cr(bpmp)2]2+ result in a high excited state redox potential. The ligand’s methylene bridge acts as a Brønsted acid quenching the luminescence at high pH. Combined with a pH-insensitive chromium(III) emitter, ratiometric optical pH sensing is achieved with single wavelength excitation. The photophysical and Ground state properties (quantum yield, lifetime, redox potential, and acid/base) of this spin-flip complex incorporating an earth-abundant metal surpass those of the classical precious metal [Ru(α-diimine)3]2+ charge transfer complexes, which are commonly employed in optical sensing and photo(redox) catalysis, underlining the bright future of these molecular ruby analogues.
We present a comparative study of the spectroscopic properties of the donor–acceptor–donor substituted dyes triphenylamine-allylidenemalononitrile-julolidine (TMJ) and triphenylamine-allylidenemalononitriletriphenylamine (TMT), bearing one and two propeller-like triphenylamine donor moieties, in solvents of varying polarity and viscosity and in the aggregated and solid state. Our results reveal control of the aggregation-induced spectroscopic changes and the packing motifs of the dye molecules in the solid state by the chemical nature and structure of the second nitrogen-containing donor, i.e., a planar and a rigid julolidine or a twisted triphenyl group. Assuming that the TMT and TMJ aggregates show a comparable arrangement of the molecules to the respective crystals, these different molecular interactions in the solid state are responsible for aggregation induced emission (AIE) in the case of TMT and its absence for TMJ. Moreover, a versatile strategy for the fluorescence enhancement of only weakly emissive AIE dyes is shown, turning these dyes into bright nanoscale fluorescent reporters by using them as stains for preformed polymer particles.
We present the rational design, synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of a novel dual excitation, three color emitting, pH-responsive fluorescent probe consisting of two phenanthrene and one rhodamine B units linked by click chemistry. The rhodamine moiety, excitable at λEx = 315 nm and at λEx = 560 nm in its ring-opened form, provides the pH-responsive fluorophore, while the pH-insensitive phenanthrene, excited at λEx = 315 nm, serves as inert internal reference, The presence of two phenanthrene moieties enables a blue monomer and a blueish green excimer emission at 351 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Opening of the rhodamine B spirolactam ring at an acidic pH below 5.0 (pKa = 2.59 ± 0.04) switches on its emission at 580 nm. Simultaneously, the phenanthrene excimer emission decreases caused by a change in orientation of the phenanthrene units, while the monomer emission is barely affected. This sensor design enables ratiometric measurements in the low acidic pH range utilizing the intensity ratios of the rhodamine B and phenanthrene excimer emission at 580 nm and 500 nm. Alternatively, also the intensity ratios of the rhodamine B and the phenanthrene monomer emission could be exploited or the sum of the phenanthrene monomer and excimer fluorescence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ratiometric sensing utilizing such a versatile type of tricolor emissive dyad probe bearing phenanthrene moieties and showing phenanthrene monomer and excimer emission.
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.
Atomically precise gold nanoclusters are a fascinating class of nanomaterials that exhibit molecule-like properties and have outstanding photoluminescence (PL). Their ultrasmall size, molecular chemistry, and biocompatibility make them extremely appealing for selective biomolecule labeling in investigations of biological mechanisms at the cellular and anatomical levels. In this work, we report a simple route to incorporate a preformed Au25 nanocluster into a model bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein. A new approach combining small-angle X-ray scattering and molecular modeling provides a clear localization of a single Au25 within the protein to a cysteine residue on the gold nanocluster surface.
Attaching Au25 to BSA strikingly modifies the PL properties with enhancement and a redshift in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window. This study paves the way to conrol the design of selective sensitive probes in biomolecules through a ligand-based strategy to enable the optical detection of biomolecules in a cellular environment by live imaging.
Recent progress has shown that using wavelengths between 1,000 and 2,000 nm, referred to as the shortwave-infrared or near-infrared (NIR)-II range, can enable high-resolution in vivo imaging at depths not possible with conventional optical wavelengths.
However, few bioconjugatable probes of the type that have proven invaluable for multiplexed imaging in the visible and NIR range are available for imaging these wavelengths. Using rational design, we have generated persulfonated indocyanine dyes with absorbance maxima at 872 and 1,072 nm through catechol-ring and aryl-ring fusion, respectively, onto the nonamethine scaffold. Multiplexed two-color and three-color in vivo imaging using monoclonal antibody and dextran conjugates in several tumor models illustrate the benefits of concurrent labeling of the tumor and healthy surrounding tissue and lymphatics.
These efforts are enabled by complementary advances in a custom-built NIR/shortwave-infrared imaging setup and software package for multicolor real-time imaging.
We report on the temperature- and structural-dependent optical properties and photophysics of a set of boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes with different substitution patterns of their meso-aryl subunit. Single-crystal Xray diffraction analysis of the compounds enabled a classification of the dyes into a sterically hindered and a unhindered group. The steric hindrance refers to a blocked rotational motion of the aryl subunit around the bond connecting this moiety to the meso-position of the BODIPY core. The energy barriers related to this rotation were simulated by DFT calculations. As follows from the relatively low rotational barrier calculated to about 17 kcal/mol, a free rotation is only possible for sterically unhindered compounds. Rotational barriers of more than 40 kcal/mol determined for the sterically hindered compounds suggest an effective freezing of the rotational motion in These molecules. With the aid of temperature-dependent spectroscopic measurements, we could show that the ability to rotate directly affects the optical properties of our set of BODIPY dyes. This accounts for the strong temperature dependence of the fluorescence of the sterically unhindered compounds which show a drastic decrease in fluorescence quantum yield and a significant shortening in fluorescence lifetime upon heating. The optical properties of the sterically hindered compounds, however, are barely affected by temperature. Our results suggest a nonradiative deactivation of the first excited singlet state of the sterically unhindered compounds caused by a conical intersection of the potential energy surfaces of the Ground and first excited state which is accessible by rotation of the meso-subunit. This is in good agreement with previously reported deactivation mechanisms. In addition, our results suggest the presence of a second nonradiative depopulation pathway of the first excited singlet state which is particularly relevant for the sterically hindered compounds.
Polycarboxylate ethers (PCEs) are widely used in construction, but the exact nature of their interaction with cement is still debated. Aiming at a better understanding of the role of tricalcium Aluminate (C3A) in cement hydration, we assessed the potential of optical spectroscopy in combination with a water-soluble fluorescent organic reporter dye (S0586) to monitor the early hydration of C3A in the presence of 26 wt% CaSO4.2H2O (C3A26G-S) with and without PCE. As optical methods, steady-state fluorescence and diffuse reflectance (UV–VisDR) spectroscopy were employed. Phase characterization and particle size distribution were performed with in-situ X-ray diffraction (in-situ XRD) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Our results show that fluorescence and UV–VisDR spectroscopy can be used to monitor the formation of metastable phases by the disaggregation of the dye S0586 in a cement paste as well as changes in ettringite formation. Addition of PCE slowed down the disaggregation of the dye as reflected by the corresponding changes of the dyes absorption and fluorescence. This prolonged induction period is a well-known side effect of PCEs and agrees with previous reported calorimetric studies and the Inhibition of gypsum dissolution observed by in-situ XRD. This demonstrates that fluorescence and UV–VisDR spectroscopy together with a suitable optical probe can provide deeper insights into the influence of PCE on C3A-gypsum hydration which could be e.g., utilized as screening method for comparing the influences
of different types of PCEs.
This paper discusses the feasibility of a novel strategy based on the combination of bioprinting nano-doping technology and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis for the preparation and characterization of gelatin- based multi-element calibration standards suitable for quantitative imaging. To achieve this, lanthanide up-conversion nanoparticles were added to a gelatin matrix to produce the bioprinted calibration standards. The features of this bioprinting approach were com- pared with manual cryosectioning standard preparation, in terms of throughput, between batch repeatability and elemental signal homogeneity at 5 μm spatial resolution. By using bioprinting, the between batch variability for three independent standards of the same concentration of 89 Y (range 0–600 mg/kg) was reduced to 5% compared to up to 27% for cryosectioning. On this basis, the relative standard deviation ( RSD ) obtained between three independent calibration slopes measured within 1 day also reduced from 16% (using cryosectioning ) to 5% (using bioprinting), supporting the use of a single standard preparation replicate for each of the concentrations to achieve good calibration performance using bioprinting. This helped reduce the analysis time by approximately 3-fold. With cryosectioning each standard was prepared and sectioned individually, whereas using bio-printing it was possible to have up to six different standards printed simultaneously, reducing the preparation time from approximately 2 h to under 20 min (by approxi- mately 6-fold). The bio-printed calibration standards were found stable for a period of 2 months when stored at ambient temperature and in the dark.
Bifunctional fluorescent molecular oxoanion probes based on the benzoxadiazole (BD) chromophore are described which integrate a thiourea binding motif and a polymerizable 2-aminoethyl methacrylate unit in the 4,7-positions of the BD core. Concerted charge transfer in this electron donor-acceptor-donor architecture endows the dyes with strongly Stokes shifted (up to >250 nm) absorption and fluorescence. Binding of electron-rich carboxylate guests at the thiourea receptor leads to further analyte-induced red-shifts of the emission, shifting the fluorescence maximum of the complexes to ≥700 nm. Association constants for acetate are ranging from 1–5×105 M−1 in acetonitrile. Integration of one of the fluorescent probes through its polymerizable moiety into molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) grafted from the surface of submicron silica cores yielded fluorescent MIP-coated particle probes for the selective detection of antibiotics containing aliphatic carboxylate groups such as enoxacin (ENOX) at micromolar concentrations in highly polar solvents like acetonitrile.
We demonstrate the potential of time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy for the straightforward assessment and in situ monitoring of the stability of upconversion nanocrystals (UCNPs). Therefore, we prepared hexagonal NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ UCNPs with various coatings with a focus on phosphonate ligands of different valency, using different ligand exchange procedures, and studied their dissolution behaviour in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) dispersions at 20 °C and 37 °C with various analytical methods. The amount of the released UCNPs constituting fluoride ions was quantified by potentiometry using a Fluoride ion-sensitive electrode and particle disintegration was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy studies of the differently aged UCNPs. In parallel, the luminescence features of the UCNPs were measured with special emphasis on the lifetime of the sensitizer emission to demonstrate its suitability as Screening parameter for UCNP stability and changes in particle composition. The excellent correlation between the changes in luminescence lifetime and fluoride concentration highlights the potential of our luminescence lifetime method for UCNP stability screening and thereby indirect monitoring of the release of potentially hazardous fluoride ions during uptake and dissolution in biological systems. Additionally, the developed in situ optical method was used to distinguish the dissolution dynamics of differently sized and differently coated UCNPs.