Enantioanalysis of Pipecolic Acid with Stochastic and Potentiometric Microsensors

Chiral secondary amino acids, their importance, and methods of analysis

Naturally occurring secondary amino acids, with proline as the main representative, contain an alpha-imino group in a cycle that is typically four-, five-, and six-membered. The unique ring structure exhibits exceptional properties-conformational rigidity, chemical stability, and specific roles in protein structure and folding. Many proline analogues have been used as valuable compounds for the study of metabolism of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and for the synthesis of compounds with desired biological, pharmaceutical, or industrial properties. The D-forms of secondary amino acids play different roles in living organisms than the L-forms. They have different metabolic pathways, biological, physiological, and pharmacological effects, they can be indicators of changes and also serve as biomarkers of diseases. In the scientific literature, the number of articles examining D-amino acids in biological samples is increasing. The review summarises information on the occurrence and importance of D- and L-secondary amino acids-azetidic acid, proline, hydroxyprolines, pipecolic, nipecotic, hydroxypipecolic acids and related peptides containing these D-AAs, as well as the main analytical methods (mostly chromatographic) used for their enantiomeric determination in different matrices (biological samples, plants, food, water, and soil).

Porphyrinoids for Chemical Sensor Applications

Porphyrins and related macrocycles have been intensively exploited as sensing materials in chemical sensors, since in these devices they mimic most of their biological functions, such as reversible binding, catalytic activation, and optical changes. Such a magnificent bouquet of properties allows applying porphyrin derivatives to different transducers, ranging from nanogravimetric to optical devices, also enabling the realization of multifunctional chemical sensors, in which multiple transduction mechanisms are applied to the same sensing layer. Potential applications are further expanded through sensor arrays, where cross-selective sensing layers can be applied for the analysis of complex chemical matrices. The possibility of finely tuning the macrocycle properties by synthetic modification of the different components of the porphyrin ring, such as peripheral substituents, molecular skeleton, coordinated metal, allows creating a vast library of porphyrinoid-based sensing layers. From among these, one can select optimal arrays for a particular application. This feature is particularly suitable for sensor array applications, where cross-selective receptors are required. This Review briefly describes chemical sensor principles. The main part of the Review is divided into two sections, describing the porphyrin-based devices devoted to the detection of gaseous or liquid samples, according to the corresponding transduction mechanism. Although most devices are based on porphyrin derivatives, seminal examples of the application of corroles or other porphyrin analogues are evidenced in dedicated sections.

Molecular recognition of HER-1 in whole-blood samples

Multimode sensing was proposed for molecular screening and recognition of HER-1 in whole blood. The tools used for molecular recognition were platforms based on nanostructured materials such as the complex of Mn(III) with meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin, and maltodextrin (dextrose equivalence between 4 and 7), immobilized in diamond paste, graphite paste or C60 fullerene paste. The identification of HER-1 in whole-blood samples, at molecular level, is performed using stochastic mode and is followed by the quantification of it using stochastic and differential pulse voltammetry modes. HER-1 can be identified in the concentration range between 280 fg/ml and 4.86 ng/ml using stochastic mode, this making possible the early detection of cancers such as gastrointestinal, pancreatic and lung cancers. The recovery tests performed using whole-blood samples proved that the platforms can be used for identification and quantification of HER-1 with high sensitivity and reliability in such samples, these making them good molecular screening tools.

Ionic liquids for the molecular enantiorecognition of freel-T3,l-T4andd-T4

Ionic liquids are used for the enantiorecognition of thyroid hormones.

Pattern recognition of estradiol, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in children's saliva samples using stochastic microsensors

Stochastic microsensors based on diamond paste and three types of electroactive materials (maltodextrin (MD), α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H porphyrin (P)) were developed for the assay of estradiol (E2), testosterone (T2) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in children's saliva. The main advantage of utilization of such tools is the possibility to identify and quantify all three hormones within minutes in small volumes of childen's saliva. The limits of quantification obtained for DHT, T2, and E2 (1 fmol/L for DHT, 1 pmol/L for T2, and 66 fmol/L for E2) determined using the proposed tools allows the utilization of these new methods with high reliability for the screening of saliva samples from children. This new method proposed for the assay of the three hormones overcomes the limitations (regarding limits of determination) of ELISA method which is the standard method used in clinical laboratories for the assay of DHT, T2, and E2 in saliva samples. The main feature of its utilization for children's saliva is to identify earlier problems related to early puberty and obesity.

Engineered nanoporous gold microspheres for stochastic sensing

Engineered nanoporous gold microsphere-based stochastic sensors detect carcynoembrionic antigen at a concentration as low as 16 ng mL⁻¹ in whole blood samples.