Quantitative determination of uric acid using CdTe nanoparticles as fluorescence probes

Label-Free Metal-Oxide Transistor Biosensors for Metabolite Detection in Human Saliva

Metabolites are essential molecules involved in various metabolic processes, and their deficiencies and excessive concentrations can trigger significant physiological consequences. The detection of multiple metabolites within a non-invasively collected biofluid could facilitate early prognosis and diagnosis of severe diseases. Here, a metal oxide heterojunction transistor (HJ-TFT) sensor is developed for the label-free, rapid detection of uric acid (UA) and 25(OH)Vitamin-D3 (Vit-D3) in human saliva. The HJ-TFTs utilize a solution-processed In2 O3 /ZnO channel functionalized with uricase enzyme and Vit-D3 antibody for the selective detection of UA and Vit-D3, respectively. The ultra-thin tri-channel architecture facilitates strong coupling between the electrons transported along the buried In2 O3 /ZnO heterointerface and the electrostatic perturbations caused by the interactions between the surface-immobilized bioreceptors and target analytes. The biosensors can detect a wide range of concentrations of UA (from 500 nm to 1000 µM) and Vit-D3 (from 100 pM to 120 nm) in human saliva within 60 s. Moreover, the biosensors exhibit good linearity with the physiological concentration of metabolites and limit of detections of ≈152 nm for UA and ≈7 pM for Vit-D3 in real saliva. The specificity is demonstrated against various interfering species, including other metabolites and proteins found in saliva, further showcasing its capabilities.

Co-based Nanozymatic Profiling: Advances Spanning Chemistry, Biomedical, and Environmental Sciences

Nanozymes, next-generation enzyme-mimicking nanomaterials, have entered an era of rational design; among them, Co-based nanozymes have emerged as captivating players over times. Co-based nanozymes have been developed and have garnered significant attention over the past five years. Their extraordinary properties, including regulatable enzymatic activity, stability, and multifunctionality stemming from magnetic properties, photothermal conversion effects, cavitation effects, and relaxation efficiency, have made Co-based nanozymes a rising star. This review presents the first comprehensive profiling of the Co-based nanozymes in the chemistry, biology, and environmental sciences. The review begins by scrutinizing the various synthetic methods employed for Co-based nanozyme fabrication, such as template and sol-gel methods, highlighting their distinctive merits from a chemical standpoint. Furthermore, a detailed exploration of their wide-ranging applications in biosensing and biomedical therapeutics, as well as their contributions to environmental monitoring and remediation is provided. Notably, drawing inspiration from state-of-the-art techniques such as omics, a comprehensive analysis of Co-based nanozymes is undertaken, employing analogous statistical methodologies to provide valuable guidance. To conclude, a comprehensive outlook on the challenges and prospects for Co-based nanozymes is presented, spanning from microscopic physicochemical mechanisms to macroscopic clinical translational applications.

A facile, low-cost bimetallic iron-nickel MOF nanozyme-propelled ratiometric fluorescent sensor for highly sensitive and selective uric acid detection and its smartphone application

As a kind of well-known disease biomarker, uric acid (UA) is closely associated with normal metabolism and health. Despite versatile nanozymes facilitating the analysis of UA, most previous works could only generate single-signal outputs with unsatisfactory detection performance. Exploring a novel ratiometric fluorescent UA sensor with high sensitivity, reliability and portable sensing ability based on facile, low-cost nanozymes is still challenging. Herein, we report the first metal-organic-framework (MOF) nanozyme-originated ratiometric fluorescent UA sensor based on Fe3Ni-MOF-NH2 propelled UA/uricase/o-phenylenediamine tandem catalytic reaction. Different from previous reports, the peroxidase-like property and fluorescence of Fe3Ni-MOF-NH2 were simultaneously employed. In the absence of UA, only the MOF's fluorescence at 430 nm (FI430) can be observed, while the addition of UA will initiate UA/uricase catalytic reaction, and the generated H2O2 could oxidize o-phenylenediamine into highly fluorescent 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP) (emission at 565 nm, FI565) under the catalysis of the MOF nanozyme. Coincidently, MOF's fluorescence can be quenched by DAP via the inner filter effect, resulting in a low FI430 value and high FI565 value, respectively. Therefore, H2O2 and UA can be alternatively detected through monitoring the above contrary fluorescence changes. The limit of detection for UA is 24 nM, which is much lower than those in most previous works, and the lowest among nanozyme-based ratiometric fluorescent UA sensors reported to date. Moreover, the portable sensing of UA via smartphone-based RGB analysis was facilely achieved by virtue of the above nanozyme-propelled tandem catalytic system, and MOF nanozyme-based molecular contrary logic pairs were further implemented accordingly.

Recent Advancements in Metal and Non-Metal Mixed-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots: Synthesis and Emerging Potential Applications

In nanotechnology, the synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) by mixed doping with metals and non-metals has emerged as an appealing path of investigation. This review offers comprehensive insights into the synthesis, properties, and emerging applications of mixed-doped CQDs, underlining their potential for revolutionary advancements in chemical sensing, biosensing, bioimaging, and, thereby, contributing to advancements in diagnostics, therapeutics, and the under standing of complex biological processes. This synergistic combination enhances their sensitivity and selectivity towards specific chemical analytes. The resulting CQDs exhibit remarkable fluorescence properties that can be involved in precise chemical sensing applications. These metal-modified CQDs show their ability in the selective and sensitive detection from Hg to Fe and Mn ions. By influencing their exceptional fluorescence properties, they enable precise detection and monitoring of biomolecules, such as uric acid, cholesterol, and many antibiotics. Moreover, when it comes to bioimaging, these doped CQDs show unique behavior towards detecting cell lines. Their ability to emit light across a wide spectrum enables high-resolution imaging with minimal background noise. We uncover their potential in visualizing different cancer cell lines, offering valuable insights into cancer research and diagnostics. In conclusion, the synthesis of mixed-doped CQDs opens the way for revolutionary advancements in chemical sensing, biosensing, and bioimaging. As we investigate deeper into this field, we unlock new possibilities for diagnostics, therapeutics, and understanding complex biological processes.

Functionalization of Gold Nanostars with Melamine for Colorimetric Detection of Uric Acid

Gold nanostars (AuNSs) are synthesized using a seed-mediated growth method. The synthesized AuNSs solution is stable and shows a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band in the visible range, which is confirmed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the as-synthesized AuNSs were functionalized with melamine and used as a sensor for the colorimetric detection of uric acid (UA). The detection mechanism could be assessed through various analytical techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopic techniques. These methods exhibited a good linear regression between the absorption ratio of LSPR band of melamine-AuNSs and the concentration of UA (0-120 µM), with the detection limit of 8.50 nm. As a result, UA was quantitatively detected in biofluids by using melamine-AuNSs as a colorimetric sensor, revealing melamine-AuNSs-based colorimetric approach which could be used as a simple platform for UA assay in biofluids.

Simultaneous colorimetric detection of nephrolithiasis biomarkers using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device

A microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) coupled with colorimetric detection was developed for simultaneous determination of urinary oxalate, citrate and uric acid (UA) which are important biomarkers of nephrolithiasis or kidney stones. The colorimetric detections were based on enzymatic reactions using oxalate oxidase and uricase for oxalate and UA, respectively, while an indicator displacement assay (IDA) using a copper murexide complex was applied for citrate detection. The developed μPAD was successfully applied for simultaneous determination of the three biomarkers in urine within 25 min, with linear ranges of 2-40, 5-150, and 5-45 mg L^-1 and detection limits of 0.6, 2.9 and 3.1 mg L^-1 for oxalate, UA, and citrate, respectively. The values of the percent relative standard deviation (% RSD) were lower than 6.4% for inter-day and intraday measurements of oxalate, citrate and UA standards spiked in urine samples with recovery percentages in the range of 81.0-109.8%, indicating acceptable accuracy and precision of the developed method for determination of the three biomarkers in urine samples. Accordingly, the developed μPAD holds great promise to be a simple, fast, inexpensive, low-sample and reagent volume, reliable and portable tool for simultaneous determination of oxalate, citrate and UA in urine, especially for on-site analysis.

Morphological and elemental tuning of BiOCl/BiVO4 heterostructure for uric acid electrochemical sensor and antibiotic photocatalytic degradation

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) consisting of EG-(ChCl: C₂H₆O₂) and TU-(ChCl: CH₄N₂S) assisted synthesized BiOCl/BiVO₄ heterostructured catalyst studied for electrochemical uric acid (UA) sensor and tetracycline photocatalytic degradation. The chemical composition of the BiOCl/BiVO₄ catalyst was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). UV-vis spectroscopy reveals increased absorption of visible light till the near-infrared region, which results in a narrowing of band gap energy from 2.3 eV to 2.2 eV for BiOCl/BiVO₄-TU. Morphology of catalyst analyzed using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM) technique. Time-Resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) confirms an increased lifetime of e^-/h⁺ pair after heterostructure formation. The catalyst-modified glassy carbon electrode shows selectivity toward the detection of uric acid (UA). The limit of detection (LOD) is estimated to be 0.04688 μM for UA; also, interference and stability of catalyst were studied. Photocatalytic activity of the synthesized catalyst was investigated by degrading tetracycline (TC) antibiotic pollutants, and their intermediate product was analyzed by ion trap mass spectrometry (MS).

Development of a Nonenzymatic Colorimetric Sensor for the Detection of Uric Acid Based on Ionic Liquid-Mediated Nickel Nanostructures

Uric acid (UA) is a metabolic byproduct of purine nucleotides and is excreted as a urine component. Abnormalities in UA metabolism cause localized inflammation due to crystal deposition and can lead to various diseases. In the current study, we successfully fabricated a biosensor based on 1-H-3-methylimidazolium acetate (ionic liquid, IL)-capped nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) for the detection of uric acid in test samples. The structures of IL-capped NiNPs and their precursors were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The IL-capped NiNPs possessed intrinsic peroxidase-like properties and displayed selective UA quenching after interacting with 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) solution. Different parameters such as pH, time, IL, TMB, and UA concentration were optimized to obtain the best results for the proposed sensor. The UA biosensor shows good responses in the linear range from 1 × 10^-8 to 2.40 × 10^-6 M, with a lower limit of detection of 1.30 × 10^-7 M, a limit of quantification of 4.3 × 10^-7 M, and an R ² value of 0.9994. For the colorimetric detection of UA, the proposed sensor gave a short time response of 4 min at room temperature and pH 7.5. The proposed sensing probe detects UA in real serum samples and could be used as a selective sensor for UA in the real sample detection.

Sensitivity Detection of Uric Acid and Creatinine in Human Urine Based on Nanoporous Gold

Given the significance of uric acid and creatinine in clinical diagnostic, disease prevention and treatment, a multifunctional electrochemical sensor was proposed for sensitive detection of uric acid and creatinine. The sensitive detection of uric acid was realized based on the unique electrochemical oxidation of nanoporous gold (NPG) towards uric acid, showing good linearity from 10 μM to 750 μM with a satisfactory sensitivity of 222.91 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.06 μM. Based on the Jaffé reaction between creatinine and picric acid, the sensitive detection of creatinine was indirectly achieved in a range from 10 to 2000 μM by determining the consumption of picric acid in the Jaffé reaction with a detection sensitivity of 195.05 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a LOD of 10 μM. For human urine detection using the proposed electrochemical sensor, the uric acid detection results were comparable to that of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with a deviation rate of less than 10.28% and the recoveries of uric acid spiked in urine samples were 89~118%. Compared with HPLC results, the deviation rate of creatinine detection in urine samples was less than 4.17% and the recoveries of creatinine spiked in urine samples ranged from 92.50% to 117.40%. The multifunctional electrochemical sensor exhibited many advantages in practical applications, including short detection time, high stability, simple operation, strong anti-interference ability, cost-effectiveness, and easy fabrication, which provided a promising alternative for urine analysis in clinical diagnosis.

Nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular aging and related diseases

Aging-induced alternations of vasculature structures, phenotypes, and functions are key in the occurrence and development of vascular aging-related diseases. Multiple molecular and cellular events, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, cellular senescence, and epigenetic alterations are highly associated with vascular aging physiopathology. Advances in nanoparticles and nanotechnology, which can realize sensitive diagnostic modalities, efficient medical treatment, and better prognosis as well as less adverse effects on non-target tissues, provide an amazing window in the field of vascular aging and related diseases. Throughout this review, we presented current knowledge on classification of nanoparticles and the relationship between vascular aging and related diseases. Importantly, we comprehensively summarized the potential of nanoparticles-based diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in vascular aging and related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, as well as chronic kidney diseases, and discussed the advantages and limitations of their clinical applications.

Smartphone-based mobile biosensors for the point-of-care testing of human metabolites

Rapid, accurate, portable and quantitative profiling of metabolic biomarkers is of great importance for disease diagnosis and prognosis. The recent development in the optical and electric biosensors based on the smartphone is promising for profiling of metabolites with advantages of rapid, reliability, accuracy, low-cost and multi-analytes analysis capability. In this review, we introduced the optical biosensing platforms including colorimetric, fluorescent and chemiluminescent sensing, and electrochemical biosensing platforms including wired and wireless communication. Challenges and future perspectives desired for reliable, accurate, cost-effective, and multi-functions smartphone-based biosensing systems were also discussed. We envision that such smartphone-based biosensing platforms will allow daily and comprehensive metabolites monitoring in the future, thus unlocking the potential to transform clinical diagnostics into non-clinical self-testing. We also believed that this progress report will encourage future research to develop advanced, integrated and multi-functional smartphone-based Point-of-Care testing (POCT) biosensors for the monitoring and diagnosis as well as personalized treatments of a spectrum of metabolic-disorder related diseases.

Luminescent alloyed quantum dots for turn-off enzyme-based assay

A new bioanalytical labeling system based on alloyed quantum dots' (QDs) photoluminescence quenching caused by an enzymatic reaction has been developed and tested for the first time. The catalytic role of the enzyme provides high sensitivity and the possibility of varying detecting time to improve assay sensitivity. Alloyed luminescent QDs were chosen in view of their small size (5-7 nm) and the high sensitivity of their optical properties to physicochemical interactions. Here, we described the synthesis of alloyed luminescent QDs and demonstrated the possibility of using them as a luminescent turn-off substrate for enzymatic assay. Synthesized alloyed QDs were found to be a sensitive turn-off substrate for glucose oxidase in homogeneous and heterogeneous assay models. CdZnSeS and CdZnSeS/ZnS QDs covered with dihydrolipoic acid and 2-mercaptoethanol were tested. A glucose oxidase limit of detection of 6.6 nM for the heterogenous high-throughput model assay was reached.

A Ratiometric Fiber Optic Sensor Based on CdTe QDs Functionalized with Glutathione and Mercaptopropionic Acid for On-Site Monitoring of Antibiotic Ciprofloxacin in Aquaculture Water

A ratiometric fluorescence fiber-optical sensor system (RFFS) merging a Y-type optical fiber spectrometer and CdTe QDs composite functionalized with glutathione and mercaptopropionic acid (GMPA@CdTe-QDs) for highly selective and on-site detection of ciprofloxacin (CIP) in environmental water samples was designed. Our preliminary results suggested that the red fluorescence of the synthesized GMPA@CdTe-QDs was effectively quenched by CIP. Based on this, the RFFS/GMPA@CdTe-QDs system was successfully fabricated and used for highly selective and rapid detection of CIP on site in the concentration range from 0 to 45 μM with the detection limit of 0.90 μM. The established method exhibited good interference resistance to the analogues of CIP and provided a great potential platform for real-time detection of CIP residues in environmental water. In addition, the fluorescence quenching mechanism of GMPA@CdTe-QDs by CIP was also investigated by means of temperature effect, fluorescence lifetime, ultraviolet (UV) visible absorption, and fluorescent spectra. Our results suggested clearly that the red fluorescence of GMPA@CdTe-QDs was quenched by CIP via the photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) mode.

The fast nucleation/growth of Co3O4 nanowires on cotton silk: the facile development of a potentiometric uric acid biosensor

In this study, we have used cotton silk as a source of abundant hydroxyl groups for the fast nucleation/growth of cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanowires via a hydrothermal method. The crystal planes of the Co₃O₄ nanowires well matched the cubic phase. The as-synthesized Co₃O₄ nanowires mainly contained cobalt and oxygen elements and were found to be highly sensitive towards uric acid in 0.01 M phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4. Importantly, the Co₃O₄ nanowires exhibited a large surface area, which was heavily utilized during the immobilization of the enzyme uricase via a physical adsorption method. The potentiometric response of the uricase-immobilizing Co₃O₄ nanowires was measured in the presence of uric acid (UA) against a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) reference electrode. The newly fabricated uric acid biosensor possessed a low limit of detection of 1.0 ± 0.2 nM with a wide linear range of 5 nM to 10 mM and sensitivity of 30.6 mV dec⁻¹. Additionally, several related parameters of the developed uric acid biosensor were investigated, such as the repeatability, reproducibility, storage stability, selectivity, and dynamic response time, and these were found to be satisfactory. The good performance of the Co₃O₄ nanowires was verified based on the fast charge-transfer kinetics, as confirmed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The successful practical use of the uric acid biosensor was demonstrated based on the recovery method. The observed performance of the uricase-immobilizing Co₃O₄ nanowires revealed that they could be considered as a promising and alternative tool for the detection of uric acid under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Also, the use of cotton silk as a source of abundant hydroxyl groups may be considered for the remarkably fast nucleation/growth of other metal-oxide nanostructures, thereby facilitating the fabrication of functional electrochemical devices, such as batteries, water-splitting devices, and supercapacitors.

In this study, we have used cotton silk as a source of abundant hydroxyl groups for the fast nucleation/growth of cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanowires via a hydrothermal method.

Fabrication of nitrogen-enriched carbon dots with green fluorescence for enzyme-free detection of uric acid

Based on the fact that UA directly quenched the green fluorescence of NCDs prepared at RT, a non-invasive sensor was developed.

Self-assembled nanoplatforms with ZIF-8 as a framework for FRET-based glutathione sensing in biological samples

A nanoprobe was constructed by embedding QDs and a rhodamine B derivative (RBD) into ZIF-8. Then, the ultraviolet absorption of RBD that reacted with glutathione can overlap with the emission spectrum of the QDs, causing FRET-based glutathione sensing.

Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dot and CdTe Quantum Dot Dual-Color Multifunctional Fluorescent Sensing Platform: Sensing Behavior and Glucose and pH Detection

A novel fluorescent probe based on a nitrogen-doped carbon dot (N-CD) and CdTe quantum dot (CdTe QD) platform has been constructed for H₂O₂/glucose detection and pH sensing. In this work, H₂O₂-tolerant blue fluorescence N-CDs were added to the H₂O₂-mediated yellow fluorescence quenching of CdTe QDs to construct a dual-color ratiometric fluorescent H₂O₂ probe. H₂O₂-induced passivated group detachment and action on deep nanocrystals promoted CdTe QD fluorescence quenching. Meanwhile, the addition of the blue fluorescent background of N-CDs sharply reflected the color change in CdTe QDs. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the platform was effectively applied to the detection of H₂O₂ produced by the enzymatic reaction of glucose, showing high sensitivity (limit of detection 7.86 μM) and wide linear range (26-900 μM) for glucose detection. The pH-sensing behavior of CdTe QDs and N-CDs was attributed to the displacement of a weak acid (3-mercaptopropionic acid) by a strong acid (HCl) and the acid titration process of two coexisting bases (N-CDs and NH₃·H₂O), respectively. The loss of passivation and doping effects led to a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of CdTe QDs and N-CDs. Moreover, utilizing the ability of bimaterial system fluorescence to pH sensing, a semiquantitative pH detection based on the linear response was developed. The pH range was analyzed by three kinds of N-CD (F_ex = 440 nm) and CdTe QD (F_ex = 548 nm) typical emission spectral shapes. In addition, the recovery results showed that the bimaterial system was proved to be appropriate for the assay of glucose in spiked serum samples.

Study on performance of mimic uricase and its application in enzyme-free analysis

Nanozymes were the novel research field to replace natural enzymes because of stability and low cost. However, the research on nanozymes was mainly focused on peroxidase, and there was little research about nanozymes with oxidase-like activity, especially mimic oxidase of small molecules related to human physiology. High levels of uric acid (UA) in the body can cause hyperuricemia and gout. And natural uricase cured this disease because it could oxidize UA. The oxidase-like activity of mixed valence state metal organic frameworks with cerium (MVSM) had been studied, but MVSM was found to have uricase-like activity in this article. The catalytic process of UA with MVSM was studied by a variety of analytical methods, which was similar to the natural uricase except for further oxidation of H₂O₂. The catalytic activity constants of MVSM were acquired by the Michaelis-Menten equation. MVSM had a better ability to catalyze UA in in vivo and in vitro experiments. An enzyme-free analysis-based mimic uricase for UA was established. All the experimental results proved that MVSM had a good prospect to replace the natural uricase. A nanomaterial, mixed valence state Ce-MOF (MVSM), with uricase-like activity has been found in vivo and in vitro. This material has potential to be a fluorescent analysis for detecting uric acid without uricase.

A novel ratiometric fluorescence nanoprobe for sensitive determination of uric acid based on CD@ZIF-CuNC nanocomposites

A novel ratiometric fluorescence nanoprobe based on carbon dots (CDs) and Cu nanoclusters (CuNCs) was designed for the label-free determination of uric acid (UA). The metal-organic framework (MOF) encapsulated CuNCs (ZIF-CuNC), and nitrogen-doped CDs can self-assemble into well-defined spherical nanocomposites (CD@ZIF-CuNC) due to physical adsorption. Under the excitation wavelength of 360 nm, the CD@ZIF-CuNC nanocomposites exhibit two evident intrinsic emissions peaked at 460 nm (CDs) and 620 nm (ZIF-CuNC), respectively. In the presence of H₂O₂, the fluorescence of CD@ZIF-CuNC at 620 nm is quenched remarkably within 1 min, while little effect on the emission at 460 nm is observed. Therefore, taking the fluorescence at 620 nm as the report signal and 460 nm as the reference signal, ratiometric quantitative determination of H₂O₂ was achieved with a linear range of 1-100 μM and a detection limit of 0.30 μM. The CD@ZIF-CuNC nanoprobe was successfully applied to the determination of UA that is catalyzed by uricase to produce H₂O₂, obtaining the linear range of 1-30 μM and the detection limit of 0.33 μM. Eventually, this strategy has been successfully applied to the determination of UA in human urine samples. A novel and convenient CDs@ZIF-CuNCs-based nanoplatform was constructed for sensitive ratiometric fluorescence determination of UA.

A Multifunctional Electrochemical Sensor for the Simultaneous Detection of Ascorbic Acid, Dopamine, Uric Acid, and Nitrite

BACKGROUND

Ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA), and nitrite (NO2-) are essential biomarkers for human metabolism and can be used to indicate some chronic diseases and metabolic disorders, including scurvy, Parkinson's disease, hyperuricemia, and kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE

A multifunctional electrochemical sensor that can integrate the detection of these species was constructed using nanoporous gold (NPG) as a recognition element to modify glassy carbon electrode (GCE).

METHODS

The electrochemical performance of the multifunctional electrochemical sensor was investigated toward AA, DA, UA, and NO2- in citrate buffer solution (CBS, 100 mM, pH 4.0) and human serum using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods.

RESULTS

In the quaternary mixture detection, the resulting NPG/GCE electrode displayed four independent oxidation peaks with wide peak separations. Further, the NPG/GCE electrode showed good linear responses with the sensitivities of 32, 1103, 71, and 147 μA/mM/cm2 and the detection limits of 1.58, 0.17, 0.37, and 0.36 μM for AA, DA UA, and NO2-, respectively. Additionally, the NPG/GCE electrode exhibited great anti-interference and was successfully applied in human serum samples.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the NPG/GCE electrode can simultaneously and selectively detect AA, DA, UA, and NO2-, which has the potential for application and diagnosis in the screening and diagnosis of chronic diseases and metabolic disorders.

HIGHLIGHTS

A multianalyte electrochemical sensor was fabricated for human metabolites detection. The sensor displayed good performance in the simultaneous detection of AA, DA, UA, and NO2- and applied to human serum samples.

A novel flow injection amperometric sensor based on carbon black and graphene oxide modified screen-printed carbon electrode for highly sensitive determination of uric acid

A simple, rapid, and cost-effective flow injection amperometric (FI-Amp) sensor for sensitive determination of uric acid (UA) was developed based on a new combination of carbon black (CB) and graphene oxide (GO) modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The CB-GO nanocomposites were simply synthesized and modified on the working electrode surface to increase electrode conductivity and enhance the sensitivity of UA determination via the electrocatalytic activity toward UA oxidation. The morphologies and electrochemical properties of the synthesized nanomaterials were investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The modified electrode was incorporated with FI-Amp to improve UA detection's sensitivity, stability, and automation. Some parameters affecting sensitivity were optimized, including pH of the electrolyte solution, applied potential, amount of CB-GO suspension, flow rate, injection volume, and reaction coil length. Using an applied potential of +0.35 V (vs Ag/AgCl), the anodic current was linearly proportional to UA concentration over the range of 0.05-2000 μM with a detection limit of 0.01 μM (3 S/N). Besides, the developed method provides a sample throughput of 25 injections h^-1, excellent sensitivity (0.0191 μA/μM), selectivity, repeatability (RSD 3.1%, n = 7), and stability (RSD 1.08%, n = 50). The proposed system can tolerate potential interferences commonly found in human urine. Furthermore, a good correlation coefficient between the results obtained from the FI-Amp sensor and a hospital laboratory implies that the proposed system is accurate and can be utilized for UA detection in urine samples.

Lu(iii) bis-phthalocyanines containing carbazole moieties: synthesis, characterization, electrochemical properties and sensor applications

In this study, the synthesis and characterization of sandwich type Lu(iii) bis-phthalocyanines bearing electropolymerizable carbazole groups were evaluated and their electrochemical sensing properties studied towards DA, UA and AA.

Surface and morphology analyses, and voltammetry studies for electrochemical determination of cerium(iii) using a graphene nanobud-modified-carbon felt electrode in acidic buffer solution (pH 4.0 ± 0.05)

Trace determination of radioactive waste, especially Ce³⁺, by electrochemical methods has rarely been attempted. Ce³⁺ is (i) a fluorescence quencher, (ii) an antiferromagnet, and (iii) a superconductor, and it has been incorporated into fast scintillators, LED phosphors, and fluorescent lamps. Although Ce³⁺ has been utilized in many industries due to its specific properties, it causes severe health problems to human beings because of its toxicity. Nanomaterials with fascinating electrical properties can play a vital role in the fabrication of a sensor device to detect the analyte of interest. In the present study, surfactant-free 1,8-diaminonaphthalene (DAN)-functionalized graphene quantum dots (DAN-GQDs) with nanobud (NB) morphology were utilized for the determination of Ce³⁺ through electrochemical studies. The working electrode, graphene nanobud (GNB)-modified-carbon felt (CF), was developed by a simple drop-coating method for the sensitive detection of Ce³⁺ in acetate buffer solution (ABS, pH 4.0 ± 0.05) at a scan rate of 50 mV s⁻¹ using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques. CV and DPV studies validated the existence of distinctive peaks at approximately +0.20 and +0.93 V (vs. SCE), respectively, with a limit of detection of approximately 2.60 μM. Furthermore, electrochemical studies revealed that the GNB-modified-CF electrode was (i) stable even after fifteen cycles, (ii) reproducible, (iii) selective towards Ce³⁺, (iv) strongly pH-dependent, and (v) favored Ce³⁺ sensing only at pH 4.0 ± 0.05. Impedance spectroscopy results indicated that the GNB-modified-CF electrode was more conductive (1.38 × 10⁻⁴ S m⁻¹) and exhibited more rapid electron transfer than bare CF, which agrees with the attained Randles equivalent circuit. Microscopy (AFM, FE-SEM, and HR-TEM), spectroscopy (XPS and Raman), XRD, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses of the GNB-modified-CF electrode confirmed the adsorption of Ce³⁺ onto the electrode surface and the size of the electrode material. Ce³⁺ nanobuds increased from 35–40 to 50–55 nm without changing their morphology. The obtained results provide an insight into the determination of Ce³⁺ to develop an electrochemical device with low sensitivity.

GNB-modified – CF electrode was utilized to determine Ce³⁺ with LoD ca. 2.60 μM.

Refractive index tuning of SiO2 for Long Range Surface Plasmon Resonance based biosensor

A novel, highly sensitive and low cost Long Range Surface Plasmon Resonance (LRSPR) biosensor for detecting uric acid, as a model analyte, has been developed in this work. Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) having low and tunable refractive index has been chosen as the dielectric layer for the excitation of LRSP modes replacing the most explored Cytop and Teflon polymers. The prepared LRSPR based uric acid bio-sensor gives good response characteristics with a high sensitivity of about 21.6°/mM and low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02 mM. The fabricated LRSPR sensor was also evaluated to detect uric acid in real serum samples. The results yield a great scope to promote the development of robust, efficient and highly selective LRSPR based biosensors with SiO₂ as tunable dielectric layer.

A highly sensitive uric acid electrochemical biosensor based on a nano-cube cuprous oxide/ferrocene/uricase modified glassy carbon electrode

A uric acid (UA) electrochemical biosensor was constructed using ferrocene (Fc) decorated cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) enhanced electro-active characteristics and covalently immobilized with uricase (UOx) on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical characteristics of the fabricated electrode was analysed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). DPV studies revealed rapid response of fabricated electrode UOx/Fc/Cu₂O/GCE towards UA in a wide concentration range of 0.1–1,000 μM with a sensitivity of 1.900 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² and very low detection limit of 0.0596 μM. A very low magnitude Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) value was evaluated as 34.7351 μM which indicated the chemical attraction of the enzyme towards the UA was much higher. The developed biosensor was successfully applied to detect UA in human urine samples. Moreover, reproducibility and stability studies demonstrated the fabricated UOx/Fc/Cu₂O/GCE biosensor had high reproducibility with a RSD of 2.8% and good reusability with a RSD of 3.2%. Specificity studies results showed the fabricated biosensor had strong anti-interference ability. The improved sensor performance was attributed to the synergistic electronic properties of Cu₂O and Fc that provided enhances delectrocatalytic activity and electron transfer. The present biosensor can be extended for use in clinical settings.

Nature inspired poly (dopamine quinone -vanadyl) as new modifier for voltammetric determination of uric acid

The preparation of a novel polymer (poly(dopamine quinone-vanadyl) (polyDQV)) bearing dopaminequinone and VO^IV redox groups is described. PolyDQV was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy as well as electrochemical methods such as differential pulse voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrocatalytic activity of polyDQV was studied toward electrooxidation of uric acid using differential pulse voltammetry as well as cyclic voltammetry. PolyDQV presents interesting electrocatalytic activity toward UA oxidation in phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M, pH 2) to a well-defined oxidation peak at 0.65 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The polyDQV-modified carbon paste electrode (CPE/polyDQV) presents a precise linear signal-concentration relationship in the ranges of 0.3-5 μM and 5 to 200 μM with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.02 μM. The %RSD values for ten replicate measurements of 0.5 and 50 μM UA were 1.8 and 3%, respectively, indicating good repeatability of analytical signals. Appropriate recovery values (in the range 96 to 103%) and good selectivity for UA over common coexisting species (such as ascorbic acid and dopamine) exhibit that CPE/polyDQV is a promising novel platform for sensing UA in human blood serum and urine samples. Graphical abstract.

A novel immobilization fluorescence capillary analysis method and its applications

Fluorescence capillary analysis (FCA) realizes trace-level analysis of micro-volume samples; it is easy to operate, extremely low in analytical cost and can significantly lessen environmental pollution from analytical chemistry waste. FCA has the characteristics of green analytical chemistry and has been applied in clinical, biochemical, pharmaceutical, food safety and other fields. FCA basically involves a micro-volume glass capillary, a capillary holder and an ordinary fluorescence detector. The capillary is not only a container for chemical reaction and detection but also functions as a carrier to immobilize enzymes, gene probes or reagents; it can be used repeatedly or can be disposable. In analysis, the capillary which is modified with functional reagents sucks in a measured liquid for the reaction and is then inserted into the holder within the fluorescent detector for measurement. The immobilized FCA method has been successfully used in the determination of reduced coenzyme I, ethanol in liqueur, lactic acid in dairy products, pyruvic acid and glucose in serum, trace-level sulfated bile acid in urine, the ratio of pyruvic/lactic acid in serum, and pyruvic acid in cells as well as in DNA end-labeling and dyeing methods. Further, FCA can also be extended to capillary arrays to complete multipurpose simultaneous determinations and can be combined with mobile phones as fluorescence detectors for use in mobile health analytical technology. FCA will produce considerable social benefits in medicine, pharmacy, fermentation of food, environmental protection and other fields. Therefore, the relevant contents are presented in this tutorial review.

A ratiometric fluorescent probe for detection of uric acid based on the gold nanoclusters-quantum dots nanohybrid

Herein, we developed a simple strategy for the preparation of dual-emission fluorescent nanohybrid constructed of gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) and quantum dots (QDs). The bovine serum albumin-capped Au NCs can be directly used as the stabilizers to prepare CdS QDs. The synthesized bovine serum albumin-capped Au NCs and CdS QDs nanohybrid (BSA-Au NCs/QDs) displayed dual emission bands respectively at 490 nm and 685 nm. An obvious fluorescence quenching around 685 nm was detected with the addition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the presence of Fe²⁺ ions, and the fluorescence emission peak at 490 nm was not affected. Uricase can break down uric acid to produce H₂O₂, and we further used the BSA-Au NCs/QDs as a ratiometric fluorescent probe for determination of uric acid with the linear range from 0.67 to 60 μmol·L^-1 and the detection limit of 0.21 μmol·L^-1.

Detection of Purine Metabolite Uric Acid with Picolinic-Acid-Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks

Uric acid (UA) is a purine metabolite closely related to the metabolic function of human. Fluorescence analysis is a very effective method because of its high selectivity and sensitivity, but it still remains a great challenge for direct UA detection. In this work, a fluorescent sensor based on postfunctionalized metal-organic frameworks (UiO-PSM) was designed focusing on the direct detection of UA. UiO-PSM was synthesized from a zirconium-based metal-organic framework (UiO-66-NH₂) and 2-picolinic acid through an amidation reaction. Because UA could quench the fluorescence of UiO-PSM through coordination, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions, the sensor could detect UA directly. UiO-PSM exhibited the advantages of short reaction time, high selectivity, high sensitivity, and wide linear range for UA detection. This work provided a novel method for UA detection and had potential application values in clinical diagnosis.

A magnetic nanoparticle based immunoassay for alternariol monomethyl ether using hydrogen peroxide-mediated fluorescence quenching of CdTe quantum dots

The authors describe a fluorometric immunoassay for alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). It is making use of magnetic nanoparticles and quenching of the fluorescence of mercaptopropionic acid-capped CdTe quantum dots (MPA-CdTe QDs) by H₂O₂. Catalase (CAT) was labeled with AME as a competitive antigen to competitively bind to magnetic nanoparticles carrying monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with free AME in samples. The effects of the concentration and pH value of buffer, the concentrations of H₂O₂ and CAT-AME, and the incubation time of H₂O₂ and MPA-CdTe QDs were optimized. Under optimal conditions and in combination with magnetic separation, the quenching of the fluorescence of the MPA-CdTe QDs (excitation at 310 nm, emission at 599 nm) can be used to quantify AME with a detection limit of 0.25 pg·mL^-1 and the linear range from 0.25 to 7.5 pg·mL^-1. The immunoassay also has a lower cross-reactivity to AME analogues. It was evaluated by analyzing fruit samples spiked with AME. The recoveries from spiked fruits ranged from 87.2% to 92.0%. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a fluorometric immunoassay for alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for the rapid separation and purification. The method is based on quenching of the fluorescence of mercaptopropionic acid-capped CdTe quantum dots (MPA-CdTe QDs) by H₂O₂ for the fluorescence signal output, and on the use of catalase (CAT) with its high catalytic activity.

Paper-based selective and quantitative detection of uric acid using citrate-capped Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) as a colorimetric sensing probe through a simple and remote-based device

A colorimetric portable setup was developed for remote UA measurements using a smartphone-based application to demonstrate its use in point-of-care testing.

The synthesis of thiol-stabilized silver nanoparticles and their application towards the nanomolar-level colorimetric recognition of glutathione

The synthesis and characterization of 5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol fabricated silver nanoparticles and their application to detect glutathione.