Carbon nanotube-Web modified electrodes for ultrasensitive detection of organophosphate pesticides

A Review on CNTs-Based Electrochemical Sensors and Biosensors: Unique Properties and Potential Applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are safe, biocompatible, bioactive, and biodegradable materials, and have sparked a lot of attention due to their unique characteristics in a variety of applications, including medical and dye industries, paper manufacturing and water purification. CNTs also have a strong film-forming potential, permitting them to be widely employed in constructing sensors and biosensors. This review concentrates on the application of CNT-based nanocomposites in the production of electrochemical sensors and biosensors. It emphasizes the synthesis and optimization of CNT-based sensors for a range of applications and outlines the benefits of using CNTs for biomolecule immobilization. In addition, the use of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-CNTs in the production of electrochemical sensors is also discussed. The challenges faced by the current CNTs-based sensors, along with some the future perspectives and their future opportunities, are also briefly explained in this paper.

Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Waterborne Lambda-Cyhalothrin/Alkyd Nanoemulsion

Inefficient usage and overdosage of conventional pesticide formulations has resulted in large economic losses and environmental pollution due to their poor water solubility and weak adhesion to foliage. In order to develop a green and efficient pesticide formulation, a kind of alkyd resin (AR) based on vegetable oil was first synthesized and used to fabricate the lambda-cyhalothrin/AR (LC/AR) nanoemulsion via in situ phase inverse emulsification, and its properties were then investigated. Results showed that the particle size of the LC/AR nanoemulsion was 50-150 nm with maximum LC loading capacity of as much as 40.9 wt %, high encapsulation efficiency >90%, and great stability in multiple environments. The LC/AR nanoemulsion exhibited better controlled release characteristics compared with LC commercial formulations, and a stronger adhesion on the foliage of the resulted nanoemulsion was also observed, which was attributed to low surface tension and strong interactions with foliar surfaces.

Three novel polyoxometalate-based inorganic–organic hybrid materials based on 2,6-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pyridine

Three novel inorganic–organic hybrid materials [Co(btp)₂(W₅O₁₆)(H₂O)]_n (1), [Cd₃(btp)₆(PW₁₂O₄₀)₂(H₂O)₆·6H₂O]_n (2), and [Ag₃(btp)₂(PMo₁₂O₄₀)·1.5H₂O]_n (3) (btp = 2,6-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pyridine) have been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), elemental analysis and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The most striking structure feature of compound 1 is a 3D polycatenation framework, interpenetrated by a 2D 4-connected sql topology layer and a 3D 6-connected rob topology framework. Compound 2 exhibits a rare meso-helices 3D network with different chiralities crossing coexistence. Compound 3 also holds a 3D framework formed by linking terminal oxygen atoms of [α-PMo₁₂O₄₀]³⁻ anions and silver ions in a 2D metal–organic layer. Compound 1 displays antiferromagnetic behavior. The luminescence, electrochemical and photocatalytic properties of compounds 1–3 have also been investigated. Compound 3 exhibits significant electrochemical activity for the reduction of H₂O₂ while compounds 1 and 2 show efficient photocatalytic activities for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). Furthermore, the three compounds display luminescence behaviors in the solid state.

Three novel inorganic–organic hybrid materials based on 2,6-bis(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pyridine have been synthesized with different polyanions and transition metal ions.

Fabrication of Novel Avermectin Nanoemulsion Using a Polyurethane Emulsifier with Cleavable Disulfide Bonds

In this study, a polyurethane emulsifer with various functional groups was prepared from isophorone diisocyanate, avermectin, 2,2-dimethylol propionic acid, and bis(2-hydroxyethyl) disulfide. The chemical structure of the polymer was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and element analysis. The polymer exhibited adequate emulsification ability for avermectin after neutralization with triethylamine. A satisfaying nanoemulsion was obtained, in which avermectin was encapsulated in nanoparticles with 50 wt % drug loading, low organic solvent content, and high stability under dilution and centrifuging treatment in addition to low surface tension, high affinity to crop leaf, and improved avermectin photostability. The resulting nanoparticles showed degradability in the presence of dl-dithiothreitol or inside the insect as a result of the disulfide bonds, promoting the release of avermectin. As a result, the avermectin nanoparticles showed higher insecticidal ability compared to both the avermectin nanoparticles without a disulfide group and the avermectin emulsifiable concentrate.

Surface activation of CNT Webs towards layer by layer assembly of biosensors

Several surface activation methods such as chemical, electrochemical and plasma have been used for enhancing the electrochemical performance of carbon based electrodes for various applications. However, some of these surface activation methods may not be useful depending on the chemical and physical properties of the activated surface. Herein we investigate the surface activation of carbon nanotube (CNT) webs by electrochemical and plasma techniques to enhance their electrochemical performance and enable the fabrication of a biosensor using the layer-by-layer (LBL) approach. The pretreated CNT webs were characterized by SEM, TEM, Raman, XPS and electrochemical methods. TEM images and Raman analysis showed an increase in the level of surface defects upon pretreatment with higher number of defects after electrochemical pretreatment. XPS analysis showed an increase in the level of oxygen functional groups after pretreatment (4 to 5 times increase) which resulted in enhanced water wettability especially for plasma pretreated CNT webs. The pretreated CNT web electrodes also showed an enhanced electrochemical activity towards the oxidation and reduction of different redox probes with higher sensitivity for the electrochemically pretreated CNT web electrode that was accompanied by a higher level of noise in amperometric measurements. A highly linear response was obtained for the untreated and the electrochemically pretreated CNT web electrodes towards the amperometric detection of NADH (R(2) of 0.9996 and 0.9986 respectively) while a non-linear response was observed for the plasma pretreated CNT web electrode (R(2) of 0.8538). The pretreated CNT web electrodes enabled the fabrication of a LBL biosensor for alcohol detection with highest operational stability obtained for the plasma pretreated CNT web surface.

Facile and sensitive electrochemical detection of methyl parathion based on a sensing platform constructed by the direct growth of carbon nanotubes on carbon paper

Facile and sensitive methyl parathion detection was achieved based on a novel carbon nanotube/carbon paper sensor.

Acetylcholinesterase biosensors for electrochemical detection of organophosphorus compounds: a review

The exponentially growing population, with limited resources, has exerted an intense pressure on the agriculture sector. In order to achieve high productivity the use of pesticide has increased up to many folds. These pesticides contain organophosphorus (OP) toxic compounds which interfere with the proper functioning of enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and finally affect the central nervous system (CNS). So, there is a need for routine, continuous, on spot detection of OP compounds which are the main limitations associated with conventional analytical methods. AChE based enzymatic biosensors have been reported by researchers as the most promising tool for analysis of pesticide level to control toxicity and for environment conservation. The present review summarises AChE based biosensors by discussing their characteristic features in terms of fabrication, detection limit, linearity range, time of incubation, and storage stability. Use of nanoparticles in recently reported fabrication strategies has improved the efficiency of biosensors to a great extent making them more reliable and robust.