A surface plasmon resonance sensing method for determining captopril based on in situ formation of silver nanoparticles using ascorbic acid

A novel robust hydrogel-assisted paper-based sensor based on fluorescence UiO-66-NH2@ZIF-8 for the dual-channel detection of captopril

Captopril (CP) is commonly used as an active enzyme inhibitor for the treatment of coronary heart disease, hypertension and angina pectoris. The development of sensitive and efficient method for CP analysis is of great importance in biomedical research. Herein, we fabricated a sensitive and robust hydrogel-assisted paper-based sensor based on fluorescence UiO-66-NH2@ZIF-8 and Co, N-doped carbon nanozymes with oxidase-mimicking activity for accurate monitoring of captopril. The hydrogel-assisted paper-based sensor appeared a visible pink signal due to the catalytic oxidation of colorless N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD) to oxDPD by Co, N-doped carbon-based nanozymes, and resulted in the fluorescence quenching of UiO-66-NH2@ZIF-8. In the presence of captopril, the oxidation of chromogenic substrate DPD by Co, N-doped nanozymes in the hydrogel-assisted paper-based sensor was hindered and accompanied by a change in the visible color, leading to recovery of the fluorescence of UiO-66-NH2@ZIF-8, and the change in the fluorescence color could also be observed. Therefore, the quantitative detection of captopril is achieved by taking a smartphone photograph and converting the image parameters into data information using ImageJ software. The portable hydrogel-assisted paper sensor provided sensitive detection of captopril in two modes based on visible color change as well as fluorescence color change with limits of detection of 0.45 μM and 0.47 μM, respectively. This hydrogel-assisted paper-based sensor has been successfully applied to the accurate monitoring of captopril in human serum, providing a potential avenue for in situ detection of captopril.

Plasmonic nanosensors for pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

The detection and identification of clinical biomarkers with related sensitivity have become a source of considerable concern for biomedical analysis. There have been increasing efforts toward the development of single-molecule analytical platforms to overcome this concern. The latest developments in plasmonic nanomaterials include fascinating advances in energy, catalyst chemistry, optics, biotechnology, and medicine. Nanomaterials can be successfully applied to biomolecule and drug detection in plasmonic nanosensors for pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. Plasmonic-based sensing technology exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity depending on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) phenomena. In this critical paper, we offer an overview of the methodology of the SPR, LSPR, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA), surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF), and plasmonic nanoplatforms advanced for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. First of all, we present here a brief discussion of the above trends. We have devoted the last section to the explanation of SPR, LSPR, SERS, SEIRA, and SEF platforms, which have found a wide range of applications, and reviewed recent advances for biomedical and pharmaceutical analysis.

Dual-mode colorimetric and fluorescence sensing system for the detection of captopril based on Fe/NC nanozymes and carbon dots

Metal nitrogen-doped carbon (MNC) nanozymes have received increasing attention in bio-catalysis filed due to adequate catalytic activity, outstanding stability and reusability. Herein, the Fe/NC nanozymes (Fe/NC NZs) with peroxidase-like activity was successfully synthesized and a fluorescence turn on and colorimetric dual-mode sensing system was developed for quantification of captopril (CP) based on Fe/NC NZs and orange-emitting carbon dots (O-CDs). The Fe/NC NZs as an enzyme mimic can efficiently catalyze the 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) chromogenic reaction, forming blue-colored oxidized TMB product (oxTMB) with the presence of H₂O₂, leading to the fluorescence quenching of O-CDs simultaneously via the inner filter effect (IFE). When CP was present, the blue oxTMB was reduced to colorless TMB, resulting in the inhibition of IFE and the recovery of fluorescence of O-CDs. The fluorescence increase of O-CDs and absorbance decrease of oxTMB depended on CP concentration. Good linear relationships of fluorescence and colorimetric sensing towards CP were obtained in the range from 1 to 50 μM, and the detection limits were 0.47 and 0.56 μM, respectively. Moreover, this as-constructed dual-mode sensor was used to detect CP in pharmaceutical products with satisfactory results.

Quantitative detection of captopril in urine by smartphone-assisted ratiometric fluorescence sensing platform

Captopril (CP) is a widely used antihypertensive drug. In this study, a smartphone-assisted sensing platform on the basis of ratiometric fluorescent test strips was developed, which can accomplish visualization for the quantitative detection of captopril. Ratiometric fluorescent probe was constructed from carbon dots (CDs) and gold nanoclusters (Au NCs). After adding Cu²⁺ to fluorescent probe, Cu²⁺ can complex the amino and carboxyl groups on the surface of Au NCs and aggregate Au NCs, which will quench the fluorescence of Au NCs. Compared with amino and carboxyl groups, -SH in CP has a higher affinity for Cu²⁺ and can capture Cu²⁺ to restore Au NCs fluorescence. In this process, CDs remained essentially unchanged as background fluorescence. As CP concentration increased, the fluorescence color showed a distinct change from blue to purple to orange. Based on this principle, a sensing platform combining smartphone and fluorescent test strips was constructed to visualize the quantitative detection of CP by RGB values. Under optimal conditions, the wide linear range of CP detection for both fluorescence spectrometer and smartphone paper-based sensing platform was 0.25-50 μM. The limits of detection were as low as 76 nM and 101.3 nM, respectively. Furthermore, it was implemented successfully for the detection of CP in urine. The satisfactory recoveries were 96.0-103.3% and 92.0-108.0% for fluorescence spectrometer and smartphone platform, respectively. This smartphone-assisted platform provided a new approach for visual detection of CP, which showed its great potential in bioanalytical assays.

Introducing hierarchical hollow MnO2 microspheres as nanozymes for colorimetric determination of captopril

A simple sensor was developed for the colorimetric determination of captopril (CPT). Herein, hierarchical hollow MnO₂ microspheres (HH-MnO₂) were applied as nanozymes with peroxidase-mimetic activity. Free cation radicals with a strong absorption signal (λ_max at 653 nm) were generated via a redox reaction between 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and HH-MnO₂. Captopril could successfully prevent the generation of blue-colored free cation radicals. The influence of CPT concentration on the absorption of the generated radicals was monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The corresponding linear concentration range was from 1.0 to 30.0 μg mL^-1 (4.6-138.1 μmol L^-1), and the detection limit was found to be 0.26 μg mL^-1 (1.2 μmol L^-1). As a practical usage, the developed sensor was effectively utilized to measure the content of CPT in pharmaceutical formulations.

Optical sensors based on silver nanoparticles for determination of pharmaceuticals: An overview of advances in the last decade

This review focuses on optical nanosensors based on silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and demonstrates their applications in the determination of pharmaceutical compounds in the last decade. Such optical sensors have received high attention in the analytical field owing to their low cost and simplicity since they do not require any complex or expensive instrumentation. This article reviews Ag NP-based optical methods for the determination of pharmaceutical compounds from 2010 to 2020. The reported optical methods are classified into four types: spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry, scattering and chemiluminescence. Ag NPs play different roles in the different sensing platforms used by these methods, the details of which are carefully explained in this review. Moreover, the relevant analytical parameters of the developed methods are categorized by role and tabulated. It is hoped that this review will stimulate further research in this field with similar nanostructures.

In-situ microscale spectrophotometric determination of phenytoin by using branched gold nanoparticles

A rapid method for the sensitive detection of phenytoin (PHT) by branched gold nanoparticles (B-AuNPs) is described. These nanoparticles were synthesized by adding methanol as the reducing agent and poly(ethylene glycol) as the stabilizer at 70 °C. The B-AuNPs are red in color with an absorption maximum at 540 nm when prepared in situ. However, the color becomes increasingly weaker when PHT is present in increasing concentrations. This method can determine PHT over the 67-670 ng·mL^-1 concentration range, with detection limit of 21 ng·mL^-1. The relative standard deviation for five replicate measurements at 68 and 530 ng·mL^-1 of PHT was 3.2% and 1.2%, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of PHT in plasma samples of epileptic patients, and the results were in agreement with those obtained by a standard official method. Graphical abstract Branched gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) prepared in situ have a red color with an absorption maximum at 540 nm. The color becomes increasingly weaker with decreasing the intensity of the characteristic SPR band when PHT is present in increasing concentration. The current assay is capable of determining PHT over the 67-670 ng·mL^-1 concentration range with a limit of detection of 21 ng·mL^-1.

A Colorimetric Sensor for the Highly Selective Detection of Sulfide and 1,4-Dithiothreitol Based on the In Situ Formation of Silver Nanoparticles Using Dopamine

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has attracted attention in biochemical research because it plays an important role in biosystems and has emerged as the third endogenous gaseous signaling compound along with nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). Since H₂S is a kind of gaseous molecule, conventional approaches for H₂S detection are mostly based on the detection of sulfide (S^2-) for indirectly reflecting H₂S levels. Hence, there is a need for an accurate and reliable assay capable of determining sulfide in physiological systems. We report here a colorimetric, economic, and green method for sulfide anion detection using in situ formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using dopamine as a reducing and protecting agent. The changes in the AgNPs absorption response depend linearly on the concentration of Na₂S in the range from 2 to 15 μM, with a detection limit of 0.03 μM. Meanwhile, the morphological changes in AgNPs in the presence of S^2- and thiol compounds were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The as-synthetized AgNPs demonstrate high selectivity, free from interference, especially by other thiol compounds such as cysteine and glutathione. Furthermore, the colorimetric sensor developed was applied to the analysis of sulfide in fetal bovine serum and spiked serum samples with good recovery.

Ratiometric captopril assay based on the recovery of the Bi(iii)-quenched yellow fluorescence of dually emitting carbon nanodots

Dual emissions of carbon nanodots, as a ratiometric nanosensor, could be used to detect captopril based on the switch effect of Bi³⁺.

Biomedical Probes Based on Inorganic Nanoparticles for Electrochemical and Optical Spectroscopy Applications

Inorganic nanoparticles usually provide novel and unique physical properties as their size approaches nanometer scale dimensions. The unique physical and optical properties of nanoparticles may lead to applications in a variety of areas, including biomedical detection. Therefore, current research is now increasingly focused on the use of the high surface-to-volume ratios of nanoparticles to fabricate superb chemical- or biosensors for various detection applications. This article highlights various kinds of inorganic nanoparticles, including metal nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and semiconductor nanoparticles that can be perceived as useful materials for biomedical probes and points to the outstanding results arising from their use in such probes. The progress in the use of inorganic nanoparticle-based electrochemical, colorimetric and spectrophotometric detection in recent applications, especially bioanalysis, and the main functions of inorganic nanoparticles in detection are reviewed. The article begins with a conceptual discussion of nanoparticles according to types, followed by numerous applications to analytes including biomolecules, disease markers, and pharmaceutical substances. Most of the references cited herein, dating from 2010 to 2015, generally mention one or more of the following characteristics: a low detection limit, good signal amplification and simultaneous detection capabilities.

Colorimetric determination of o-phenylenediamine in water samples based on the formation of silver nanoparticles as a colorimetric probe

A simple, rapid and cost-effective method for visual colorimetric detection of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) based on the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been developed in this paper. Silver ions can be reduced to AgNPs by OPD in a few minutes, causing changes in absorption spectra and color of the reaction system. Therefore, colorimetric detection of OPD could be realized by a UV-vis spectrophotometer or even the naked eye. Results showed that the absorption intensity of AgNPs at 416 nm exhibited a good linear correlation (R2=0.998) with OPD concentration in the range from 10(-6) to 8×10(-5) mol L(-1) and the detection limit (3σ/S) was calculated to be 1.61×10(-7) mol L(-1). Furthermore, as low as 4×10(-6) mol L(-1)OPD can be visualized by the naked eye without the requirement of any complicated or expensive instruments. This proposed method has been successfully applied to determine OPD in water samples, and may provide an innovative platform in the development of sensors for guiding environmental monitoring in the future.

Development of surface plasmon resonance sensor for determining zinc ion using novel active nanolayers as probe

In this study, novel active nanolayers in combination with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system for zinc ion (Zn(2+)) detection has been developed. The gold surface used for the SPR system was modified with the novel developed active nanolayers, i.e. chitosan and chitosan-tetrabutyl thiuram disulfide (chitosan-TBTDS). Both chitosan and chitosan-TBTDS active layers were fabricated on the gold surface by spin coating technique. The system was used to monitor SPR signal for Zn(2+) in aqueous media with and without sensitivity enhancement by TBTDS. For both active nanolayers, the shift of resonance angle is directly proportional to the concentration of Zn(2+) in aqueous media. The higher shift of resonance angle was obtained for chitosan-TBTDS active nanolayer due to a specific binding of TBTDS with Zn(2+). The chitosan-TBTDS active nanolayer enhanced the sensitivity of detection down to 0.1 mg/l and also induced a selective detection towards Zn(2+).