Highly sensitive detection of Ceftriaxone in water, food, pharmaceutical and biological samples based on gold nanoparticles in aqueous and micellar media

Unveiling combined ecotoxicity: Interactions and impacts of engineered nanoparticles and PPCPs

Emerging contaminants such as engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are of great concern because of their wide distribution and incomplete removal in conventional wastewater and soil treatment processes. The production and usage of ENPs and PPCPs inevitably result in their coexistence in different environmental media, thus posing various risks to organisms in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, the existing literature on the physicochemical interactions between ENPs and PPCPs and their effects on organisms is rather limited. Therefore, this paper summarized the ecotoxicity of combined ENPs and PPCPs by discussing: (1) the interactions between ENPs and PPCPs, including processes such as aggregation, adsorption, transformation, and desorption, considering the influence of environmental factors like pH, ionic strength, dissolved organic matter, and temperature; (2) the effects of these interactions on bioaccumulation, bioavailability and biotoxicity in organisms at different trophic levels; (3) the impacted of ENPs and PPCPs on cellular-level biological process. This review elucidated the potential ecological hazards associated with the interaction of ENPs and PPCPs, and serves as a foundation for future investigations into the ecotoxicity and mode of action of ENPs, PPCPs, and their co-occurring metabolites.

Colorimetric detection of insulin in human serum using GO/AuNPs/TX-100 nanocomposite

In this study, graphene oxide/gold nanoparticles/Triton X-100 nanocomposites (GO/AuNPs/TX-100) were synthesized using the sonochemical method and their ability in ultrasound-assisted colorimetric detection of insulin was investigated. The synthesized GO/AuNPs/TX-100 nanocomposites were characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and TEM analysis. The interaction between the nanocomposites and insulin was observed by both naked eye and optical absorption spectroscopy. The GO/AuNPs/TX-100 nanocomposites displayed apparent color changes (red to blue) and absorption spectra changes (decreasing of the band around 528 nm and appearance of a new red-shifted band at 640 nm) in presence of insulin. The interaction mechanism of the nanocomposites and insulin was discussed. It is based on the special structure of insulin, that insulin can be easily self-assemble into the GO/AuNP/TX-100 nanocomposites and can also play the role of a bridge between two different GO/AuNPs/TX-100 nanocomposites by peptide chains. The effective parameters for insulin detection were optimized. The colorimetric method was used for quantification of insulin in the range of 2-300 ng mL^-1 with a detection limit of 0.1 ng mL^-1. Moreover, the relative standard deviation of the method was 3.1 and 2.7% (n = 10) at concentrations of 50 and 200 ng mL^-1, respectively on the same day and 4.8% at a concentration (200.0 ng mL^-1) on five consecutive days. The present method was utilized for insulin assay in human blood serums with satisfactory results.

Copper nanoparticles for SERS-based determination of some cephalosporin antibiotics in spiked human urine

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were prepared through a wet chemistry method to be used as substituents for noble-metal-based materials in the determination of cephalosporin antibiotics in urine using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The synthesis of the CuNPs was optimized to maximize the analytical signal, and microwave heating was used to increase the reaction rate and improve the homogeneity of the CuNPs. Ceftriaxone (CTR), cefazolin (CZL), and cefoperazone (CPR) were used as the analytes of interest. The determination tests were performed on artificially spiked samples of real human urine with concentrations corresponding to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) (50-500 μg mL^-1). Urine samples collected in the morning and during the day were used to account for deviations in the urine composition, and the universality of the proposed protocol was ensured by performing sample dilution as a pretreatment. The use of calibration plots in the form of Freundlich adsorption isotherms yielded linear calibration plots. All limits of detection were lower than the minimal concentrations required for TDM, equaling 7.5 (CTR), 8.8 (CZL), and 36 (CPR) μg mL^-1. Comparison of CuNPs with Ag and Au nanoparticles (AgNPs and AuNPs, respectively) confirmed that CuNPs offered a competitively high Raman enhancement efficiency (for excitation at 638 nm). Further, although the CuNPs demonstrated poorer temporal stability as compared with the AgNPs and AuNPs, the use of freshly prepared CuNPs resulted in satisfactory accuracy (recovery = 93-107%). Given the short analysis time (<20 min, including the time for the synthesis of the CuNPs and the SERS measurements using a portable Raman spectrometer), low sensitivity to the presence of the primary intrinsic urine components and satisfactory figures of merit of the proposed protocol for the determination of cephalosporin antibiotics in urine, it should be suitable for use in TDM.

A Comprehensive Review on Developed Pharmaceutical Analysis Methods by Iranian Analysts in 2018

This article summarizes the publishing activities including bioanalytical and pharmaceutical analyses researches carried out in Iran in 2018 in order to connect academic researchers to those in industry, medical care units and hospitals. A wide spectrum of analytical methods has been used to determine and/or evaluate drug levels in the biological samples, based on physical, chemical and biochemical principles. We have compiled a concise survey of the literature covering 125 reports and tabulated the relevant analytical parameters. Chromatographic and electrochemical methods were found to be the technique of choice for many workers and almost 83% studies were performed by using these methods. This is the first annual review of the literature searching in SCOPUS database for published bioanalytical and pharmaceutical analysis researches in Iran.

A network composed of gold nanoparticles and a poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel for colorimetric determination of ceftriaxone

A hydrogel network was prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and borax, and then was modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that were obtained by in-situ nucleation and growth. This modified network is shown to be a viable optical nanoprobe for the drug ceftriaxone (CTRX) in biological samples. The properties and morphology of the modified network were investigated using energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, zeta-sizing and viscosimetry. The UV-vis spectrum was recorded to verify the nanosynthesis of the red AuNPs, and the maximum absorption is found at 517 nm. This AuNP-poly(vinyl alcohol)-borax hydrogel nanoprobe (AuNP/PBH) is introduced as an optical nanoprobe for ceftriaxone in biological samples. The AuNPs have a better ability to attach the sulfur functional groups than amino functional groups. Hence, the probable mechanism is based on the attachment of sulfur functional groups of CRTX structure with AuNPs located in the PBH. As a result of this interaction, the surface plasmon resonance of AuNPs is altered in the presence of CTRX and the absorption of the nanoprobe is decreased at 517 nm. The effects of pH value, borax and PVA concentration were investigated. Under optimum conditions, the calibration graph is linear in the 1-90 μg mL^-1 CTRX concentration range, and the limit of detection is 0.33 μg mL^-1. The relative standard deviation for ten replicate measurements of at levels of 20 and 70 μg mL^-1 of CTRX was 4.0% and 2.2%, respectively. The nanoprobe was successfully applied to the determination of CTRX in (spiked) serum and urine samples. The performance of the nanoprobe was compared with HPLC method and the results were satisfactory. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of a new nanoprobe based on in situ formation of AuNPs into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-borax (PBH) hydrogel fabricated for ceftriaxone detection. The hydrogel acts as the reducing agent for production and embedding of AuNPs in the network.

Noble Metal Nanoparticles Applications: Recent Trends in Food Control

Scientific research in the nanomaterials field is constantly evolving, making it possible to develop new materials and above all to find new applications. Therefore, nanoparticles (NPs) are suitable for different applications: nanomedicine, drug delivery, sensors, optoelectronics and food control. This review explores the recent trend in food control of using noble metallic nanoparticles as determination tools. Two major uses of NPs in food control have been found: the determination of contaminants and bioactive compounds. Applications were found for the determination of mycotoxins, pesticides, drug residues, allergens, probable carcinogenic compounds, bacteria, amino acids, gluten and antioxidants. The new developed methods are competitive for their use in food control, demonstrated by their validation and application to real samples.