Trace metal determination by dc resistance changes of microstructured thin gold film electrodes

Development of a novel cyano group containing electrochemically deposited polymer film for ultrasensitive simultaneous detection of trace level cadmium and lead

Poly(diphenylamine-co-2-aminobenzonitrile) (P(DPA-co-2ABN)), a cyano group containing conducting polyaniline derivative, has been electrodeposited developed as the new material and utilized for the simultaneous electrochemical determination of trace levels of cadmium (Cd(2+)) and lead (Pb(2+)). P(DPA-co-2ABN) film preconcentrates effectively through cyano chelation and electrochemically strips the heavy metal ions with well separated potentials, which are beneficially utilized for ppb level simultaneous detection of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+). Differential pulse voltammetry studies revealed that Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) ions were simultaneously stripped with well-defined, separated and sharp peaks for Cd(2+) and Pb(2+). The influence of various operational parameters such as pulse amplitude, pulse time, scan rate, initial potential, end potential, accumulation potential and accumulation time on the electrochemical stripping of heavy metals were investigated in details. Under the optimal conditions, good linear correlations were obtained from 1.26 to 907.8 ppm for Cd(2+) and 0.26 to 58.73 ppm for Pb(2+), respectively. Low detection limits for Cd(2+) and Pb(2+), 0.255 ppm and 0.165 ppm, respectively, were observed. The practical utility of the new procedure was demonstrated in real samples.

Label free analysis of transcription factors using microcantilever arrays

We report the measurement of protein interaction with double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides using cantilever microarray technology. We investigated two different DNA-binding proteins, the transcription factors SP1 and NF-kappaB, using cantilever arrays as they allow label-free measurement of different biomolecular interactions in parallel. Double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides containing a specific binding site for a transcription factor were sensitized on gold-coated cantilevers. The binding of the transcription factor creates a surface stress, resulting in a bending of the cantilevers. Both transcription factors could be detected independently at concentrations of 80-100 nM. A concentration dependence of the bending signal was measured using concentrations from 100 to 400 nM of NF-kappaB. The experiments show that the recognition sequence of one transcription factor can serve as a reference for the other, highlighting the sequence specificity of transcription factor binding.