Luminol-type chemiluminescence derivatization reagents for liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis

Liquid phase detection in the miniature scale. Microfluidic and capillary scale measurement and separation systems. A tutorial review

Microfluidic and capillary devices are increasingly being used in analytical applications while their overall size keeps decreasing. Detection sensitivity for these microdevices gains more importance as device sizes and consequently, sample volumes, decrease. This paper reviews optical, electrochemical, electrical, and mass spectrometric detection methods that are applicable to capillary scale and microfluidic devices, with brief introduction to the principles in each case. Much of this is considered in the context of separations. We do consider theoretical aspects of separations by open tubular liquid chromatography, arguably the most potentially fertile area of separations that has been left fallow largely because of lack of scale-appropriate detection methods. We also examine the theoretical basis of zone electrophoretic separations. Optical detection methods discussed include UV/Vis absorbance, fluorescence, chemiluminescence and refractometry. Amperometry is essentially the only electrochemical detection method used in microsystems. Suppressed conductance and especially contactless conductivity (admittance) detection are in wide use for the detection of ionic analytes. Microfluidic devices, integrated to various mass spectrometers, including ESI-MS, APCI-MS, and MALDI-MS are discussed. We consider the advantages and disadvantages of each detection method and compare the best reported limits of detection in as uniform a format as the available information allows. While this review pays more attention to recent developments, our primary focus has been on the novelty and ingenuity of the approach, regardless of when it was first proposed, as long as it can be potentially relevant to miniature platforms.

Progress in Procalcitonin Detection Based on Immunoassay

Procalcitonin (PCT) serves as a crucial biomarker utilized in diverse clinical contexts, including sepsis diagnosis and emergency departments. Its applications extend to identifying pathogens, assessing infection severity, guiding drug administration, and implementing theranostic strategies. However, current clinical deployed methods cannot meet the needs for accurate or real-time quantitative monitoring of PCT. This review aims to introduce these emerging PCT immunoassay technologies, focusing on analyzing their advantages in improving detection performances, such as easy operation and high precision. The fundamental principles and characteristics of state-of-the-art methods are first introduced, including chemiluminescence, immunofluorescence, latex-enhanced turbidity, enzyme-linked immunosorbent, colloidal gold immunochromatography, and radioimmunoassay. Then, improved methods using new materials and new technologies are briefly described, for instance, the combination with responsive nanomaterials, Raman spectroscopy, and digital microfluidics. Finally, the detection performance parameters of these methods and the clinical importance of PCT detection are also discussed.

Laccase-luminol chemiluminescence system: an investigation of substrate inhibition

Chemiluminescence (CL) reactions are widely used for the detection and quantification of many types of analytes. Laccase has previously been proposed in CL reactions; however, its light emission behaviour has not been characterized. This study was conducted to characterize the laccase-luminol system, determine its kinetic parameters, and analyze the effects of protein and OH- concentration on the CL signal. Laccase from Coriolopsis gallica was combined with different concentrations of luminol (125 nM to 4 mM), and the enzyme kinetics were evaluated using diverse kinetic models. The laccase-luminol system was able to produce CL without an intermediate molecule, but it exhibited substrate-inhibition behaviour. A two-site random model was used and suggested that when the first luminol molecule was bound to the active site, laccase affinity for the second luminol molecule was increased. This inhibition effect could be avoided using a low luminol concentration. At 5 μM luminol concentration, 1 mg/ml (0.13 U) laccase is needed to achieve nearly 90% of the maximum CL signal, suggesting that the available luminol could not bind to all active sites. Furthermore, the concentration of NaOH negatively affected the CL signal. The laccase-luminol system represents an alternative to existing CL systems, with potential uses in molecular detection and quantification.

A miniature chemiluminescence spectrometric system induced by atmosphere microplasma jet to avoid using hydrogen peroxide and catalyst

A miniature luminol chemiluminescence system based on atmosphere microplasma is proposed for detection without any catalysts. In our research, atmosphere microplasma jet is employed to oxidize luminol and produce chemiluminescence instead of H₂O₂. The transport of OH radicals to the plasma-liquid interface and induce the chemiluminescence. The weight of the system is only 3.6 kg (including a 1.2 kg laptop), and the power consumption of the microplasma is only 0.045 W. The mechanism of luminol chemiluminiscence induced by microplasma jet and generation of microplasma jet are investigated in this study. A 1 mL sample solution is sufficient for trace 3-NPA determination within an analysis time of 6 min. In the range of 0.03-10 mg L^-1, 3-NPA can be quantitatively analyzed along with a detection limit of 0.008 mg L^-1. In addition, the proposed system is employed for real-world samples detection, including water samples, brown sugar and tainted sugarcane, which demonstrates the reliability and practical feasibility of the detection method.

Derivatization-free determination of carbonyl compounds using bifunctional chemiluminescence coreactant thiourea dioxide

Uniquely, thiourea dioxide not only can reduce carbonyl compounds but also generate an oxidant to trigger luminol chemiluminescence. Herein, derivatization-free carbonyl compound detection using bifunctional chemiluminescence coreactant thiourea dioxide has been developed for the first time with the second most crucial flavor benzaldehyde as a representative.

Overcoming barriers in photodynamic therapy harnessing nano-formulation strategies

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been extensively investigated for decades for tumor treatment because of its non-invasiveness, spatiotemporal selectivity, lower side-effects, and immune activation ability. It can be a promising treatment modality in several medical fields, including oncology, immunology, urology, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology, pneumology, and dentistry. Nevertheless, the clinical application of PDT is largely restricted by the drawbacks of traditional photosensitizers, limited tissue penetrability of light, inefficient induction of tumor cell death, tumor resistance to the therapy, and the severe pain induced by the therapy. Recently, various photosensitizer formulations and therapy strategies have been developed to overcome these barriers. Significantly, the introduction of nanomaterials in PDT, as carriers or photosensitizers, may overcome the drawbacks of traditional photosensitizers. Based on this, nanocomposites excited by various light sources are applied in the PDT of deep-seated tumors. Modulation of cell death pathways with co-delivered reagents promotes PDT induced tumor cell death. Relief of tumor resistance to PDT with combined therapy strategies further promotes tumor inhibition. Also, the optimization of photosensitizer formulations and therapy procedures reduces pain in PDT. Here, a systematic summary of recent advances in the fabrication of photosensitizers and the design of therapy strategies to overcome barriers in PDT is presented. Several aspects important for the clinical application of PDT in cancer treatment are also discussed.

A new diagnostic strategy which uses a luminol-H2O2 system to detect helminth eggs in fecal sediments processed by the Helmintex method

Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health problem in tropical regions, affecting more than 250 million people. Sensitive diagnostic methods represent key tools for disease elimination, in particular in areas with low endemicity. Advances in the use of luminol-based chemiluminescent techniques have enabled greater sensitivity and speed in obtaining results in different diagnostic settings. In this study, we developed a luminol-H₂O₂ chemiluminescence (CL) method to detect Schistosoma mansoni eggs in human fecal sediments processed by the Helmintex (HTX) method. After S. mansoni eggs were incubated with a solution of luminol-H₂O₂ the light emission was detected and measured by spectrophotometry at 431 nm for 5 min, using detection and counts of eggs by bright field optical microscopy as a reference. CL intensity was found to correlate with different sources and numbers of eggs. Furthermore, our results showed that the CL method can distinguish positive from negative samples with 100% sensitivity and 71% specificity. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the use of CL for the diagnosis of helminths from fecal samples. The combination of the HTX method with CL represents an important advance in providing a reference method with the highest standards of sensitivity.

Schistosomiasis, the infection caused by parasites of the genus Schistosoma, is still a significant health problem in many countries, despite some successful control efforts. In areas where parasite load is low and few eggs are released in feces, most diagnostic tests fail to detect the infections. Helmintex is a very sensitive, but time consuming, egg-detection method, with most time being consumed in observations of samples at the microscope. Here we report standardization of an innovative luminol-H₂O₂ chemiluminescence reaction triggered by Schistosoma mansoni eggs that may improve their detection in feces. Improved diagnostic tests are urgently required as part of the schistosomiasis elimination efforts.

N-(Aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol)-functionalized gold nanoparticles on cobalt disulfide nanowire hybrids for the non-enzymatic chemiluminescence detection of H2O2

N-(Aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) (ABEI)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on cobalt disulfide nanowires (ABEI/AuNPs/CoS2 NWs) are rapidly synthesized through a microwave-assisted reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) on CoS2 NWs with ABEI. The obtained nanohybrids with enhanced chemiluminescence are exploited for the non-enzymatic detection of H2O2.

Derivatization in Capillary Electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis is a well-established separation technique in analytical research laboratories worldwide. Its interesting advantages make CE an efficient and potent alternative to other chromatographic techniques. However, it is also recognized that its main drawback is the relatively poor sensitivity when using optical detection. One way to overcome this limitation is to perform a derivatization reaction which is intended to provide the analyte more suitable analytical characteristics enabling a high sensitive detection. Based on the analytical step where the CE derivatization takes place, it can be classified as precapillary (before separation), in-capillary (during separation), or postcapillary (after separation). This chapter describes the application of four different derivatization protocols (in-capillary and precapillary modes) to carry out the achiral and chiral analysis of different compounds in food and biological samples with three different detection modes (UV, LIF, and MS).

Luminol-based chemiluminescent signals: clinical and non-clinical application and future uses

Chemiluminescence (CL) is an important method for quantification and analysis of various macromolecules. A wide range of CL agents such as luminol, hydrogen peroxide, fluorescein, dioxetanes and derivatives of oxalate, and acridinium dyes are used according to their biological specificity and utility. This review describes the application of luminol chemiluminescence (LCL) in forensic, biomedical, and clinical sciences. LCL is a very useful detection method due to its selectivity, simplicity, low cost, and high sensitivity. LCL has a dynamic range of applications, including quantification and detection of macro and micromolecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, DNA, and RNA. Luminol-based methods are used in environmental monitoring as biosensors, in the pharmaceutical industry for cellular localization and as biological tracers, and in reporter gene-based assays and several other immunoassays. Here, we also provide information about different compounds that may enhance or inhibit the LCL along with the effect of pH and concentration on LCL. This review covers most of the significant information related to the applications of luminol in different fields.

Highly sensitive trivalent copper chelate-H2O2 system for CE-chemiluminescent detection of luminol-type compounds

Luminol-type compounds can be used as chemiluminescent (CL) derivatization reagents for amines, carboxylic acids and protein. Copper chelate diperiodatocuprate(III) (K5[Cu(HIO6)2], DPC) was synthesized by complexation of copper at trivalent oxidation state and periodate in a strong basic medium. It was found that DPC can greatly enhance the reaction between luminol-type compounds and H2O2 to produce very strong CL emission. Based on this fact, a rapid CE method combined with high-sensitive end-column CL detection was established to simultaneously analyze luminol and N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-ethylisoluminol (ABEI) with wide concentration range of 3.0-300 nmol/L in 5 min. The RSDs of the signal intensity and the migration time were less than 3.9 and 7.0% for a standard sample containing 100 nmol/L luminol and ABEI (n=5), respectively. The investigation implies that DPC is a promising sensitizer for CE-CL detection of a great variety of biomolecules and drugs in biological samples after derivatization using luminol derivatives.

Chemiluminescence and electrochemiluminescence detection of controlled drugs

We review the determination of various controlled drugs (opioids, tranquilizers, stimulants, and hallucinogens) using flow-analysis methodologies (flow injection analysis, high performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and microfluidic devices) with chemiluminescence and electrochemiluminescence reagents such as luminol, diaryloxalates, tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II), permanganate, manganese(IV), and sulfite, for industrial, clinical, pharmaceutical, and forensic science applications.

Chemiluminescence of luminol catalyzed by silver nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are synthesized by chemical reduction method and characterized by UV-vis spectra, transmission electron microscopy, and high performance particle sizer. We have found that AgNPs could enhance the chemiluminescence (CL) intensity of luminol-H(2)O(2) system. In this reaction, luminol intermediate is generated under alkaline condition on the surface of AgNPs in luminol-H(2)O(2) system and enhances CL intensity. To validate the reaction mechanism, AgNPs are bound with thioglycolic acid (Ag-HSCH(2)COOH) and then joined to BSA protein (Ag-BSA). We investigate the CL intensity in the presence of Ag-HSCH(2)COOH or Ag-BSA comparing with that in the presence of AgNPs and conclude the catalytic reaction take place on the surface of AgNPs.

Development of an analytical method for the determination of beta2-agonist residues in animal tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line electrogenerated [Cu(HIO6)2]5- -luminol chemiluminescence detection

A novel method was developed for the simultaneous determination of beta2-agonist residues such as terbutaline, salbutamol, and clenbuterol by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with chemiluminescence (CL) detection. The procedure was based on the enhancement effect of beta2-agonists on the CL reaction between luminol and the complex of trivalent copper and periodate ([Cu(HIO6)2]5-), which was on-line electrogenerated by constant current electrolysis. The HPLC separation used a Nucleosil RP-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm; pore size, 100 A) with a mobile phase consisting of 90% acetonitrile and 10% aqueous ammonium acetate (20 mmol L-1, pH 4.0) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1. The effects of several parameters on the HPLC resolution and CL emission were studied systematically. Liver samples were hydrolyzed with beta-glucuronidase followed by a solid-phase extraction procedure using Waters OasisMCX cartridges. Under optimum conditions, the limits of detection at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 ranged from 0.007 to 0.01 ng g-1 and the limits of quantification at a signal-to-noise ratio of 10 ranged from 0.023 to 0.033 ng g-1 for three beta2-agonists. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of intra- and interday precision were below 4.5%. The average recoveries for beta2-agonists (spiked at the levels of 0.05-5.0 ng g-1) in pig liver ranged from 84 to 110%, and the RSDs of the quantitative results were from 1.6 to 7.2%. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of beta2-agonist residues in pig liver samples.

Detection of glucocorticoid residues in pig liver by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line electrogenerated [Cu(HIO6)2]5−—luminol chemiluminescence detection

A novel method was developed for the simultaneous determination of glucocorticoid residues such as triamcinolone (TR), prednisolone (PR), hydrocortisone (HC), cortisone (CO), methylprednisolone (MP), dexamethasone (DE) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with chemiluminescence (CL) detection. The procedure was based on the enhancement effect of glucocorticoids on the chemiluminescence reaction between luminol and the complex of trivalent copper and periodate ([Cu(HIO6)2]5-), which was on-line electrogenerated by constant current electrolysis. The HPLC separation used a Nucleosil RP-C18 column (250 mmx4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm, pore size, 100 A) with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 1.0 mmol L(-1) ammonium acetate (pH 6.8, 40:60,v/v) at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min(-1). The effects of several parameters on the HPLC resolution and CL emission were studied systematically. Liver samples were hydrolyzed with Helix pomatia juice followed by a solid-phase extraction procedure. Under optimum conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) at a signal-to-noise of 3 ranged from 0.08 to 1.0 ng g(-1) and the limits of quantification (LOQ) at a signal-to-noise of 10 ranged from 0.27 to 3.33 ng g(-1) for seven glucocorticoids. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of intra- and inter-day precision were below 6.8%. The average recoveries for glucocorticoids (spiked at the levels of 5-50 ng g(-1)) in pig liver ranged from 88 to 106%, and the relative standard deviations of the quantitative results were from 2.0 to 6.9%. The proposed method had been successfully applied to the determination of glucocorticoid residues in pig liver.

Sensitization of surfactants on the chemiluminescence reaction of fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled proteins

The effect of surfactants on fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-bovine serum albumin (BSA)-hypochlorite (ClO(-)), FITC-human serum albumin (HSA)-ClO(-), FITC-ovoconalbumin (OVA)-ClO(-), FITC-hemoglobin (Hb)-ClO(-) systems were investigated with chemiluminescence method by the reversed phase flow injection. It was found that the chemiluminescence (CL) intensity of each system was increased greatly in the presence of cationic surfactants. Cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is the optimal surfactant of these systems. The optimal conditions of the CL reaction and the optimal concentration of CTAB were examined and the function of cationic surfactant CTAB on the CL reaction was also discussed.

Determination of medroxyprogesterone acetate residues by CE immunoassay with chemiluminescence detection

A rapid and simple method is developed for the determination of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) by CE immunoassay with chemiluminescence (CL). This method is based on the competitive reactions between horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled MPA (MPA-HRP) and free MPA with anti-MPA antiserum. The influencing factors on the electrophoresis and CL detection were studied completely and the optimal conditions of separation and determination were obtained. The linear range was 2.0-50 nmol/L and the LOD for MPA was 0.9 nmol/L. The present method was applied to the analysis of pork tissues.

Migration behavior of isoluminol isothiocyanate-labeled α-amino acids in capillary electrophoresis with an absorption/chemiluminescence dual detection system

In our previous study, we developed capillary electrophoresis with an ultraviolet absorption/chemiluminescence dual detection system. Here, to demonstrate one of the possible applications of the capable system as well as confirm the advantage, migration behavior of isoluminol isothiocyanate-labeled alpha-amino acids was examined in the capillary electrophoresis with a dual detection system. The labeled samples were first analyzed by absorption detection with an on-capillary, followed by chemiluminescence detection with an end-capillary. The system easily, rapidly, and simultaneously produced useful information concerning chemiluminescence quenching and amino group-labeling due to the presence of both absorption and chemiluminescence detections.