4-(2-Pyridylazo)-resorcinol Functionalized Thermosensitive Ionic Microgels for Optical Detection of Heavy Metal Ions at Nanomolar Level

Porous Microgels for Delivery of Curcumin: Microfluidics-Based Fabrication and Cytotoxicity Evaluation

Polymeric microgels, fabricated via microfluidic techniques, have garnered significant interest as versatile drug delivery carriers. Despite the advances, the loading and release of hydrophobic drugs such as curcumin from polymeric microgels is not trivial. Herein, we report that effective drug loading can be achieved by the design of porous particles and the use of supramolecular cyclodextrin-based curcumin complexes. The fabrication of porous microgels through the judicious choice of chemical precursors under flow conditions was established. The evaluation of the curcumin loading dependence on the porosity of the microgels was performed. Microgels with higher porosity exhibited better curcumin loading compared to those with lower porosity. Curcumin-loaded microgels released the drug, which, upon internalization by U87 MG human glioma cancer cells, induced cytotoxicity. The findings reported here provide valuable insights for the development of tailored drug delivery systems using a microfluidics-based platform and outline a strategy for the effective delivery of hydrophobic therapeutic agents such as curcumin through supramolecular complexation.

Multimorphological Remoldable Silver Nanomaterials from Multimode and Multianalyte Colorimetric Sensing to Molecular Information Technology

Inspired by life's interaction networks, ongoing efforts are to increase complexity and responsiveness of multicomponent interactions in the system for sensing, programmable control, or information processing. Although exquisite preparation of single uniform-morphology nanomaterials has been extremely explored, the potential value of facile and one-pot preparation of multimorphology nanomaterials has been seriously ignored. Here, multimorphological silver nanomaterials (M-AgN) prepared by one pot can form interaction networks with various analytes, which can be successfully realized from multimode and multianalyte colorimetric sensing to molecular information technology (logic computing and security). The interaction of M-AgN with multianalytes not only induces multisignal responses (including color, absorbance, and wavelength shift) for sensing metal ions (Cr3+, Hg2+, and Ni2+) but also can controllably reshape its four morphologies (nanodots, nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanotriangles). By abstracting binary relationships between analytes and response signals, multicoding parallel logic operations (including simple logic gates and cascaded circuits) can be performed. In addition, taking advantage of natural concealment and molecular response characteristics of M-AgN nanosystems can also realize molecular information encoding, encryption, and hiding. This research not only promotes the construction and application of multinano interaction systems based on multimorphology and multicomponent nanoset but also provides a new imagination for the integration of sensing, logic, and informatization.

Synthesis and adsorption properties of gelatin-conjugated hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles for lead removal from wastewater

Gelatin-conjugated hematite nanoparticles (HT NPs) are prepared through the solid-state phase transformation in the presence of phosphate. Their adsorption capacity and kinetics are investigated for Pb removal in wastewater. The gelatin-conjugated HT NPs with a size of 4-6 nm exhibit an excellent Pb removal performance, with a high adsorption capacity of 169.49 mg g^-1 and a fast equilibrium adsorption kinetics, attributed to the large number of active sites and highly negative charge on the surface of HT NPs. Moreover, the magnetic property of HT NPs enables to selectively collect NPs in the wastewater by using a permanent magnet, leading to its high reusability.

Thermoresponsive Pluronic based microgels for controlled release of curcumin against breast cancer cell line

We developed here stimuli responsive curcumin loaded microgels based on Pluronic F-127. These microgels were prepared using coupling reaction between the amine modified Pluronic and EDTA. The microgel exhibited the affinity for hydrophobic drug, curcumin and showed pH as well as temperature-dependent release. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity study demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of MDA-MB-231 cell growth with the most effective IC₅₀ value (3.8 ± 0.2 μg mL^-1 after 24 h). Based on these findings, the fabricated curcumin loaded microgels offered additional advantages over conventional drug therapies for treatment of cancer.

Highly selective simultaneous determination of Cu(ii), Co(ii), Ni(ii), Hg(ii), and Mn(ii) in water samples using microfluidic paper-based analytical devices

A new paper-based analytical device design was fabricated by a wax printing method for simultaneous determination of Cu(ii), Co(ii), Ni(ii), Hg(ii), and Mn(ii). Colorimetry was used to quantify these heavy metal ions using bathocuproine (Bc), dimethylglyoxime (DMG), dithizone (DTZ), and 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) as complexing agents. The affinity of complexing agents to heavy metal ions is dependent on the formation constant (Kf). To enhance the selectivity for heavy metal ion determination, the new device was designed with two pretreatment zones, where masking agents remove the interfering ions. It was found that two pretreatment zones worked better than a single pretreatment zone at removing interferences. The reaction time, sample and complexing agent volumes, and complexing agent concentrations were optimized. The analytical results were achieved with the lowest detectable concentrations of 0.32, 0.59, 5.87, 0.20, and 0.11 mg L-1 for Cu(ii), Co(ii), Ni(ii), Hg(ii), and Mn(ii), respectively. The linear ranges were found to be 0.32-63.55 mg L-1 (Cu(ii)), 0.59-4.71 mg L-1 (Co(ii)), 5.87-352.16 mg L-1 (Ni(ii)), 0.20-12.04 mg L-1 (Hg(ii)), and 0.11-0.55 mg L-1 (Mn(ii)). The lowest detectable concentration and linearity for the five metal ions allow the application of this device for the determination of heavy metal ions in various water samples. The sensor showed high selectivity and efficiency for simultaneous determination of Cu(ii), Co(ii), Ni(ii), Hg(ii), and Mn(ii) in drinking, tap, and pond water samples on a single device and detection with the naked eye. The results illustrated that the proposed sensor showed good accuracy and precision agreement with the standard ICP-OES method.

Study of interaction of metal ions with methylthymol blue by chemometrics and quantum chemical calculations

In this study, we determine the acidity constants of methylthymol blue (MTB) and association constants of its complexes with the ZnII, CuII, and FeII metal ions (MIs), through theoretical and experimental means. The complexes were characterized using UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy combined with soft/hard chemometrics methods and quantum chemical calculations. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that electronic transitions in the UV-Visible spectra of MTB have mixed n → π* and π → π* characters. The results of molar ratio and multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) revealed the formation of successive 1:2 and 1:1 complexes (MI:MTB) for the ZnII and CuII systems. However, the formation of successive 1:1 and 2:1 complexes are suggested for FeII by the molar ratio and MCR-ALS. The majority of transitions observed in the UV-Visible spectra of the Zn(MTB) and Cu(MTB) complexes have ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) characters. However, the transitions in the UV-Visible spectrum of the Fe(MTB) complex have LLCT and metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) characters. For the Fe2(MTB) complex, the lowest energy transition of has an LLCT character. However, its higher energy transitions are a mixture of LLCT, MLCT, and metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) characters. The correlation between experimental and computed wavelengths revealed that the 1:1 complexes of ZnII and CuII prefer square pyramidal geometries. However, the FeII complexes always show octahedral geometry.

Construction of Self-Assembled Polyelectrolyte/Cationic Microgel Multilayers and Their Interaction with Anionic Dyes Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Atomic Force Microscopy

This study aimed to reveal the interaction between self-assembled multilayers and dye molecules in the environment, which is closely related to the multilayers' stable performance and service life. In this work, the pH-responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) microgels were prepared by free-radical copolymerization and self-assembled with sodium alginate (SA) into multilayers by the layer-by-layer deposition method. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results confirmed the construction of multilayers and the absorbed mass, resulting in a decrease in the frequency shift of the QCM sensor and the deposition of microgel particles on its surface. The interaction between the self-assembled SA/microgel multilayers and anionic dyes in the aqueous solution was further investigated by QCM, and it was found that the electrostatic attraction between dyes and microgels deposited on the QCM sensor surface was much larger than that of the microgels with SA in multilayers, leading to the release of the microgels from the self-assembled structure and a mass loss ratio of 27.6%. AFM observation of the multilayer morphology exposed to dyes showed that 29% of the microgels was peeled off, and the corresponding microgel imprints were generated on the surface. In contrast, the shape and size of the remaining self-assembled microgel particles did not change.

Development and Study of Biocompatible Polyurethane-Based Polymer-Metallic Nanocomposites

INTRODUCTION

In this work we selected components, developed technology and studied a number of parameters of polymer nanocomposite materials, remembering that the material would have high optical and good mechanical characteristics, good sorption ability in order to ensure high value of the optical signal for a short time while maintaining the initial geometric shape. In addition, if this nanocomposite is used for medicine and biology (biocompatible or biocidal materials or the creation of a sensor based on it), the material must be non-toxic and/or biocompatible. We study the creation of polymer nanocomposites which may be applied as biocompatible materials with new functional parameters.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A number of polymer nanocomposites based on various urethane-acrylate monomers and nanoparticles of gold, silicon oxides, zinc and/or titanium oxides are obtained, their mechanical (microhardness) properties and wettability (contact angle) are studied. The set of required, biology-related properties of these materials, such as toxicity and sorption of microorganisms are also investigated in order to prove their possible applicability.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The composition of the samples influences their microhardness and the value of contact angle, which means that varying with the monomer and the metallic, oxide nanoparticles composition, we could change these parameters. Besides it, the set of required, biology-related properties of these materials, such as toxicity and sorption of microorganisms were also investigated in order to prove their possible applicability. It was shown that the materials are non-toxic, the adhesion of microorganisms on their surface also could be varied by changing their composition.

CONCLUSION

The presented polymer nanocomposites with different compositions of monomer and the presence of nanoparticles in them are prospective material for a possible bio-application as it is biocompatible, not toxic. The sorption of microorganism could be varied depending on the type of bacterias, the monomer composition, and nanoparticles.

Biocompatible alkyne arms containing Schiff base fluorescence indicator for dual detection of CdII and PbII at physiological pH and its application to live cell imaging

An alkyne arms containing salen-type Schiff base ligand L acts as a dual sensor for Cd^II and Pb^II with well-separated excitation and emission wavelengths. The ligand L has been utilized in cell imaging studies for both metal ions.

Multiresponsive and Self-Healing Hydrogel via Formation of Polymer-Nanogel Interfacial Dynamic Benzoxaborole Esters at Physiological pH

Nanocomposite hydrogels with multiresponsiveness and self-healing property are attracting extensive interest due to their enhanced performance for a wide range of applications. In this work, we have successfully developed novel hydrogels based on interfacial polymer-nanogel benzoxaborolate cross-linking at physiological pH. Temperature-sensitive nanogels (NG-Gal) containing galactose residues on the nanosurface were prepared and subsequently used as macro-cross-linkers to form a hydrogel network through formation of dynamic adducts with benzoxaborole groups of a hydrophilic copolymer poly(DMA-st-MAABO). Benefiting from the low pK_a value of benzoxaborole (∼7.2), hydrogels can be constructed rapidly at physiological pH, which is of great significance for biomedical applications. Changing the molar ratio between benzoxaborole and galactose was found to alter the mechanical properties of hydrogels as confirmed by rheological measurements. The dynamic nature of benzoxaborole esters endowed the hydrogel with moldability and self-healing ability after disruption. Moreover, the hydrogel showed multiresponsiveness toward pH, sugar, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and temperature. Therefore, the novel nanocomposite hydrogel we demonstrated here exhibits great potential for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery.

Insight into the Adsorption-Interaction Mechanism of Cr(VI) at the Silica Adsorbent Surface by Evanescent Wave Measurement

The investigation of adsorption performance at the adsorbent surface can help to reveal the treatment mechanism and improve the treatment efficiency of adsorption technology for heavy metal ions (HMIs). This work developed a methodology to investigate the adsorption behavior of HMI Cr(VI) at the silica surface by confined near-field evanescent wave (CNFEW) measurement. A silica optical fiber (SOF) was used as the adsorption substrate and light waveguide element to integrate both Cr(VI) adsorption and CNFEW production on its surface. According to the sensitive CNFEW response, the adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) was in situ monitored and real-time evaluated. The thermodynamic information of adsorption equilibrium constant (K_ads) and adsorption free energy (ΔG) and dynamic information of the apparent adsorption rate (v_ads) and adsorption time (t_ads) were obtained through Langmuir isotherm and kinetic fitting, respectively. Different reaction performances between Cr(VI) and adsorption sites were successfully differentiated, evaluated, and characterized. A site-decided-mechanism was therefore presented to describe the surface interaction process for Cr(VI), which including fast adsorption on type I Si-O^- site through electrostatic attraction with [Formula: see text] and slow adsorption on type II Si-OH site through coordinative interaction with ΔG_SiOH-Cr(VI)^II = -26.18 kJ mol^-1. The adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) at the SOF silica surface was furthermore verified by zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared investigation, and fluorescence imaging. Unlike conventional ex situ or in bulk detection, the present CNFEW-based approach targets the "localized" adsorption of Cr(VI) adsorbed to the solid adsorbent surface. Consequently, our work favorably constructs a surface platform and provides new insights on understanding the adsorption mechanism for HMIs.

Optical Detection of Fe3+ Ions in Aqueous Solution with High Selectivity and Sensitivity by Using Sulfasalazine Functionalized Microgels

A highly selective and sensitive optical sensor was developed to colorimetric detect trace Fe³⁺ ions in aqueous solution. The sensor was the sulfasalazine (SSZ) functionalized microgels (SSZ-MGs), which were fabricated via in-situ quaternization reaction. The obtained SSZ-MGs had hydrodynamic radius of about 259 ± 24 nm with uniform size distribution at 25 °C. The SSZ-MG aqueous suspensions can selectively and sensitively response to Fe³⁺ ions in aqueous solution at 25 °C and pH of 5.6, which can be quantified by UV-visible spectroscopy and also easily distinguished by the naked eye. Job’s plot indicated that the molar binding ratio of SSZ moiety in SSZ-MGs to Fe³⁺ was close to 1:1 with an apparent association constant of 1.72 × 10⁴ M⁻¹. A linear range of 0–12 μM with the detection limit of 0.110 μM (0.006 mg/L) was found. The obtained detection limit was much lower than the maximum allowance level of Fe³⁺ ions in drinking water (0.3 mg/L) regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States. The existence of 19 other species of metal ions, namely, Ag⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, Yb³⁺, La³⁺, Gd³⁺, Ce³⁺, and Bi³⁺, did not interfere with the detection of Fe³⁺ ions.

Simple Fluorescence Turn-On Chemosensor for Selective Detection of Ba2+ Ion and Its Live Cell Imaging

A phenoxazine-based fluorescence chemosensor 4PB [(4-(tert-butyl)-N-(4-((4-((5-oxo-5H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-6-yl)amino)phenyl)sulfonyl)phenyl)benzamide)] was designed and synthesized by a simple synthetic methods. The 4PB fluorescence chemosensor selectively detects Ba²⁺ in the existence of other alkaline metal ions. In addition, 4PB showed high selectivity and sensitivity for Ba²⁺ detection. The detection limit of 4PB was 0.282 μM and the binding constant was 1.0 × 10⁶ M^-1 in CH₃CN/H₂O (97.5:2.5 v/v, HEPES = 1.25 mM, pH 7.3) medium. This chemosensor functioned through the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism, which was further confirmed by DFT studies. Live cell imaging in MCF-7 cells confirmed the cell permeability of 4PB and its capability for specific detection of Ba²⁺ in living cells.

Structural design of a high sensitivity biomass cellulose-based colorimetric sensor and its in situ visual recognition mechanism for Cu2

A novel biomass cellulose-based colorimetric sensor (DAC-PDH) was prepared by a Schiff base reaction between the aldehyde groups of dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) and the amino groups of 2,6-pyridine dihydrazide (PDH). The as-prepared sensor (DAC-PDH) showed selective recognition of Cu²⁺ and a visual colour change from white to green. The visual limit of detection for Cu²⁺ was 10^-7 mol/L. Furthermore, DAC-PDH responded to Cu²⁺ within 30 s by the method of dynamic condition. The sensor possessed the properties of a high density of functional groups (CO, NH, NH₂), a large external surface area, a short transit distance and flexibility; thus, Cu²⁺ can be rapidly absorbed and enriched on the DAC-PDH through multi-dentate ligand chelation between Cu²⁺ and the carbonyl groups (CO) and the amino groups (NH, NH₂) of DAC-PDH. The as-prepared DAC-PDH colorimetric sensor exhibits promising prospects for in situ identification of Cu²⁺.

Poly( N-isopropylacrylamide- co-1-vinyl-3-alkylimidazolium bromide) Microgels with Internal Nanophase-Separated Structures

Microgels with internal nanophase-separated structures were fabricated by surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and ionic liquid comonomers, namely, 1-vinyl-3-alkylimidazolium bromide (VIM nBr) with various lengths n of long alkyl side chain, in an aqueous solution at 70 °C using N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide as the cross-linker. Combined techniques of transmission electron microscopy, dynamic and static light-scattering, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and polarized optical microscopy were employed to systematically investigate the sizes, morphologies, and properties of the obtained microgels as well as the microstructures and phase transition of nanophases inside the microgels. The obtained P(NIPAm/VIM nBr) microgels are spherical with narrow size distributions, and the nanophases have a radius of about 8-12 nm and are randomly distributed inside the microgels. The cooperative competition of the hydrophilic quaternary vinylimidazole moieties and hydrophobic long alkyl side chains determines the thermal sensitive behavior of the P(NIPAm/VIM nBr) microgels. DSC and WAXD results reveal that the nanophases consist of the ordered alkyl side chains with a layered crystalline structure at low temperature, which exhibit a low melting temperature and a broad melting transition. SAXS results further show that the nanophases form a layered liquid crystalline structure at high temperature for the microgel suspensions and freeze-dried microgels.

Highly Selective and Sensitive Detection of Pb2+ in Aqueous Solution Using Tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin-Functionalized Thermosensitive Ionic Microgels

Tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (TPyP)-functionalized thermosensitive ionic microgels (TPyP5-MGs) were synthesized by a two-step quaternization method. The obtained TPyP5-MGs have a hydrodynamic radius of about 189 nm with uniform size distribution and exhibit thermosensitive character. The TPyP5-MG microgel suspensions can optically respond to trace Pb²⁺ ions in aqueous solution with high sensitivity and selectivity over the interference of other 19 species of metal ions (Yb³⁺, Gd³⁺, Ce³⁺, La³⁺, Bi³⁺, Ba²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, Cr³⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, Li⁺, Al³⁺, Cu²⁺, Ag⁺, Cd²⁺, and Fe³⁺) by using UV-visible spectroscopy. The sensitivity of TPyP5-MGs toward Pb²⁺ can be further improved by increasing the solution temperature. The limit of detection for TPyP5-MG microgel suspensions in the detection of Pb²⁺ in aqueous solution at 50 °C is about 25.2 nM, which can be further improved to be 5.9 nM by using the method of higher order derivative spectrophotometry and is much lower than the U. S. EPA standard for the safety limit of Pb²⁺ ions in drinking water. It is further demonstrated that the TPyP5-MG microgel suspensions have a potential application in the detection of Pb²⁺ in real world samples, which give consistent results with those obtained by elemental analysis.

Application of a Novel "Turn-on" Fluorescent Material to the Detection of Aluminum Ion in Blood Serum

A novel "turn-on" fluorescent bioprobe, 1,2,3,4,5-penta(4-carboxyphenyl)pyrrole sodium salt (PPPNa), with aggregation-enhanced emission characteristics was synthesized for the in situ quantitative detection of Al³⁺ in serum. It exhibited a high selectivity to Al³⁺ in both simulated serum and fetal calf serum with no interferences from other metal ions or serum components observed and no isolation required. A weak interaction between PPPNa and serum albumin was found, which caused no interference, but enhanced fluorescence response of PPPNa to Al³⁺ and improved detection sensitivity. The limit of detection was determined to be 1.50 μmol/L Al³⁺ in phosphate-buffered saline solution containing 33 μg/mL bovine serum albumin (BSA) and decreased to 0.98 μmol/L as BSA concentration increased to 100 μg/mL. The fluorescence "turn-on" mechanism of the PPPNa probe to detect Al³⁺ was proposed. A bidentate complex is formed between the carboxy group of PPPNa and Al³⁺, causing the photoluminescence (PL) emission enhancement by aggregation. BSA chains further strengthen the stacking compactness of the aggregates of PPPNa and Al³⁺ and consequently enhance the PL emission of PPPNa by further promoting the restriction of intramolecular rotation of the phenyl ring. Its application to the in situ Al³⁺ was successfully demonstrated with HeLa cells and NIH 3T3 cells. The low cytotoxicity and highly selective response of PPPNa to Al³⁺ endow its great potentials to in vivo detecting and imaging of Al³⁺ as well as an absorbent of Al³⁺.

An Ultrasensitive Fluorescence Sensor with Simple Operation for Cu2+ Specific Detection in Drinking Water

Whether short-term or long-term, overexposure to an abnormal amount of copper ion does significant harm to human health. Considering its nonbiodegradability, it is critical to sensitively detect copper ion. Herein, a novel fluorescent strategy with a "turn-on" signal was developed for highly sensitive and specific detection of copper ion (Cu2+). In the present investigation, we found that Cu2+ exhibits excellent peroxidase-like catalytic activity toward oxidizing the nonfluorescent substrate of Amplex Red into the product of resofurin with outstanding fluorescence emission under the aid of H2O2. Thus, an enzyme-free and label-free sensing system was constructed for copper ion detection with quite simple operation. To ensure the detection sensitivity and reproducibility, the amount of H2O2 and incubation time were optimized. The limit of detection can reach as low as 1.0 nM. In addition, the developed assay demonstrated excellent specificity and could be utilized to detect copper ion in water samples including tap water and bottled purified water without standing recovery.

Zwitterionic peptide-capped gold nanoparticles for colorimetric detection of Ni2+

Zwitterionic nanoparticles are typically utilized as nanoprobes and delivery vehicles in nanomedicine and therapeutics due to their resistance to interferences. Their high stability also shows great potential to be applied in sensing applications. Here, we report a selective, sensitive and rapid colorimetric sensing of nickel ions (Ni²⁺) using zwitterionic polypeptide, EKEKEKPPPPC (EK)₃, capped gold nanoparticles (AuNP-(EK)₃). By taking advantage of the alternate carboxylic (-COOH)/amine (-NH₂) groups, the zwitterionic peptide can function dually by being able to sense metal ions and maintain colloidal stability. Ni²⁺ can trigger the aggregation of the AuNP-(EK)₃ nanoprobe, which results in a red-to-purple color change of the AuNP-(EK)₃ solution. Our 40 nm AuNP-(EK)₃ nanoprobe can detect Ni²⁺ as low as 34 nM within 15 min with a linear range of 60-160 nM, and is stable in soil, urine and water samples. We demonstrate that the aggregation mechanism of the nanoprobe is due to the interactions between the -NH₂ group of glutamic acid at the N-terminus of the peptide and Ni²⁺, and the aggregation process is reversible. Furthermore, the slight modification of two amino acid sequences at the N-terminus allows the nanoprobe to retain its stability, even in a high ionic strength medium. We believe that by adjusting or extending the peptide sequences, new metal ion selective peptides could be created.

Investigation of the Formation Process of PNIPAM-Based Ionic Microgels

The formation process of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-based ionic microgels was investigated in this work. Different from the traditional formation process of covalent bond cross-linked PNIPAM-based microgels, a disassembling and reassembling process for PNIPAM-based ionic microgels was observed. During the formation process, loose microgels were first formed in a short time, and then, these loose microgels disassembled into smaller nanogel pieces. Meanwhile, the nanogel pieces reassembled into microgels by electrostatic interaction. After reassembling, large amounts of nanogels could be seen clearly in the interior of PNIPAM-based ionic microgels. The thermo-sensitivity and composition of the final prepared microgels were characterized by dynamic light scattering, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

A New Ion-Imprinted Chitosan-Based Membrane with an Azo-Derivative Ligand for the Efficient Removal of Pd(II)

Herein, we described the synthesis of a novel ion-imprinted membrane for the detection of palladium(II) prepared through the glutaraldehyde crosslinking of chitosan with a 4-[(4-Hydroxy)phenylazo]benzenesulfonic acid ligand trapped into the membrane. The imprinting technology was used to improve adsorption capacity and adsorption selectivity, and was combined with some advantages of the developed membrane, such as low cost and ease of preparation, water-friendly synthesis, and high biocompatible chitosan material. The membranes were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS). The results obtained showed a high swelling ratio with a maximum value of 16.4 (1640%) at pH 4 with a strong pH dependence. Batch rebinding experiments gave a maximum adsorption capacity of 101.6 mg of Pd(II) per gram of imprinted membrane. The Pd(II) adsorption behavior was well-described by a Langmuir model with a theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of 93.48 mg g^-1, similar to the experimental one. Finally, a selectivity study versus Ag(I), Pb(II), and Fe(III) ions demonstrated a good selectivity of chitosan-imprinted membrane towards Pd(II).

Near-Infrared-Light-Responsive Magnetic DNA Microgels for Photon- and Magneto-Manipulated Cancer Therapy

Functional DNA molecules have been introduced into polymer-based nanocarrier systems to incorporate chemotherapy drugs for cancer therapy. Here is the first report of dual-responsive microgels composed of a core of Au nanorods and a shell of magnetic ionic liquid and DNA moieties in the cross-linking network simultaneously, as effective drug delivery vectors. TEM images indicated a magnetic polymer shell has an analogous "doughnut" shape which loosely surround the AuNRs core. When irradiated with a near-infrared-light (near-IR) laser, Au nanorods are the motors which convert the light to heat, leading to the release of the encapsulated payloads with high controllability. DNA acts not only as a cross-linker agent, but also as a gatekeeper to regulate the release of drugs. The internalization study and MTT assay confirm that these core-shell DNA microgels are excellent candidates which can enhance the cytotoxicity of cancer cells controlled by near-IR laser and shield the high toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents to improve the killing efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents efficiently in due course.

Functionalized Ionic Microgel Sensor Array for Colorimetric Detection and Discrimination of Metal Ions

A functional ionic microgel sensor array was developed by using 1-(2-pyridinylazo)-2-naphthaleno (PAN)- and bromothymol blue (BTB)-functionalized ionic microgels, which were designed and synthesized by quaternization reaction and anion-exchange reaction, respectively. The PAN microgels (PAN-MG) and BTB microgels (BTB-MG) were spherical in shape with a narrow size distribution and exhibited characteristic colors in aqueous solution in the presence of various trace-metal ions, which could be visually distinguished by the naked eye. Such microgels could be used for the colorimetric detection of various metal ions in aqueous solution at submicromolar levels, which were lower than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for the safety limit of metal ions in drinking water. A total of 10 species of metal ions in aqueous solution, Ba²⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Al³⁺, were successfully discriminated by the as-constructed microgel sensor array combined with discriminant analysis, agglomerative hierarchical clustering, and leave-one-out cross-validation analysis.

DNA Modified Fe3O4@Au Magnetic Nanoparticles as Selective Probes for Simultaneous Detection of Heavy Metal Ions

Driven by the urgent need to detect trace heavy metal ions in various real water samples, this article demonstrates for the first time an electrochemical biosensor based on DNA modified Fe₃O₄@Au magnetic nanoparticles (NPs). Three DNA probes are designed to contain certain mismatched base pairs. One is thiolated and modified on the surface of Fe₃O₄@Au NPs (DNA 1). The other two probes (DNA 2 and 3) are labeled with two independent electrochemical species. Stable structures of cytosine-Ag⁺-cytosine and thymine-Hg²⁺-thymine formed in the presence of Ag⁺ and Hg²⁺ can assist the hybridization of DNA 1/DNA 2 and DNA 1/DNA 3, which locate corresponding electrochemical species onto the surface of the magnetic NPs. The achieved nanocomposites are then used as selective electrochemical probes for the detection of heavy metal ions by recording the square wave voltammetry signals. Simultaneous detection of Ag⁺ and Hg²⁺ is demonstrated without significant interference, and their individual high sensitivities are fundamentally preserved, which meet the requirements of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Furthermore, the proposed method has been challenged by various real water samples. The results confirm the DNA modified magnetic NPs based sensing method may have potential applications for the monitoring of heavy metal ions in real sample analysis.

Aptamer-functionalized DNA microgels: a strategy towards selective anticancer therapeutic systems

DNA microgels of oligonucleotides and polymers were constructed via a combination of DNA complementarity and photo-initiated free radical polymerization.