Engineering DNA/Fe-N-C single-atom nanozymes interface for colorimetric biosensing of cancer cells

Single atom nanozymes (SAzymes) represent the state-of-the-art technology in nanomaterial-based catalysis, which have attracted attentions in catalysis, cancer treatment, disinfection and biosensing fields. However, numerous SAzymes suffered from low aqueous dispersion and without recognition capacity, which impeded their applications in bioanalysis. Herein, we engineered DNA onto SAzymes to obtain the DNA/SAzymes conjugates, which significantly improved the aqueous dispersion and recognition ability of SAzymes. We synthesized iron SAzymes (Fe-N-C SAzymes) as the catalytic nanomaterials, and investigated the interactions between Fe-N-C SAzymes and DNA. We compared A₁₅, T₁₅ and C₁₅ adsorption of Fe-N-C SAzymes in HEPES containing 2 mM MgCl₂. We found that 50 μg mL^-1 Fe-N-C SAzymes produced nearly 100% A₁₅ adsorption, 90% T₁₅ adsorption and only 69% C₁₅ adsorption, indicating that adenine and thymine had higher adsorption affinity on Fe-N-C SAzymes. More importantly, DNA modification did not affect the peroxidase-like activity of Fe-N-C SAzymes and the bioactivity of the adsorbed DNA. Taking the advantage of the diblock DNA with one DNA sequence (adenine) binding to Fe-N-C SAzymes and the other DNA sequence (i.e., aptamer) binding to cancer cells, we designed Apt/Fe-N-C SAzymes for colorimetric detection of cancer cells, which offered new insights for the use of SAzymes in biomedicine.

Fluorescent Carbon Dots an Effective Nano-Thermometer in Vitro Applications

Fluorescent sensing of temperature in nanoscale regions has many advantages and applications in the biological field. Herein, blue emitting carbon dots (CDs) are designed and successfully developed using a one step hydrothermal method. As synthesized CDs exhibit temperature dependent photoluminescent (PL) intensity and PL decay lifetime over the physiological temperature ranging from room temperature (RT) to 70 °C. The PL intensity and PL decay lifetime of the obtained CDs correlate linearly to temperature (RT-70 °C) with correlation coefficient of 0.997 and 0.996, respectively. Additionally, dual mode thermal sensing (PL intensity/lifetime) make these CDs a promising optical nanothermometer over alternative semiconductors quantum dots and CD-based quantum dots. Moreover, the resultant aqueous CDs demonstrate excitation-independent blue emission, and the PL quantum yield (QY) is reached at 44.5%. The obtained CDs illustrate stable performance to high ionic environments and photobleaching even after keeping them for 2 h under continues UV irradiation. Furthermore, blue emitting CDs have low cytotoxicity for T-ca. cells and illuminate deep blue fluorescence under the excitation of 406 nm. As a result, high thermal sensitivity of these fluorescent CDs has potential to detect temperature in living cells in the range of 25-40 °C.

UV-enhanced nano-nickel ferrite-activated peroxymonosulfate for the degradation of chlortetracycline hydrochloride in aqueous solution

In this study, nano-nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) was successfully prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and applied to the oxidative removal of chlortetracycline hydrochloride (CTH) in the presence of ultraviolet radiation (UV) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Several characterization methods were used to reveal the morphology and surface properties of nano-NiFe2O4, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared absorption (FTIR) spectroscopy. The removal efficiency of CTH, the factors affecting the reaction process and the reaction mechanism of PMS activated by UV combined with nano-NiFe2O4 (UV + nano-NiFe2O4/PMS) in aqueous solution were systematically studied. The results showed that the UV + nano-NiFe2O4/PMS system led to a higher removal efficiency of CTH than other parallel systems. The results also showed that the CTH removal efficiency was enhanced under optimal conditions ([nano-NiFe2O4] = 1 g L-1, [PMS] = 1 g L-1, [UV wavelength] = 254 nm and [pH] = 11) and that a removal efficiency of 96.98% could be achieved after 60 min. In addition, the influence of the PMS concentration, CTH concentration, dosage of added nano-NiFe2O4 and pH on the PMS activation efficiency and CTH oxidative degradation effect was studied. Inorganic anions such as Cl-, HCO3 -, CO3 2- and NO3 - increased the removal efficiency of CTH by 21.29%, 27.17%, 25.32% and 5.96% respectively, while H2PO4 - inhibited CTH removal, and the removal efficiency of CTH decreased 6.08% after 60 min. Free radical identification tests detected SO4 -˙, OH˙ and 1O2 and showed that these species participated in the degradation reaction of CTH. The results of LC-MS and TOC analysis showed that CTH was degraded in the UV + nano-NiFe2O4/PMS system through hydroxylation, demethylation, deamination, and dehydration reaction and finally mineralized into CO2. These findings confirmed that nano-NiFe2O4 is a green and efficient heterogeneous catalyst for activation of PMS and demonstrates potential applicability in the treatment of antibiotic wastewater.

Selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols in the presence of C3N4 photocatalysts derived from the polycondensation of melamine, cyanuric and barbituric acids

A set of C3N4 samples has been prepared by using melamine, cyanuric acid and barbituric acid as the precursors. The materials were subjected both to physical and chemical characterization and were used as photocatalysts for the selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols in water suspension under UV and visible irradiation. The photoactivity of the materials versus the partial oxidation of four substituted benzyl alcohols was investigated. The type and position of the substituents in the aromatic molecule influenced conversion and selectivity to the corresponding aldehyde. The presence of barbituric and cyanuric acids in the preparation method has changed the graphitic-C3N4 structure, and therefore both the characteristics of the material and the ability of light to activate the surface of the photocatalyst. The most active material prepared in the presence of melamine and cyanuric acid showed a remarkable selectivity towards the aldehyde even under visible irradiation.

Correlations between Reduction Degree and Catalytic Properties of WO x Nanoparticles

Degrading organic dyes via catalytic processes for waste water purification is an important research topic from the environmental conservation point of view. Herein, the catalytic performance of tungsten blue oxide (WO _x ) nanoparticles was investigated systematically by varying the reduction temperature. The optimum reduction temperature to obtain the most stable WO _x phase was obtained when plasma-synthesized WO₃ nanoparticles were thermally reduced at 425 °C. The as-synthesized nanoparticles had an average diameter of 10 nm and a calculated band gap of 2.37 eV, which is lower than that of the WO₃ nanoparticles (2.61 eV). The WO _x nanoparticles exhibited an excellent performance in degrading rhodamine B under dark conditions and visible light irradiation, with a reaction rate constant 93 times higher than that of the WO₃ nanoparticles.

Photocatalytic oxidation of arylalcohols to aromatic aldehydes promoted by hydroxyl radicals over a CoP/CdS photocatalyst in water with hydrogen evolution

Hydroxyl free radicals generated by visible-light-catalyzed water splitting over CoP/CdS drive the oxidation of arylalcohols with hydrogen evolution.