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Moura PC, Ribeiro PA, Raposo M, Vassilenko V. The State of the Art on Graphene-Based Sensors for Human Health Monitoring through Breath Biomarkers. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:9271. [PMID: 38005657 PMCID: PMC10674474 DOI: 10.3390/s23229271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
The field of organic-borne biomarkers has been gaining relevance due to its suitability for diagnosing pathologies and health conditions in a rapid, accurate, non-invasive, painless and low-cost way. Due to the lack of analytical techniques with features capable of analysing such a complex matrix as the human breath, the academic community has focused on developing electronic noses based on arrays of gas sensors. These sensors are assembled considering the excitability, sensitivity and sensing capacities of a specific nanocomposite, graphene. In this way, graphene-based sensors can be employed for a vast range of applications that vary from environmental to medical applications. This review work aims to gather the most relevant published papers under the scope of "Graphene sensors" and "Biomarkers" in order to assess the state of the art in the field of graphene sensors for the purposes of biomarker identification. During the bibliographic search, a total of six pathologies were identified as the focus of the work. They were lung cancer, gastric cancer, chronic kidney diseases, respiratory diseases that involve inflammatory processes of the airways, like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea and diabetes. The achieved results, current development of the sensing sensors, and main limitations or challenges of the field of graphene sensors are discussed throughout the paper, as well as the features of the experiments addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Valentina Vassilenko
- Laboratory for Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-NOVA), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus FCT-NOVA, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (P.C.M.); (P.A.R.); (M.R.)
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Ferreira R, Ribeiro PA, Canário AVM, Raposo M. Biosensors Based on Stanniocalcin-1 Protein Antibodies Thin Films for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:981. [PMID: 37998156 PMCID: PMC10669463 DOI: 10.3390/bios13110981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent tumors in men, accounting for about 7.3% of cancer deaths. Although there are several strategies for diagnosing prostate cancer, these are only accurate when the tumor is already at a very advanced stage, so early diagnosis is essential. Stanniocalcin 1 (STC1) is a secreted glycoprotein, which has been suggested as a tumor marker as its increased expression is associated with the development and/or progression of different types of malignant tumors. In this work, an electronic tongue (ET) prototype, based on a set of four sensors prepared from thin films that included STC1 antibodies for detecting prostate cancer, was developed. In the preparation of the thin films, polyelectrolytes of polyallylamine hydrochloride, polystyrene sulfonate of sodium and polyethyleneimine, and the biomolecules chitosan, protein A, and STC1 antibody were used. These films were deposited on quartz lamellae and on solid supports using layer-on-layer and self-assembly techniques. The deposition of the films was analyzed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and the detection of STC1 in aqueous solutions of PBS was analyzed by impedance spectroscopy. The impedance data were statistically analyzed using principal component analysis. The ETs formed by the four sensors and the three best sensors could detect the antigen at concentrations in the range from 5 × 10-11 to 5 × 10-4 M. They showed a linear dependence with the logarithm of the antigen concentration and a sensitivity of 5371 ± 820 and 4863 ± 634 per decade of concentration, respectively. Finally, the results allow us to conclude that this prototype can advance to the calibration phase with patient samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Ferreira
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (R.F.); (P.A.R.)
| | - Paulo A. Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (R.F.); (P.A.R.)
| | - Adelino V. M. Canário
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal;
| | - Maria Raposo
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (R.F.); (P.A.R.)
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Yuan Y, Jia H, Xu D, Wang J. Novel method in emerging environmental contaminants detection: Fiber optic sensors based on microfluidic chips. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159563. [PMID: 36265627 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recently, human industrial practices and certain activities have caused the widespread spread of emerging contaminants throughout the environmental matrix, even in trace amounts, which constitute a serious threat to human health and environmental ecology, and have therefore attracted the attention of research scholars. Different traditional techniques are used to monitor water pollutants, However, they still have some disadvantages such as high costs, ecological problems and treatment times, and require technicians and researchers to operate them effectively. There is therefore an urgent need to develop simple, inexpensive and highly sensitive methods to sense and detect these toxic environmental contaminants. Optical fiber microfluidic coupled sensors offer different advantages over other detection technologies, allowing manipulation of light through controlled microfluidics, precise detection results and good stability, and have therefore become a logical device for screening and identifying environmental contaminants. This paper reviews the application of fiber optic microfluidic sensors in emerging environmental contaminant detection, focusing on the characteristics of different emerging contaminant types, different types of fiber optic microfluidic sensors, methodological principles of detection, and specific emerging contaminant detection applications. The optical detection methods in fiber optic microfluidic chips and their respective advantages and disadvantages are analyzed in the discussion. The applications of fiber optic biochemical sensors in microfluidic chips, especially for the detection of emerging contaminants in the aqueous environment, such as personal care products, endocrine disruptors, and perfluorinated compounds, are reviewed. Finally, the prospects of fiber optic microfluidic coupled sensors in environmental detection and related fields are foreseen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; School of Material Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Hui Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China.
| | - DanYu Xu
- Tianjin Academy of Eco-enviromental Sciences, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China; Cangzhou Institute of Tiangong University, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China.
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Moura PC, Pivetta TP, Vassilenko V, Ribeiro PA, Raposo M. Graphene Oxide Thin Films for Detection and Quantification of Industrially Relevant Alcohols and Acetic Acid. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:462. [PMID: 36617058 PMCID: PMC9823657 DOI: 10.3390/s23010462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Industrial environments are frequently composed of potentially toxic and hazardous compounds. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are one of the most concerning categories of analytes commonly existent in the indoor air of factories' facilities. The sources of VOCs in the industrial context are abundant and a vast range of human health conditions and pathologies are known to be caused by both short- and long-term exposures. Hence, accurate and rapid detection, identification, and quantification of VOCs in industrial environments are mandatory issues. This work demonstrates that graphene oxide (GO) thin films can be used to distinguish acetic acid, ethanol, isopropanol, and methanol, major analytes for the field of industrial air quality, using the electronic nose concept based on impedance spectra measurements. The data were treated by principal component analysis. The sensor consists of polyethyleneimine (PEI) and GO layer-by-layer films deposited on ceramic supports coated with gold interdigitated electrodes. The electrical characterization of this sensor in the presence of the VOCs allows the identification of acetic acid in the concentration range from 24 to 120 ppm, and of ethanol, isopropanol, and methanol in a concentration range from 18 to 90 ppm, respectively. Moreover, the results allows the quantification of acetic acid, ethanol, and isopropanol concentrations with sensitivity values of (3.03±0.12)∗104, (-1.15±0.19)∗104, and (-1.1±0.50)∗104 mL-1, respectively. The resolution of this sensor to detect the different analytes is lower than 0.04 ppm, which means it is an interesting sensor for use as an electronic nose for the detection of VOCs.
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Magro C, Moura T, Dionísio J, Ribeiro PA, Raposo M, Sério S. Nanostructured Metal Oxide Sensors for Antibiotic Monitoring in Mineral and River Water. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12111858. [PMID: 35683715 PMCID: PMC9182526 DOI: 10.3390/nano12111858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotics represent a class of pharmaceuticals used to treat bacterial infections. However, the ever-growing use of antibiotics in agriculture and human and veterinary medicine has led to great concern regarding the outbreak of microbe strains resistant to antimicrobial drugs. Azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin are macrolides, a group of molecules with a broad spectrum of antibiotic properties, included in the second EU watchlist of emerging pollutants which emphasizes the importance of understanding their occurrence, fate, and monitoring in aquatic environments. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop sensors based on nanostructured thin films deposited on ceramic substrates with gold interdigitated electrodes, to detect azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin in water matrices (mineral and river water). Impedance spectroscopy was employed as the transducing method for the devices’ electrical signal, producing multivariate datasets which were subsequently analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA plots for mineral water demonstrated that ZnO- and TiO2-based sensors produced by DC magnetron sputtering either with 50% or 100% O2 in the sputtering chamber, were able to detect the three macrolides in concentrations between 10−15 M and 10−5 M. In river water, the PCA discrimination presented patterns and trends, between non-doped and doped, and sorting the different concentrations of azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin. Considering both matrices, by applying the e-tongue concept, sensitivity values of 4.8 ± 0.3, 4.6 ± 0.3, and 4.5 ± 0.3 per decade to azithromycin, clarithromycin, and erythromycin concentration, respectively, were achieved. In all cases, a resolution of 1 × 10−16 M was found near the 10−15 M concentration, the lowest antibiotic concentration measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cátia Magro
- School for International Training, World Learning Inc., Brattleboro, VT 05302, USA;
- Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal;
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Tiago Moura
- Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal;
| | - Joana Dionísio
- School for International Training, World Learning Inc., Brattleboro, VT 05302, USA;
| | - Paulo A. Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (P.A.R.); (M.R.)
| | - Maria Raposo
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (P.A.R.); (M.R.)
| | - Susana Sério
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (P.A.R.); (M.R.)
- Correspondence: (C.M.); (S.S.)
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Assunção ICC, Sério S, Ferreira Q, Jones NC, Hoffmann SV, Ribeiro PA, Raposo M. Graphene Oxide Layer-by-Layer Films for Sensors and Devices. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:1556. [PMID: 34204721 PMCID: PMC8231500 DOI: 10.3390/nano11061556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Layer-by-layer films of poly (allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and graphene oxide (GO) were characterized, looking at growth with the number of bilayers, morphology, and electrical properties. The PAH/GO films revealed a linear increase in absorbance with the increase in the number of deposited bilayers, allowing the determination that 10.7 ± 0.1 mg m-2 of GO is adsorbed per unit of area of each bilayer. GO absorption bands at 146, 210, 247 and 299 nm, assigned to π-π* and n-π* transitions in the aromatic ring (phenol) and of the carboxylic group, respectively, were characterized by vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy. The morphological characterization of these films demonstrated that they are not completely uniform, with a bilayer thickness of 10.5 ± 0.7 nm. This study also revealed that the films are composed of GO and/or PAH/GO fibers and that GO is completely adsorbed on top of PAH. The electrical properties of the films reveal that PAH/GO films present a semiconductor behavior. In addition, a slight decrease in conduction was observed when films were prepared in the presence of visible light, likely due to the presence of oxygen and moisture that contributes to the damage of GO molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan C. C. Assunção
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.C.C.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Susana Sério
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.C.C.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Quirina Ferreira
- Instituto de Telecomunicações, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal;
| | - Nykola C. Jones
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (N.C.J.); (S.V.H.)
| | - Søren V. Hoffmann
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; (N.C.J.); (S.V.H.)
| | - Paulo A. Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.C.C.A.); (S.S.)
| | - Maria Raposo
- Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; (I.C.C.A.); (S.S.)
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Magnetron Sputtering Thin Films as Tool to Detect Triclosan in Infant Formula Powder: Electronic Tongue Approach. COATINGS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings11030336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Triclosan (TCS) is being detected in breast milk and in infants of puerperal women. The harmful effects caused by this compound on living beings are now critical and thus it is pivotal find new tools to TCS monitoring. In the present study, an electronic tongue (e-tongue) device comprising an array of sputtered thin films based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and titanium dioxide was developed to identify TCS concentrations, from 10−15 to 10−5 M, in both water and milk-based solutions. Impedance spectroscopy was used for device signal transducing and data was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). The e-tongue revealed to be able to distinguish water from milk-based matrices through the two Principal Components (PC1 and PC2), which represented 67.3% of the total variance. The PC1 values of infant formula milk powder prepared with tap water (MT) or mineral water (MMW) follows a similar exponential decay curve when plotted with the logarithm of concentration. Therefore, considering the TCS concentration range between 10−15 and 10−9 M, the PC1 values are fitted by a straight line and values of −1.9 ± 0.2 and of 7.6 × 10−16 M were calculated for the sensor sensitivity and sensor resolution, respectively. Additionally, a strong correlation (R = 0.96) between MT and MMW PC1 data was found. These results have shown that the proposed device corresponds to a promisor method for the detection of TCS in milk-based solutions.
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Zagalo PM, Ribeiro PA, Raposo M. Detecting Traces of 17α-Ethinylestradiol in Complex Water Matrices. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20247324. [PMID: 33419266 PMCID: PMC7766303 DOI: 10.3390/s20247324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Hormones have a harmful impact on the environment and their detection in water bodies is an urgent matter. In this work, we present and analyze a sensor device able to detect traces of the synthetic hormone 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) below 10−9 M in media of different complexities, namely, ultrapure, mineral and tap waters. This device consists of solid supports with interdigitated electrodes without and with a polyethylenimine (PEI) and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) layer-by-layer film deposited on it. Device response was evaluated through capacitance, loss tangent and electric modulus spectra and the data were analyzed by principal component analysis method. While the three types of spectra were demonstrated to be able to clearly discriminate the different media, loss tangent spectra allow for the detection of EE2 concentration, with a sensitivity of −0.072 ± 0.009 and −0.44 ± 0.03 per decade of concentration, for mineral and tap water, respectively. Detection limits values were found to be lower than the ones present in the literature and presenting values of 8.6 fM (2.6 pg/L) and of 7.5 fM (22.2 pg/L) for tap and mineral waters, respectively. Moreover, the obtained response values follow the same behavior with EE2 concentration in any medium, meaning that loss tangent spectra allow the quantification of EE2 concentration in aqueous complex matrices.
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