The Electrochemical Oxidation of Hydroquinone and Catechol through a Novel Poly-geminal Dicationic Ionic Liquid (PGDIL)-TiO2 Composite Film Electrode

Fabrication of Mn-TPP/RGO Tailored Glassy Carbon Electrode for Doxorubicin Sensing

Cancer is a long-standing disease, and the use of anticancer drugs can cause many different harmful side effects. Therefore, the quantitative analysis of anticancer drugs is crucial. Among all the analytical techniques that have been utilized for the detection of doxorubicin, electrochemical sensors have drawn exceptional consideration because they are simple, affordable, and highly sensitive. Manganese tetraphenylporphyrin decorated reduced graphene oxide (Mn-TPP/RGO), tetraphenylporphyrin decorated reduced graphene oxide (TPP/RGO), and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanostructure based glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) were fabricated for the detection of doxorubicin (DOX). The synthesized materials were characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV/vis), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Doxorubicin detection was performed using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Among the prepared electrodes, Mn-TPP/RGO modified GCE gave an optimum peak current at pH 3. The Mn-TPP/RGO modified electrode showed significant linear response range (0.1-0.6 mM); effective sensitivity (112.09 μA mM-1 cm-2); low detection limit (63.5 μM); and excellent stability, selectivity, repeatability, and reproducibility toward doxorubicin. With differential pulse voltammetry, LoD and sensitivity were 27 μM and 0.174 μA μM-1 cm-2, respectively. Real sample analysis was also performed in human serum, and it depicted reasonable recovery results for spiked doxorubicin.

Facile Layer Diffusion Technique for Synthesis of Terbium-Based Metal Organic Framework for Fluorometric Sensing of Hydroquinone

A photoluminescent terbium (III)-based Metal Organic Framework (MOF) was synthesized at room temperature by layer diffusion method utilizing mixed carboxylate linkers (4,4'-oxybis(benzoic acid) and benzene-1,3,5 tricarboxylic acid). Synthesized MOF has crystalline nature and rod-shaped morphology and is thermally stable up to 455 °C. The fluorescence emission spectra and theoretical results revealed that carboxylate linkers functioned as sensitizers for Tb(III) photoluminescence which resulted in four distinct emission peaks at 495, 547, 584, and 621 nm corresponding to the transitions 5D4 → 7F6, 5D4 → 7F5, 5D4 → 7F4, and 5D4 → 7F3. Using synthesized MOF as fluorescent probe, hydroquinone was detected in aqueous medium with a detection limit of 0.048 μM, remarkable recovery (95.6-101.1%), and relative standard deviation less than 2.25%. The quenching phenomenon may be ascribed to electron transfer from synthesized probe to oxidized hydroquinone via carboxylic groups on the surface of MOF, which is further supported by photo-induced electron transfer mechanism. This study introduces a cheaper, faster, and more accurate method for hydroquinone detection.

Tyrosinase-Based Biosensor-A New Tool for Chlorogenic Acid Detection in Nutraceutical Formulations

The purpose of our research was to develop a new enzymatic biosensor, GPH-MnPc-Tyr/SPE, using as a support screen-printed carbon electrode (SPE) modified with graphene, manganese phthalocyanine, and tyrosinase, with the aim of developing sensitive detection of chlorogenic acid (CGA). To immobilise tyrosinase on the sensor surface, crosslinking with the glutaraldehyde technique was used, thus increasing the enzyme bioactivity on this electrode. The modified electrode has a great catalytic effect on the electrochemical redox of chlorogenic acid, compared to the simple, unmodified SPE. The peak current response of the biosensor for CGA was linear in the range of 0.1-10.48 μM, obtaining a calibration curve using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV). Subsequently, the detection limit (LOD) and the quantification limit (LOQ) were determined, obtaining low values, i.e., LOD = 1.40 × 10^-6 M; LOQ = 4.69 × 10^-6 M by cyclic voltammetry and LOD = 2.32 × 10^-7 M; LOQ = 7.74 × 10^-7 M, by square-wave voltammetry (SWV). These results demonstrate that the method is suitable for the detection of CGA in nutraceutical formulations. Therefore, GPH-MnPc-Tyr/SPE was used for the quantitative determination of CGA in three products, by means of cyclic voltammetry. The Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric assay was used for the validation of the results, obtaining a good correlation between the voltammetric method and the spectrophotometric one, at a confidence level of 95%. Moreover, by means of the DPPH method, the antioxidant activity of the compound was determined, thus demonstrating the antioxidant effect of CGA in all nutraceuticals studied.

Singlet oxygen-based photoelectrochemical detection of DNA

The current work, designed for the photoelectrochemical detection of DNA, evaluates light-responsive DNA probes carrying molecular photosensitizers generating singlet oxygen (¹O₂). We take advantage of their chromophore's ability to produce ¹O₂ upon photoexcitation and subsequent photocurrent response. Type I, fluorescent and type II photosensitizers were studied using diode lasers at 406 nm blue, 532 nm green and 659 nm red lasers in the presensce and absence of a redox reporter, hydroquinone (HQ). Only type II photosensitizers (producing ¹O₂) resulted in a noticeable photocurrent in 1-4 nA range upon illumination, in particular, dissolved DNA probes labeled with chlorin e6 and erythrosine were found to give a well-detectable photocurrent response in the presence of HQ. Whereas, Type I photosensitizers and fluorescent chromophores generate negligible photocurrents (<0.15 nA). The analytical performance of the sensing system was evaluated using a magnetic beads-based DNA assay on disposable electrode platforms, with a focus to enhance the sensitivity and robustness of the technique in detecting complementary DNA targets. Amplified photocurrent responses in the range of 70-100 nA were obtained and detection limits of 17 pM and 10 pM were achieved using magnetic beads-captured chlorin e6 and erythrosine labeled DNA probes respectively. The presented novel photoelectrochemical detection can further be optimized and employed in applications for which enzymatic amplification such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is not applicable owing to their limitations and as an effective alternative to colorimetric detection when rapid detection of specific nucleic acid targets is required.

The DNMT1-associated lncRNA UCA1 was upregulated in TK6 cells transformed by long-term exposure to hydroquinone and benzene-exposed workers via DNA hypomethylation

Exposure to benzene or its metabolite hydroquinone (HQ) is a risk factor for a series of myeloid malignancies, and long noncoding RNAs play an important role in the process of pathogenesis. Urothelial cancer-associated 1 (UCA1) functions as an oncogene in the development of acute myeloid leukemia. However, the association between DNMT1 and UCA1 with benzene or HQ exposure has not been explored. We characterized UCA1 expression in cells briefly exposed to HQ (HQ-ST cells) and HQ-induced malignantly transformed (TK6-HT cells) treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AzaC) or trichostatin A (TSA). Compared to that in control cells, UCA1 expression was increased, whereas DNMT1 was decreased in HQ-ST cells and TK6-HT cells treated with 5-AzaC or TSA. Moreover, UCA1 expression was also upregulated and positively correlated with benzene exposure time in benzene-exposed workers. Furthermore, the expression of UCA1 was negatively associated with the DNA methylation level of its promoter in benzene-exposed workers. DNMT1 rather than DNMT3b knockout in TK6-HT cells activated the expression of UCA1 by inducing its promoter hypomethylation. These results suggest that benzene or HQ exposure leads to UCA1 upregulation via DNA hypomethylation in the UCA1 promoter, which is mediated by DNMT1.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Hydroquinone Sulfonate-Based Redox Active Ionic Liquid

Introducing redox-active moieties into an ionic liquid (IL) structure is an exciting and attractive approach that has received increasing interest over recent years for a various range of energy applications. The so-called redox-active ionic liquids (RAILs) provide a highly versatile platform to potentially create multifunctional electroactive materials. Ionic liquids are molten salts consisting of ionic species, often having a melting point lower than 100 °C. Such liquids are obtained by combining a bulky asymmetric organic cation and a small anion. Here, we report on the synthesis of a novel RAIL, namely 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroquinone sulfonate ((BMIM)(HQS)). (BMIM)(HQS) was synthesized in a two-step procedure, starting by the quaternization of methylimidazole using butylchloride to produce 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ((BMIM)(Cl)), and followed by the anion exchange reaction, where the chloride anion is exchanged with hydroquinone sulfonate. The resulting product was characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, themogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry, and shows a high stability up to 340 °C. Its electrochemical behavior was investigated using cyclic voltammetry at different temperatures and its viscosity analysis was also performed at variable temperatures. The electrochemical response of the presented RAIL was found to be temperature dependent and diffusion controlled. Overall, our results demonstrated that (BMIM)(mix of HQS and HSQ) is redox active and possesses high stability and low volatility, leading to the employment of this RAIL without any additional supporting electrolyte or additives.

The Electrochemical Oxidation of Hydroquinone and Catechol through a Novel Poly-geminal Dicationic Ionic Liquid (PGDIL)-TiO2 Composite Film Electrode

A novel poly-geminal dicationic ionic liquid (PGDIL)-TiO₂/Au composite film electrode was successfully prepared by electrochemical polymerization of 1,4-bis(3-(m-aminobenzyl)imidazol-1-yl)butane bis(hexafluorinephosphate) containing polymerizable anilino groups in the electrolyte containing nano-TiO₂. The basic properties of PGDIL-TiO₂/Au composite films were studied by SEM, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and differential pulse voltammetry. The SEM results revealed that the PGDIL-TiO₂ powder has a more uniform and smaller particle size than the PGDIL. The cyclic voltammetry results showed that the catalytic effect on electrochemical oxidation of hydroquinone and catechol of the PGDIL-TiO₂ electrode is the best, yet the R_ct of PGDIL-TiO₂ electrode is higher than that of PGDIL and TiO₂ electrode, which is caused by the synergistic effect between TiO₂ and PGDIL. The PGDIL-TiO₂/Au composite electrode presents a good enhancement effect on the reversible electrochemical oxidation of hydroquinone and catechol, and differential pulse voltammetry tests of the hydroquinone and catechol in a certain concentration range revealed that the PGDIL-TiO₂/Au electrode enables a high sensitivity to the differentiation and detection of hydroquinone and catechol. Furthermore, the electrochemical catalytic mechanism of the PGDIL-TiO₂/Au electrode was studied. It was found that the recombination of TiO₂ improved the reversibility and activity of the PGDIL-TiO₂/Au electrode for the electrocatalytic reaction of HQ and CC. The PGDIL-TiO₂/Au electrode is also expected to be used for catalytic oxidation and detection of other organic pollutants containing -OH groups.