Integrated Microfluidic Chip Technology for Copper Ion Detection Using an All-Solid-State Ion-Selective Electrode

This study involved the preparation of an all-solid-state ion-selective electrode (ASS-ISE) with copper and a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT/PSS) conversion layer through electrode deposition. The morphology of the PEDOT/PSS film was characterized, and the performance of the copper ion-selective film was optimized. Additionally, a microfluidic chip for the ASS-ISE with copper was designed and prepared. An integrated microfluidic chip test system with an ASS-ISE was developed using a self-constructed potential detection device. The accuracy of the system was validated through comparison testing with atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The experimental findings indicate that the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the integrated ASS-ISE with the copper microfluidic chip test system is 4.54%, as compared to the industry standard method. This value complies with the stipulated requirement of an RSD ≤ 5% in DL/T 955-2016.

Hydrolysis of Glycosyl Thioimidates by Glycoside Hydrolase Requires Remote Activation for Efficient Activity

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of glycosides relies on efficient glycosyl donor substrates able to react rapidly and efficiently, yet with increased stability towards chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis. In this context, glycosyl thioimidates have previously been used as efficient donors, in the case of hydrolysis or thioglycoligation. In both cases, the release of the thioimidoyl aglycone was remotely activated through a protonation driven by a carboxylic residue in the active site of the corresponding enzymes. A recombinant glucosidase (DtGly) from Dictyoglomus themophilum, previously used in biocatalysis, was also able to use such glycosyl thioimidates as substrates. Yet, enzymatic kinetic values analysis, coupled to mutagenesis and in silico modelling of DtGly/substrate complexes demonstrated that the release of the thioimidoyl moiety during catalysis is only driven by its leaving group ability, without the activation of a remote protonation. In the search of efficient glycosyl donors, glycosyl thioimidates are attractive and efficient. Their utility, however, is limited to enzymes able to promote leaving group release by remote activation.

Potentiometric detection and removal of copper using porphyrins

Background

Copper is an essential trace element with a great importance in industry, environment and biological systems. The great advantage of ion-selective sensors in comparison with other proposed techniques is that they are measuring the free metal ion activity which is responsible for their toxicity. Porphyrins are known to be among the best ionophores in formulation of ion-selective sensors.

Results

A symmetrically substituted meso-porphyrin, namely: 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-allyloxyphenyl)porphyrin (TAPP) was used in the construction of a new copper selective-sensor and was also tested for the removal of copper from waste waters. The potentiometric response characteristics (slope and selectivity) of copper-selective electrodes based on TAPP in o-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE), dioctyl phtalate (DOP) and dioctyl sebacate (DOS) plasticized with poly(vinyl chloride) membranes are compared.

Conclusions

The best results were obtained for the membrane plasticized with DOP. The sensor has linear response in the range 1x10^-7 – 1x10^-1 M with 28.4 ± 0.4 mV/decade near-Nernstian slope towards copper ions and presents good selectivity. Due to its chelating nature, the same porphyrin was also tested for the retention of copper from synthetic copper samples, showing a maximum adsorption capacity of 280 mg/g.

Poly(vinyl) chloride membrane copper-selective electrode based on 1-phenyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenylhydrazo)butane-1,3-dione

1-Phenyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenylhydrazo)butane-1,3-dione (H(2)L) was used as an effective ionophore for copper-selective poly(vinyl) chloride (PVC) membrane electrodes. Optimization of the composition of the membrane and of the conditions of the analysis was performed, and under the optimized conditions the electrode has a detection limit of 6.30×10(-7) M Cu(II) at pH 4.0 with response time 10s and displays a linear EMF versus log[Cu(2+)] response over the concentration range 2.0×10(-6) to 5.0×10(-3) M Cu(II) with a Nernstian slope of 28.80±0.11 mV/decade over the pH range of 3.0-8.0. The sensor is stable for 9 weeks and exhibits good selectivity with respect to alkali, alkali earth and transition metal ions (e.g. Na(+), K(+), Ba(2+), Ca(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Mn(2+), Ni(2+), Fe(2+), Al(3+)) in the 3.0-8.0 pH range. It was successfully applied for the direct determination of copper(II) in zinc, aluminum and nickel based alloys, in soils polluted by oil, and as an indicator electrode for potentiometric titration of copper ions with EDTA.

Evaluation of copper speciation in model solutions of humic acid by mini-columns packed with Chelex-100 and new chelating agents: application to speciation of selected heavy metals in environmental water samples

A solid-phase extraction procedure using mini-columns packed with Chelex-100 and two new chelating agents based on poly(vinyl chloride) functionalized with 3-ferrocenyl-3-hydroxydithioacrylic acid and N,N'-[1,1'-dithiobis(ethylene)]-bis(salicylideneimine) (H(2)sales) loaded on microcrystalline naphthalene, is reported. The columns were used to separate labile copper fractions in model solutions and in real samples with subsequent determination using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). Various model solutions containing 20 microg L(-1) of Cu(2+) and 0.0, 0.2, 2.0 and 20.0 mg L(-1) of humic acid, respectively, and buffered to pH 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 were considered. Results showed a decrease in labile copper fraction with increase in humic acid concentration. Application of the procedure to speciation of Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb in various environmental water samples yielded labile fractions in the range of 1.67-55.75% against a total dissolved fraction of 44.08-69.77%. Comparison of the three chelating agents showed that H(2)sales had a weaker metal chelating strength than Chelex-100, but PVC-FSSH had comparable chelating strength to Chelex-100.

Optimization and application of homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction in preconcentration of copper (II) in a ternary solvent system

In this study a homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction based on the Ph-dependent phase-separation process was investigated using a ternary solvent system (water-acetic acid-chloroform) for the preconcentration of Cu(2+) ions. 8-Hydroxy quinoline was used as the chelating agent prior to its extraction. Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry using acetylene-air flame was used for the quantitation of analyte after preconcentration. The effect of various experimental parameters in extraction step was investigated using two optimization methods, one variable at a time and central composite design. The experimental design was done at five levels of operating parameters. Nearly the same optimized results were obtained using both methods: sample size, 5 mL; volume of NaOH 10 M, 2 mL; chloroform volume, 300 microL; 8-hydroxy quinoline concentration more than 0.01 M and salt amount did not affect the extraction significantly. Under the optimum conditions the calibration graph was linear over the range 10-2000 microg L(-1). The relative standard deviation was 7.6% for six repeated determinations (C = 500 microg L(-1)). Furthermore, the limit of detection (S/N=3) and limit of quantification (S/N=10) of the method were obtained as 1.74 and 6 microg L(-1), respectively.

Developments in the Field of Conducting and Non-conducting Polymer Based Potentiometric Membrane Sensors for Ions Over the Past Decade

Many research studies have been conducted on the use of conjugated polymers in the construction of chemical sensors including potentiometric, conductometric and amperometric sensors or biosensors over the last decade. The induction of conductivity on conjugated polymers by treating them with suitable oxidizing agents won Heeger, MacDiarmid and Shirakawa the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Common conjugated polymers are poly(acetylene)s, poly(pyrrole)s, poly(thiophene)s, poly(terthiophene)s, poly(aniline)s, poly(fluorine)s, poly(3-alkylthiophene)s, polytetrathiafulvalenes, polynapthalenes, poly(p-phenylene sulfide), poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polyparaphenylene, polyazulene, polyparaphenylene sulfide, polycarbazole and polydiaminonaphthalene. More than 60 sensors for inorganic cations and anions with different characteristics based on conducting polymers have been reported. There have also been reports on the application of non-conducting polymers (nCPs), i.e. PVC, in the construction of potentiometric membrane sensors for determination of more than 60 inorganic cations and anions. However, the leakage of ionophores from the membranes based on these polymers leads to relatively lower life times. In this article, we try to give an overview of Solid-Contact ISE (SCISE), Single-Piece ISE (SPISE), Conducting Polymer (CP)-Based, and also non-conducting polymer PVC-based ISEs for various ions which their difference is in the way of the polymer used with selective membrane. In SCISEs and SPISEs, the plasticized PVC containing the ionophore and ionic additives govern the selectivity behavior of the electrode and the conducting polymer is responsible of ion-to-electron transducer. However, in CPISEs, the conducting polymer layer is doped with a suitable ionophore which enhances the ion selectivity of the CP while its redox response has to be suppressed.