In situ differentiation of labile/inert metal species in Brazilian tropical rivers by means of a time-controlled batch-procedure based on TEPHA resin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Photosynthesis induction in Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings and cuttings measured by Open Photoacoustics

In this work we study the photosynthetic induction in Eucalyptus urograndis leaves using the Open Photoacoustic Cell Technique. In vivo and in situ measurements were performed in leaves of four months-old E. urograndis seedlings and C041 cuttings previously dark-adapted for at least 10 h. Experimental results for the gas exchange component of the photoacoustic (PA) signal are interpreted considering that a gas uptake component would have a phase angle nearly opposite to that of the oxygen evolution component. Analysis of the photosynthetic induction data shows that seedlings present a net oxygen evolution before cuttings, but cuttings reach a higher steady-state photosynthetic activity.

Application of the Potentiometric Stripping Analysis with Constant Current for the Determination of Lithium Ions Using a Spinel-Type Manganese (IV) Oxide-Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Determination of Analgesics (Dipyrone and Acetaminophen) in Pharmaceutical Preparations by Cyclic Voltammetry at a Copper(II) Hexacyanoferrate(III) Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Coupling Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering and Electronic Tongue as Characterization Tools to Investigate Biological Membrane Mimetic Systems

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of novalgin in phrmaceuticals using micellar medium

A sensitive flow-injection (FI) procedure with spectrophotometric detection in a micellar medium is proposed for the determination of novalgin. The method is based on the instantaneous formation of a red-orange product (lambda(max) = 510 nm) after the reaction between novalgin and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DAC) in a dilute acid medium. The sensitivity of this reaction was increased by a factor of 5.6 in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Experimental design methodologies were used to optimize the chemical and FI variables. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 1.45 x 10(-6) to 2.90 x 10(-5) mol L-1 with an excellent correlation coefficient (r = 0.9999). The detection limit was 1.31 x 10(-7) mol L-1 (n = 20, RSD = 2.0%). No interferences were observed from the common excipients. The results obtained by the proposed method were favorably compared with those given by the iodometric reference method at 95% confidence level.

Rugged, Portable Tungsten Coil Atomic Emission Spectrometer

Tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry is an ideal technique for field applications because of its simplicity, low cost, low power requirement, and independence from cooling systems. A new, portable, compact design is reported here. The tungsten coil is extracted from an inexpensive 24 V, 250 W commercial light bulb. The coil is housed in a small, aluminum cell. The emission signal exits from a small aperture in the cell, while the bulk of the blackbody emission from the tungsten coil is blocked. The resulting spectra exhibit extremely low background signals. The atomization cell, a single lens, and a hand-held charge coupled device (CCD) spectrometer are fixed on a 1 x 6 x 30 cm ceramic base. The resulting system is robust and easily transported. A programmable, miniature 400 W solid-state constant current power supply controls the temperature of the coil. Fifteen elements are determined with the system (Ba, Cs, Li, Rb, Cr, Sr, Eu, Yb, Mn, Fe, Cu, Mg, V, Al, and Ga). The precision ranges from 4.3% to 8.4% relative standard deviation for repetitive measurements of the same solution. Detection limits are in the 0.04 to 1500 mu g/L range. Accuracy is tested using standard reference materials for polluted water, peach leaves, and tomato leaves. For those elements present above the detection limit, recoveries range from 72% to 147%.

Evaluation of Lubricating Oil Preparation Procedures for the Determination of Al, Ba, Mo, Si and V by High-Resolution Continuum Source FAAS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Biossensores baseados no processo de inibição enzimática

Fast, selective, reproducible and reliable detections have been carried out by using enzymatic biosensors in several areas. The enzymatic biosensors based on the inhibition represent an important role in analytical chemistry. Enzymes like cholinesterases, peroxidases, tyrosinases, etc. have been immobilized on electrochemical and optical transducers and the enzymatic activity decreasing in the presence of the inhibitor is related with its concentrations. This article presents a review on the enzymes used on the construction of these sensors, emphasizing the respective applications.

Double-Tagging Polymerase Chain Reaction with a Thiolated Primer and Electrochemical Genosensing based on Gold Nanocomposite Sensor for Food Safety

A novel material for electrochemical biosensing based on rigid conducting gold nanocomposite (nano-AuGEC) is presented. Islands of chemisorbing material (gold nanoparticles) surrounded by nonreactive, rigid, and conducting graphite epoxy composite are thus achieved to avoid the stringent control of surface coverage parameters required during immobilization of thiolated oligos in continuous gold surfaces. The spatial resolution of the immobilized thiolated DNA was easily controlled by merely varying the percentage of gold nanoparticles in the composition of the composite. As low as 9 fmol (60 pM) of synthetic DNA were detected in hybridization experiments when using a thiolated probe. Moreover, for the first time a double tagging PCR strategy was performed with a thiolated primer for the detection of Salmonella sp., one of the most important foodborne pathogens affecting food safety. Ibis assay was performed by double-labeling the amplicon during the PCR with a -DIG and -SH set of labeled primers. The thiolated end allows the immobilization of the amplicon on the nano-AuGEC electrode, while digoxigenin allows the electrochemical detection with the antiDIG-HRP reporter in the femtomole range. Rigid conducting gold nanocomposite represents a good material for the improved and oriented immobilization of biomolecules with excellent transducing properties for the construction of a wide range of electrochemical biosensors such as immunosensors, genosensors, and enzymosensors.

Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Lead (II) and Cadmium (II) by Using a Carbon Nanotubes Paste Electrode Modified with Ion Exchange Synthetic Resin

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

An Environmentally Friendly Reflectometric Method for Bumetanide Determination in Pharmaceuticals

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of azithromycin in pharmaceutical formulations using p-chloranil in the presence of hydrogen peroxide

A flow-injection (FI) spectrophotometric procedure exploiting merging zones is proposed for the determination of azithromycin in pharmaceutical formulations. The method is based on the reaction of azithromycin with tetrachloro-phenzoquinone (p-chloranil) accelerated by hydrogen peroxide and conducted in a methanol medium, producing a purple-red color compound (lambda(max) = 540 nm). The FI system and the experimental conditions were optimized using a multivariate method. Beer's law is obeyed in a concentration range of 50 - 1600 mu g mL(-1) with an excellent correlation coefficient (r = 0.9998). The detection limit and the quantification limit were 6.6 and 22.1 mu g mL(-1), respectively. No interference was observed from the common excipients, and the recoveries were within 98.6 to 100.4%. The procedure was applied to the determination of azithromycin in pharmaceuticals with a high sampling rate (65 samples h(-1)). The results obtained by the proposed method were in good agreement with those obtained by the comparative method at 95% confidence level.

Label-free DNA detection of hepatitis C virus based on modified conducting polypyrrole films at microelectrodes and atomic force microscopy tip-integrated electrodes

We present a new strategy for the label-free electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization for detecting hepatitis C virus based on electrostatic modulation of the ion-exchange kinetics of a polypyrrole film deposited at microelectrodes. Synthetic single-stranded 18-mer HCV genotype-1-specific probe DNA has been immobilized at a 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)-N-(3-phosphoryl-n-alkyl)pyrrole film established by electropolymerization at the previously formed polypyrrole layer. HCV DNA sequences (244-mer) resulting from the reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reaction amplification of the original viral RNA were monitored by affecting the ion-exchange properties of the polypyrrole film. The performance of this miniaturized DNA sensor system was studied in respect to selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. The limit of detection was determined at 1.82 x 10(-21) mol L-1. Control experiments were performed with cDNA from HCV genotypes 2a/c, 2b, and 3 and did not show any unspecific binding. Additionally, the influence of the spacer length of 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)-N-(3-phosphoryl-n-alkyl)pyrrole on the behavior of the DNA sensor was investigated. This biosensing scheme was finally extended to the electrochemical detection of DNA at submicrometer-sized DNA biosensors integrated into bifunctional atomic force scanning electrochemical microscopy probes. The 18-mer DNA target was again monitored by following the ion-exchange properties of the polypyrrole film. Control experiments were performed with 12-base pair mismatched sequences.

Aplicações de nanoeletrodos como sensores na Química Analítica

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)