Analytica Chimica Acta最新文献

{"title":"Systematic method optimisation approach for small molecule imaging on the SELECT SERIES MALDI MRT - Drug mapping in fingerprints, a case study","authors":"Rohith Krishna ,&nbsp;James Langridge ,&nbsp;Emmanuelle Claude ,&nbsp;Robert Bradshaw ,&nbsp;Laura Cole ,&nbsp;Simona Francese","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343998","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343998","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Molecular fingerprinting via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry profiling (MALDI MSP) and Imaging (MALDI-MSI) has been proven to provide biometric and lifestyle information from a fingermark. As such, it can be an effective tool to assist police investigations, thus justifying continued effort to improve the quality and range of the forensic intelligence that it is possible to provide. We are currently exploring the advancements in molecular fingerprinting capabilities on the state-of-the -art SELECT SERIES MALDI-MRT mass spectrometer based on its high mass measurement accuracy (sub-ppm) and spatial resolution (15 μm). The unique nature of this instrument requires careful optimisation to maximise the system's performance for the imaging of small molecules in fingerprints. In this study, a systematic approach to setting optimisation including optimisation of laser parameters, source voltage, quadrupole MS profile, and Transfer gas as well as RF voltage settings were determined for the analysis of latent fingerprint imaging and antipsychotics-contaminated fingerprint imaging. The developed method eventually yields significant improvement in image resolution over the default parameters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1354 ","pages":"Article 343998"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A prototype low-pressure assisted microwave plasma ionization mass spectrometry for on-line monitoring of organic and inorganic hazardous compounds simultaneously: Design and feasibility validation","authors":"Gaosheng Zhao,&nbsp;Yuliang Huang,&nbsp;Bin Jia,&nbsp;Jiafan Ji,&nbsp;Ping Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The detection of harmful atmospheric gases, including inorganic small molecules (e.g., hydrogen sulfide, H₂S) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as aromatic hydrocarbons, is crucial due to their involvement in photochemical reactions that generate secondary pollutants like ozone and secondary organic aerosols. Current mass spectrometry-based techniques, including PTR-MS, SPI-MS, and SIFT-MS, are limited in their ability to simultaneously and sensitively detect a broad spectrum of these compounds due to significant variations in their physicochemical properties.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>This study developed a low-pressure assisted microwave plasma ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LAMP-TOFMS), which features a novel coaxial three-metal-tube design adapted from atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma torch technology. Operable under low-pressure conditions (10–1000 Pa), the LAMP ion source employs multiple ionization mechanisms, including Penning ionization and charge transfer. The system was optimized for key parameters such as focusing electrode voltage, microwave power, and gas flow. LAMP-TOFMS achieved sub-ppbv detection limits, a broad linear dynamic range, and high stability, enabling the detection of challenging compounds, including H₂S, cyclohexane, and <em>n</em>-heptane. It was successfully applied for the quantification of odorous compounds around a pig farm.</div></div><div><h3>Significance and novelty</h3><div>To our knowledge, this is the first study to develop a low-pressure microwave plasma ionization source capable of simultaneously detecting organic and inorganic hazardous gases in real-time. Compared to conventional methods, LAMP-TOFMS demonstrates superior sensitivity, rapid response, and broader compound coverage. This innovative approach offers a transformative solution for comprehensive atmospheric monitoring, with significant implications for air quality and environmental health research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1354 ","pages":"Article 344004"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143758270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structure elucidation and discrimination of peptides epimers induced by chiral residue by ion mobility mass spectrometry","authors":"Jianglong Du ,&nbsp;Shutong Yang ,&nbsp;Yanqiu Chu ,&nbsp;Yinghua Yan ,&nbsp;Zhenhua Li ,&nbsp;Chuan-Fan Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344000","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344000","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The chirality of amino acid residues in peptide or protein affects the biological activity and function. Improving the elucidation and discrimination of peptide epimers induced by chiral residues in different positions is of great significance in the physiological and pathological study of the dominant L-chiral protein biosphere. The characterization of peptide epimers have been and remain a challenging task because chiral residues do not cause any change in the physical and chemical properties, such as sequence, isoelectric point, or mass-charge ratio.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>In this work, we provide ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) analysis of peptide epimers induced by chiral residue and further develop a general and efficient strategy for constructing non-covalent complexes with cucurbituril (CB) to achieve epimers discrimination, especially with limited resolving power of most current instruments. Specifically, IM-MS analysis probes the conformational landscape profile from the model methionine enkephalin (ME) epimers, oligomers, metal adjuncts to multi-nary complexes, improving the identification by amplify structural differences and enrich conformational features, in which [ME+CB[8]+Li+H]²⁺ enables simultaneous acquisition of the unique conformational feature of all ME epimers. The structural stability changes from epimers to complexes were characterized by energy resolved MS₂, and further DFT calculations demonstrated the effect of non-covalent interaction on conformational differences, providing insights for molecular recognition.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The method has been successfully applied to the identification of peptide epimers in neuropeptides with single chiral residue and amyloid truncated peptides with multiple chiral residues. This work provides possibility for rapid discovery and efficient identification of peptide isomers and method support for the establishment of comprehensive biomolecular collision cross section (CCS) database.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1355 ","pages":"Article 344000"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143758265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Separation of virus-like particles and nano-emulsions for vaccine development by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis","authors":"Yousef S. Elshamy ,&nbsp;Caleb Kinsey ,&nbsp;Richard R. Rustandi ,&nbsp;Adam T. Sutton","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Nano-emulsions with immunogenic properties can be incorporated into vaccines to act as an adjuvant where they can enhance the immune response of a given vaccine. Analytically, studying vaccine antigens, such as Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), in the presence of adjuvants, like nano-emulsions, is very challenging as they are both heterogenous nano species of similar sizes but very different physiochemical properties. Therefore, typical analysis of nanoparticles using separation approaches such as Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) and Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF) is difficult due to the size similarities among these nano-species which complicates their separation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, a Capillary Zone Electrophoresis (CZE) method was developed, which utilizes a separation mechanism based on the charge-to-size ratio of the analytes. The method was used to quantify VLPs of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Squalene Nano-Emulsion (SNE) adjuvant mixtures while also measuring buffer excipients, chloride and histidine. The method was assessed according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH Q2) guidelines with respect to linearity, ranges, accuracy (87–109 %), precision (≤20 %), quantitation and detection limits.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study was conducted to prove the feasibility of utilizing CZE to characterize VLPs and SNE mixtures with dilution as the only sample preparation. The CZE conditions are simpler than other CZE conditions suggested for VLPs and easily transferred between users. Similar CZE methods could also be developed for other vaccine and adjuvant mixtures as well as other emulsion and nanoparticle-based systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1355 ","pages":"Article 344011"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143758267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PCR-based SNP genotyping: A comprehensive comparison of methods for affordable and accurate detection of class IV mutations","authors":"Kajan Muneeswaran ,&nbsp;Varuni A. de Silva ,&nbsp;Umayal Branavan ,&nbsp;Madhubhashinee Dayabandara ,&nbsp;Raveen Hanwella ,&nbsp;Naduviladath Vishvanath Chandrasekharan","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343994","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343994","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence gene function and impact health and disease. Identifying and genotyping SNPs is crucial in various areas of research and applications. This study compared five PCR-based methods for detecting a challenging T-to-A SNP, rs9939609: ARMS-PCR, PIRA-PCR, TaqMan qPCR, CADMA with HRM, and HRM, using snapback primers. Sanger sequencing served as the gold standard.</div><div>Five assays were designed and compared for genotyping rs9939609. Performance was evaluated based on affordability, ease of use, robustness, and sensitivity. Melting curve analysis was used for the CADMA and snapback primer HRM assays.</div><div>All methods successfully genotyped the rs9939609 variant. ARMS-PCR was the simplest and most cost-effective method but was potentially less sensitive. PIRA-PCR offered increased sensitivity but required specific restriction enzymes, increasing cost and complexity. TaqMan qPCR was fast and sensitive but expensive due to probe requirements. The combination of CADMA with HRM balanced affordability and speed with good sensitivity and applicability to standard qPCR platforms. The snapback primer HRM offered high sensitivity but required longer assay times and careful optimization.</div><div>CADMA emerged as the most balanced method, combining affordability with sensitivity and comparable to that of Sanger sequencing and TaqMan qPCR. Its effectiveness for challenging mutations and compatibility with standard qPCR platforms make it a practical choice for various laboratories. Each method offers trade-offs in cost, sensitivity, and complexity, catering to specific research and diagnostic needs. Future advancements may further refine these techniques for broader application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1354 ","pages":"Article 343994"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Introducing an algorithm to accurately determine copolymer block-length distributions","authors":"Rick S. van den Hurk ,&nbsp;Ynze Mengerink ,&nbsp;Ron A.H. Peters ,&nbsp;Arian C. van Asten ,&nbsp;Bob W.J. Pirok ,&nbsp;Tijmen S. Bos","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343990","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343990","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Copolymers are attractive for developing advanced materials with widespread applications such as medical devices, implants, or self-healing coatings for space stations and satellites. Their physical properties are tunable by controlling polymeric characteristics such as molecular weight and chemical composition. Another characteristic that has a significant influence on the material properties is the block-length distribution (BLD). Synthetic chemists can alter the BLD independently from molecular weight and chemical composition. However, analytically characterizing these BLDs, for copolymers composed out of multiple monomers, remains a huge challenge.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, an algorithm was developed that enables the accurate determination of copolymer BLDs. Copolymers were computationally simulated and fragmented by either a repeated-sampling approach or an analytical solution to obtain unbiased ground-truth data to objectively evaluate such algorithms. The performance of the novel analytical solution, coupled with an optimization algorithm, was assessed under various conditions. We have demonstrated that a trust-region-reflective algorithm yields highly accurate BLDs when fragment data up to the tetramer level is available. Although the presence of noise in the input data led to some noise in the output, it did not notably impact the overall performance of the algorithm.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The proposed algorithm demonstrated significant improvements over existing algorithms for the determination of copolymer BLDs. Using accurately simulated copolymer fragment data, which can be obtained through chemical reactions or physical processes, such algorithms could objectively be evaluated on their performance for the first time. These observations indicate that the proposed algorithm holds great potential for application to experimental copolymer fragment data.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1354 ","pages":"Article 343990"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of microplastics and nanoplastics in environmental water by AFM-IR","authors":"Dandan Xie ,&nbsp;Huiyao Fang ,&nbsp;Xia Zhao ,&nbsp;Yuan Lin ,&nbsp;Zhaohui Su","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343992","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343992","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Microplastics and nanoplastics have gained worldwide attention as environmental hazards, and reliable analysis of these tiny particles is critical to accurate assessment of their impact to the environment and human health. Among the typical methods developed for analysis of microplastics, mass spectrometry-based methods are destructive and not applicable to individual nanoplastic particles, whereas vibrational spectroscopic techniques in combination with optical microscopy do not have sufficient spatial resolution needed for characterization of the much smaller nanoplastics. Therefore, a new tool is needed for the identification of nanoplastics in the environment.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Here we report for the first time identification of individual nanoplastics in an environmental water sample directly by atomic force microscopy-infrared (AFM-IR), a spectroscopic technique with a spatial resolution of ∼100 nm. On the basis of their spectral characteristics, four different nanoplastics, including poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) and a bisphenol-A based epoxy, as well as microplastics of the latter and two different polyesters were identified unambiguously, and the P3HB nanoplastic particle was found to be highly crystalline. Particles of fatty acid salt, lactic acid salt and sulfate were also identified. Amide bands were observed in the spectra of some of these particles, indicative of protein contamination. In addition, a diatom and a bacterium were identified based on their IR spectra in conjunction with the morphology and elemental composition.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This work demonstrates that AFM-IR is a powerful tool for studying individual nanoplastic particles in environmental samples, capable of providing not only their identities but also detailed structure information.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1354 ","pages":"Article 343992"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143745628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Instant synthesis of bimetallic CuCo PBA nanozyme for efficient colorimetric immunoassay of carcinoembryonic antigen","authors":"Xiaoqin Li ,&nbsp;Huizi Lin ,&nbsp;Xuwei Chen ,&nbsp;Fenqiang Luo ,&nbsp;Rong Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Deng ,&nbsp;Youxiu Lin ,&nbsp;Dianping Tang ,&nbsp;Wenqiang Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343981","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343981","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Colorimetric immunoassays are widely used for biomarker detection, offering advantages of simplicity, sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness. Recent advancements focus on improving the catalytic activity of nanozymes for enhancing the sensitivity and accuracy of such assays. Bimetallic CuCo Prussian blue analog (CuCo PBA) has emerged as promising candidates due to their excellent peroxidase-like activity. However, their instant synthesis and integration into immunoassays for the rapid detection of biomarkers like carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) remain underexplored. This study presents an innovative approach using CuCo PBA nanozymes for colorimetric immunoassays with immediate generation and application. In this study, CuCo PBA nanozymes were synthesized instantly by reacting Cu²⁺ with K₃[Co(CN)₆] (&lt;1 min), and their peroxidase-like activity was exploited for a colorimetric immunoassay system targeting CEA. The system demonstrated a clear blue color change upon the reaction of CuCo PBA with H₂O₂ and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), enabling sensitive detection. The assay was optimized for various parameters, including pH, temperature, and material ratio. A linear response was obtained for CEA detection over a concentration range of 0.05–60 ng/mL with a limit of detection (LOD) of 22 pg/mL. The integration of glucose oxidase (GOx) mediated the generation of H₂O₂, triggering the colorimetric reaction. This instantaneous CuCo PBA-based system effectively detected CEA in human serum samples, highlighting its potential for rapid diagnostic applications. This work introduces a novel approach for rapid and sensitive colorimetric immunoassays using CuCo PBA nanozymes that are synthesized on-demand and immediately applied. The system allows for efficient CEA detection with an exceptionally low detection limit, offering great potential for clinical diagnostics. The instant generation and application of CuCo PBA nanozymes in immunoassays represent a significant advancement in point-of-care testing technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1354 ","pages":"Article 343981"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrochemistry sensing of ascorbic acid based on conductive metal-organic framework (Cu3(benzenehexathiol)) nanosheets modified electrode","authors":"Runhao Yuan ,&nbsp;Xiaolong Zhong ,&nbsp;Weiming Sun ,&nbsp;Jian Wang ,&nbsp;Chuanhui Huang ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Lin ,&nbsp;Jianping Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Bulk-type conductive metal-organic frameworks (c-MOFs) had been applied to modify the electrode and used in electrochemical sensing because of the high conductive properties. But which still suffer from low mass permeability, restricted active site exposure, and poor accessibility due to the coordination saturation at metal sites in the bulk-type c-MOF. Recent studies have demonstrated that transforming bulk-type MOFs into MOFs nanosheets (NSs) can maximize the exposure of active sites and mass transfer. However, c-MOF NSs have rarely been applied in electrochemical sensing.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>This study presents NSs type c-MOF Cu₃(benzenehexathiol) (CuBHT), synthesized using a simple sacrificial template method. CuBHT NSs were modified onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to prepare CuBHT NSs/GCE, which was then applied to sense the model target ascorbic acid (AA), the system exhibits high sensitivity of 1.521 mA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² and a wide linear range of 1–789 μM, low detection limit of 0.46 μM. The sensitivity is 1.90 times higher than that of bulk-type CuBHT nanoparticles (NPs) modified GCE, which can be attributed to the CuBHT NSs having more exposed Cu sites on their surfaces. CuBHT NSs/GCE was then used to monitor AA levels in human sweat during daily activities or exercise, and the results indicated high reliability compared to the vitamin C ASA kit method.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The design of c-MOF CuBHT NSs/GCE lead to better performance in terms of sensitivity and low detection limit in AA sensing compared to bulk-type nanoparticles. The AA sensing mechanism based on CuBHT was investigated, and the sensing system was demonstrated by detecting AA in sweat. This work advances both the fundamental understanding and practical applications of c-MOF NSs in AA sensing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1353 ","pages":"Article 343980"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143723441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrochemical detection of creatinine at picomolar scale with an extended linear dynamic range in human body fluids for diagnosis of kidney dysfunction","authors":"Sanya Khursheed ,&nbsp;Sumera Sarwar ,&nbsp;Dilshad Hussain ,&nbsp;Muhammad Raza Shah ,&nbsp;Jiri Barek ,&nbsp;Muhammad Imran Malik","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343978","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.343978","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Creatinine levels in different body fluids can serve as an important biomarker for kidney functioning relevant to prostate cancer and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Creatinine levels vary in concentration in different body fluids, such as blood, urine, and saliva. Unlike previously reported sensors, the developed creatinine sensor can be employed for all levels of creatinine in samples of real patients.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, an efficient voltammetric sensor for creatinine is developed by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with poly (ethyleneimine) (PEI) capped silver nanoparticles at titanium dioxide (PEI-AgNPs)/TiO₂, i.e., titanium dioxide (TiO₂)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites (Ag@GO/TiO₂-GCE). The Ag@GO/TiO₂ nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Various voltammetric techniques namely cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), chronoamperometry (CA), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were employed. The Ag@GO/TiO₂-GCE demonstrated good selectivity, stability, and a quick response time of 1.0 s for creatinine. An extended linear dynamic range (LDR) of creatinine from 0.01 pM (DPV) to 1.0 M (CV) based on different voltammetric techniques is imperative for detecting diverse creatinine levels in various body fluids. The LOD and LOQ of the developed creatinine detection method were found to be 1.15 pM and 3.5 pM, respectively. The electrochemical sensor exhibited an exceptionally high sensitivity of 15.74 μApM⁻¹cm⁻².The body fluids from healthy volunteers were spiked with a known amount of creatinine to evaluate sensor efficiency in the context of recovery. Finally, blood serum, saliva, and urine samples of kidney patients were analyzed for creatinine levels.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>An important merit of the developed creatinine sensor is its ability for non-invasive point-of-care diagnosis in saliva with more than 90 % recovery. The comparison of the developed method with the standard Jaffes' colorimetric method endorsed its reliability and extended ability for the samples where Jaffes’ method fails. The low LOD, high sensitivity, extended LDR, and low-cost render the possibility of adopting this method for point-of-care diagnosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1353 ","pages":"Article 343978"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143713331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}