Nanopore detection technology is a high-sensitivity analysis method with essential applications in DNA sequencing, protein identification, and other fields. However, conventional electrophoretic driving has limited efficiency in detecting nanoparticles with low surface charge. In this work, a strategy combining pressure-driven and electrophoretic forces was proposed to improve the detection performance of complex nanoparticle systems in solid-state nanopores. By optimizing the pressure and electric-field parameters, the translocation frequency of a single nanoparticle type with low surface charge was increased, and mixed particles of different sizes and charges were discriminated. Notably, we observed a new phenomenon in which particle translocation frequency increased only under the electrophoretic force after mixing oppositely charged nanoparticles without requiring external pressure. This study demonstrated that synergistic pressure and electric-field driving can provide a more flexible and efficient approach towards single-molecule detection, thereby expanding nanopore applications for biological nanoparticle and small-molecule analysis.
{"title":"Enhanced detection of low-surface-charge nanoparticles via pressure regulation in solid-state nanopores.","authors":"Tixi He,Yin Zhang","doi":"10.1039/d6an00058d","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6an00058d","url":null,"abstract":"Nanopore detection technology is a high-sensitivity analysis method with essential applications in DNA sequencing, protein identification, and other fields. However, conventional electrophoretic driving has limited efficiency in detecting nanoparticles with low surface charge. In this work, a strategy combining pressure-driven and electrophoretic forces was proposed to improve the detection performance of complex nanoparticle systems in solid-state nanopores. By optimizing the pressure and electric-field parameters, the translocation frequency of a single nanoparticle type with low surface charge was increased, and mixed particles of different sizes and charges were discriminated. Notably, we observed a new phenomenon in which particle translocation frequency increased only under the electrophoretic force after mixing oppositely charged nanoparticles without requiring external pressure. This study demonstrated that synergistic pressure and electric-field driving can provide a more flexible and efficient approach towards single-molecule detection, thereby expanding nanopore applications for biological nanoparticle and small-molecule analysis.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"104 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147381410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Viswateja Kasarabada, Zakia Azad, Julie A. Thomas, Blanca H Lapizco-Encinas
The rise of drug-resistant bacteria and nosocomial infections has intensified the need for alternative antimicrobial strategies such as phage therapy. However, clinical adoption remains hindered by the lack of easily adoptable, high-yield purification methods. This study presents the first report of the electrophoretic separation of bacteriophage φKZ from binary mixtures with microparticles and Escherichia coli cells. Insulator-based electrokinetic (iEK) microchannels were employed to exploit differences in electrophoretic migration and the nonspecific binding affinity of bacteriophages to the surfaces of both microparticles and bacterial cells. The electrophoretic mobilities of all analytes were characterized in isolation in a uniform rectangular microchannel. Additionally, the microparticles and E. coli cells were also characterized in the presence of φKZ to assess the effect of nonspecific binding, which resulted in reductions in zeta potential of up to approximately 8 mV. Subsequently, employing the mobility data, COMSOL Multiphysics was utilized to identify the appropriate separation voltages to be used in the iEK channels. Separations under the streaming electrokinetic regime were carried out at the field strengths of 194.3 V/cm and 430.4 V/cm. Furthermore, an additional trapping-streaming separation experiment between E. coli cells and φKZ was achieved at 580.6 V/cm. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of a novel electrokinetic-based purification strategy for the rapid and scalable isolation of bacteriophages.
{"title":"Electrokinetic separation of bacteriophage φKZ from bacterial cells","authors":"Viswateja Kasarabada, Zakia Azad, Julie A. Thomas, Blanca H Lapizco-Encinas","doi":"10.1039/d5an01220a","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5an01220a","url":null,"abstract":"The rise of drug-resistant bacteria and nosocomial infections has intensified the need for alternative antimicrobial strategies such as phage therapy. However, clinical adoption remains hindered by the lack of easily adoptable, high-yield purification methods. This study presents the first report of the electrophoretic separation of bacteriophage φKZ from binary mixtures with microparticles and <em>Escherichia coli</em> cells. Insulator-based electrokinetic (iEK) microchannels were employed to exploit differences in electrophoretic migration and the nonspecific binding affinity of bacteriophages to the surfaces of both microparticles and bacterial cells. The electrophoretic mobilities of all analytes were characterized in isolation in a uniform rectangular microchannel. Additionally, the microparticles and <em>E. coli</em> cells were also characterized in the presence of φKZ to assess the effect of nonspecific binding, which resulted in reductions in zeta potential of up to approximately 8 mV. Subsequently, employing the mobility data, COMSOL Multiphysics was utilized to identify the appropriate separation voltages to be used in the iEK channels. Separations under the streaming electrokinetic regime were carried out at the field strengths of 194.3 V/cm and 430.4 V/cm. Furthermore, an additional trapping-streaming separation experiment between <em>E. coli</em> cells and φKZ was achieved at 580.6 V/cm. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of a novel electrokinetic-based purification strategy for the rapid and scalable isolation of bacteriophages.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147383929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jialing Song,Charles Jordi Windle,Haoxing Lai,Melvin Zhi Yuan Low,Fun Man Fung,Xuanhao Lin,Sam Fong Yau Li
A highly selective and sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was developed for detecting zinc ions, Zn2+, in water. This work provides key insights into the critical role of the cross-linker/monomer ratio in optimizing MIP selectivity and sensitivity. Computational screening identified optimal functional monomers, leading to a stable MIP architecture with high Zn2+ binding affinity. The optimized MIP-QCM sensor exhibited remarkable performance: an exceptional selectivity of 99.8% against competing metal ions, a linear range from 50 ppb to 2 ppm (R2 = 0.9985) and a sensitivity of 51.9 ppb Hz-1. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 38.1 ppb, meeting regulatory thresholds. A cross-linker/monomer ratio of 1.43 was found to be optimal, as lower ratios caused cavity collapse and higher ratios hindered template removal. Compared to conventional methods, this MIP-QCM sensor is low-cost, rapid, and user-friendly, showing significant potential for commercialization.
{"title":"Tuning MIP-QCM selectivity for zinc ions via cross-linker/monomer ratio.","authors":"Jialing Song,Charles Jordi Windle,Haoxing Lai,Melvin Zhi Yuan Low,Fun Man Fung,Xuanhao Lin,Sam Fong Yau Li","doi":"10.1039/d5an01106j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5an01106j","url":null,"abstract":"A highly selective and sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was developed for detecting zinc ions, Zn2+, in water. This work provides key insights into the critical role of the cross-linker/monomer ratio in optimizing MIP selectivity and sensitivity. Computational screening identified optimal functional monomers, leading to a stable MIP architecture with high Zn2+ binding affinity. The optimized MIP-QCM sensor exhibited remarkable performance: an exceptional selectivity of 99.8% against competing metal ions, a linear range from 50 ppb to 2 ppm (R2 = 0.9985) and a sensitivity of 51.9 ppb Hz-1. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 38.1 ppb, meeting regulatory thresholds. A cross-linker/monomer ratio of 1.43 was found to be optimal, as lower ratios caused cavity collapse and higher ratios hindered template removal. Compared to conventional methods, this MIP-QCM sensor is low-cost, rapid, and user-friendly, showing significant potential for commercialization.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"406 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147381427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liangliang Peng,Yao Yao,Meiqi Li,Xingtong Ji,Jinbo Cao,Jiaming Zhang,Fusheng Zhong,Xixiang Yang,Xiaogang Hu
Chloramphenicol (CAP), a broad-spectrum antibiotic banned in food animals due to its toxic effects (e.g., myelosuppression), requires sensitive analytical methods for the detection and monitoring of its residues in food. Herein, an aptamer-functionalized magnetic MOF composite (CAP-Apt@MMIL-53(Al)-NH2) was prepared, coupled with a HPLC method developed for CAP detection. The material was synthesized as follows: solvothermally prepared Fe3O4 particles were coated with SiO2, modified with mercaptoacetic acid, and self-assembled with Al3+ and 2-aminoterephthalic acid to form MMIL-53(Al)-NH2. Its porous framework and abundant amino sites enable efficient mass transfer and aptamer immobilization. CAP aptamers were then covalently bonded to its surface amino sites, yielding CAP-Apt@MMIL-53(Al)-NH2 with high selectivity. Notably, the material reaches extraction equilibrium within 5 minutes, with 2.2-fold higher efficiency than MMIL-53(Al)-NH2 and 2.5-5.8-fold higher efficiency than traditional adsorbents, and exhibits significantly reduced post-extraction chromatographic interference. The analytical method exhibited a linear range of 10-1000 μg L-1 (R2 = 0.998) and an LOD of 4.89 μg L-1. Applied to milk and honey, it yielded recoveries of 84.3%-110.1% and 88.0%-118.0%, respectively. This approach enables rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of trace CAP in complex food matrices, providing a novel strategy for food safety monitoring of CAP residues.
{"title":"Nucleic acid aptamer-functionalized magnetic MIL-53(Al)-NH2 for highly selective magnetic dispersion solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol.","authors":"Liangliang Peng,Yao Yao,Meiqi Li,Xingtong Ji,Jinbo Cao,Jiaming Zhang,Fusheng Zhong,Xixiang Yang,Xiaogang Hu","doi":"10.1039/d5an01025j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5an01025j","url":null,"abstract":"Chloramphenicol (CAP), a broad-spectrum antibiotic banned in food animals due to its toxic effects (e.g., myelosuppression), requires sensitive analytical methods for the detection and monitoring of its residues in food. Herein, an aptamer-functionalized magnetic MOF composite (CAP-Apt@MMIL-53(Al)-NH2) was prepared, coupled with a HPLC method developed for CAP detection. The material was synthesized as follows: solvothermally prepared Fe3O4 particles were coated with SiO2, modified with mercaptoacetic acid, and self-assembled with Al3+ and 2-aminoterephthalic acid to form MMIL-53(Al)-NH2. Its porous framework and abundant amino sites enable efficient mass transfer and aptamer immobilization. CAP aptamers were then covalently bonded to its surface amino sites, yielding CAP-Apt@MMIL-53(Al)-NH2 with high selectivity. Notably, the material reaches extraction equilibrium within 5 minutes, with 2.2-fold higher efficiency than MMIL-53(Al)-NH2 and 2.5-5.8-fold higher efficiency than traditional adsorbents, and exhibits significantly reduced post-extraction chromatographic interference. The analytical method exhibited a linear range of 10-1000 μg L-1 (R2 = 0.998) and an LOD of 4.89 μg L-1. Applied to milk and honey, it yielded recoveries of 84.3%-110.1% and 88.0%-118.0%, respectively. This approach enables rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of trace CAP in complex food matrices, providing a novel strategy for food safety monitoring of CAP residues.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147374176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Correlative photothermal infrared nanospectroscopy (AFM-IR) and non linear optical microscopy analyses reveal that the emergence of a 1730 cm-1 IR band in collagen arises from local, thermally induced esterification. This band serves as a marker of irreversible molecular alteration, associated with structural destabilisation and chemical changes within the collagen matrix.
{"title":"Multimodal AFM-IR nanospectroscopy and non-linear optical microscopy for detecting collagen matrix alterations.","authors":"Jérémie Mathurin,Gaël Latour,Gervaise Mosser,Alexandre Dazzi,Marie-Claire Schanne-Klein,Ariane Deniset-Besseau","doi":"10.1039/d5an01298h","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5an01298h","url":null,"abstract":"Correlative photothermal infrared nanospectroscopy (AFM-IR) and non linear optical microscopy analyses reveal that the emergence of a 1730 cm-1 IR band in collagen arises from local, thermally induced esterification. This band serves as a marker of irreversible molecular alteration, associated with structural destabilisation and chemical changes within the collagen matrix.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147374177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chaithanya Chelakkot,Yanymee N Guillen-Quispe,Jongjin Jo,Yong Rim Ryu,Jinil Han,Saehyung Lee,Jieun Park,Soo Jin Ryu,Hong Songyoul,Sungha Park,Hun Seok Lee,Young Kee Shin
The growing interest in liquid biopsy biomarkers for non-invasive diagnostic approaches has spot-lighted extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes, as promising candidates. However, robust and reproducible isolation of EVs with well-defined analytical performance remains a challenge for translating EV-based biomarkers into clinical practice. This study evaluates the performance of an automated microfluidic workflow for EV isolation in comparison with commercially available methods. We present ExoFAST, a microfluidic device that implements pinched-flow fractionation based size-selective separation of small EVs from apoptotic bodies using a tunable microfluidic architecture. The analytical performance of ExoFAST was evaluated using standardized metrics including particle concentration, total particle yield, size distribution, and exosomal marker expression in vesicles isolated from cell culture media. Performance was benchmarked against size-exclusion chromatography (Exo-spin™), polymer-based precipitation (ExoQuick®), nanoporous membrane filtration (EXODUS), and ultracentrifugation. The ExoFAST device achieved total particle recovery comparable to ultracentrifugation, with the particle concentration within a similar range, while providing reproducible, operator-independent processing. Additionally, we demonstrated ExoFAST device's feasibility in isolating exosomes from diverse sample types, including pig plasma, pig serum, and mouse plasma. By emphasizing automated operation, controlled fractionation, and transparent interpretation of analytical metrics, this study positions ExoFAST as a validated, size-based EV enrichment workflow suitable for integration into broader EV characterization pipelines.
{"title":"Pinched-flow fractionation-based extracellular vesicle isolation by ExoFAST and its analytical benchmarking with commercial technologies.","authors":"Chaithanya Chelakkot,Yanymee N Guillen-Quispe,Jongjin Jo,Yong Rim Ryu,Jinil Han,Saehyung Lee,Jieun Park,Soo Jin Ryu,Hong Songyoul,Sungha Park,Hun Seok Lee,Young Kee Shin","doi":"10.1039/d5an01337b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5an01337b","url":null,"abstract":"The growing interest in liquid biopsy biomarkers for non-invasive diagnostic approaches has spot-lighted extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly exosomes, as promising candidates. However, robust and reproducible isolation of EVs with well-defined analytical performance remains a challenge for translating EV-based biomarkers into clinical practice. This study evaluates the performance of an automated microfluidic workflow for EV isolation in comparison with commercially available methods. We present ExoFAST, a microfluidic device that implements pinched-flow fractionation based size-selective separation of small EVs from apoptotic bodies using a tunable microfluidic architecture. The analytical performance of ExoFAST was evaluated using standardized metrics including particle concentration, total particle yield, size distribution, and exosomal marker expression in vesicles isolated from cell culture media. Performance was benchmarked against size-exclusion chromatography (Exo-spin™), polymer-based precipitation (ExoQuick®), nanoporous membrane filtration (EXODUS), and ultracentrifugation. The ExoFAST device achieved total particle recovery comparable to ultracentrifugation, with the particle concentration within a similar range, while providing reproducible, operator-independent processing. Additionally, we demonstrated ExoFAST device's feasibility in isolating exosomes from diverse sample types, including pig plasma, pig serum, and mouse plasma. By emphasizing automated operation, controlled fractionation, and transparent interpretation of analytical metrics, this study positions ExoFAST as a validated, size-based EV enrichment workflow suitable for integration into broader EV characterization pipelines.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147359283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jingxiang Deng, Yang Yang, Zixin Wang, Haiping Zhao, Hao Chen, Lingqian Zhang, Mingxiao Li, Yang Zhao, Chengjun Huang
Label-free and effective sorting of red and white blood cells based on their physical properties is crucial for subsequent single-cell analysis or immune cell engineering applications. However, cell sorting relying on the physical effects of one single physical property remains highly challenging. This paper proposes a cell sorting method based on a focused traveling surface acoustic wave (FTSAW)-based acoustofluidic chip, which leverages the ability of FTSAW acoustofluidics to comprehensively respond to multiple physical characteristics of cells (e.g., size, density, morphology, and deformability), and furthermore allows for precise setting of the action area range and adjustment of the action intensity. In experiments, a pair of focused interdigital transducers (FIDTs, characteristic frequency: 128.6 MHz) on the substrate of lithium niobate and a typical microchannel structure (single-side sheath flow focusing followed by bifurcated sorting, i.e., "two streams merging into one and then splitting into two") were designed and fabricated. Parameter optimization experiments for separation and sorting were conducted on 3-μm and 5-μm polystyrene (PS) beads, as well as red and white blood cell samples after sheath flow focusing. The results indicate that the FTSAW-based acoustofluidic chip enabled white blood cell sorting with high purity (~90%) and high biological viability (~98%). This study demonstrates the potential of the FTSAWbased acoustofluidic chip for cell sorting. Owing to its easy integration and advantages (non-contact operation, no sieve pore clogging, broad compatibility with cell culture media), it is expected to serve as a key pre-processing technology in microfluidic systems for single-cell analysis or cell engineering.
{"title":"Focused Traveling Surface Acoustic Wave-Based Acoustofluidic Chip for Label-Free Cell Sorting","authors":"Jingxiang Deng, Yang Yang, Zixin Wang, Haiping Zhao, Hao Chen, Lingqian Zhang, Mingxiao Li, Yang Zhao, Chengjun Huang","doi":"10.1039/d5an01350j","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d5an01350j","url":null,"abstract":"Label-free and effective sorting of red and white blood cells based on their physical properties is crucial for subsequent single-cell analysis or immune cell engineering applications. However, cell sorting relying on the physical effects of one single physical property remains highly challenging. This paper proposes a cell sorting method based on a focused traveling surface acoustic wave (FTSAW)-based acoustofluidic chip, which leverages the ability of FTSAW acoustofluidics to comprehensively respond to multiple physical characteristics of cells (e.g., size, density, morphology, and deformability), and furthermore allows for precise setting of the action area range and adjustment of the action intensity. In experiments, a pair of focused interdigital transducers (FIDTs, characteristic frequency: 128.6 MHz) on the substrate of lithium niobate and a typical microchannel structure (single-side sheath flow focusing followed by bifurcated sorting, i.e., \"two streams merging into one and then splitting into two\") were designed and fabricated. Parameter optimization experiments for separation and sorting were conducted on 3-μm and 5-μm polystyrene (PS) beads, as well as red and white blood cell samples after sheath flow focusing. The results indicate that the FTSAW-based acoustofluidic chip enabled white blood cell sorting with high purity (~90%) and high biological viability (~98%). This study demonstrates the potential of the FTSAWbased acoustofluidic chip for cell sorting. Owing to its easy integration and advantages (non-contact operation, no sieve pore clogging, broad compatibility with cell culture media), it is expected to serve as a key pre-processing technology in microfluidic systems for single-cell analysis or cell engineering.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147368072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
To address the challenge of detecting low concentrations of trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhalation with high humidity, this study developed a highly sensitive detection technique named low temperature enrichment-headspace sampling-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (LTE-HS-PTR-MS). During low temperature enrichment, the enrichment module was maintained at a constant low temperature using liquid nitrogen, effectively condensing and trapping VOCs from exhalation while excluding components such as nitrogen and oxygen. During thermal desorption sampling, the enrichment module is heated in a water bath, enabling rapid thermal desorption of the trapped VOCs, which are then introduced via headspace sampling into a proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) for detection. This study optimized parameters of the LTE-HS-PTR-MS system, including the type, total volume, particle size of the enrichment material, and pre-concentration flow rate. The system's performance in terms of enrichment efficiency, sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), and recovery rate was evaluated. The results showed that this technique could reduce the instrument's LOD by 23.4 to 28.8 times. Finally, comparative analysis of breath samples from healthy individuals using two detection techniques revealed that, compared to conventional PTR-MS, LTE-HS-PTR-MS significantly enhanced the signal intensity of 17 product ions from exhaled VOCs, with an average enrichment efficiency exceeding 29 times. The highly sensitive detection technique developed in this study facilitates the detection of trace VOCs in exhalation and holds potential for the discovery of breath biomarkers for diseases.
{"title":"Study on low temperature enrichment-headspace sampling-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (LTE-HS-PTR-MS) for highly sensitive analysis of trace exhaled VOCs.","authors":"Jie Jin,Wei Xu,Ning Zhang,Qi Zhang,Xun Bao,Qu Liang,Qiangling Zhang,Chaoqun Huang,Xue Zou,Chengyin Shen,Yannan Chu","doi":"10.1039/d6an00175k","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6an00175k","url":null,"abstract":"To address the challenge of detecting low concentrations of trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhalation with high humidity, this study developed a highly sensitive detection technique named low temperature enrichment-headspace sampling-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (LTE-HS-PTR-MS). During low temperature enrichment, the enrichment module was maintained at a constant low temperature using liquid nitrogen, effectively condensing and trapping VOCs from exhalation while excluding components such as nitrogen and oxygen. During thermal desorption sampling, the enrichment module is heated in a water bath, enabling rapid thermal desorption of the trapped VOCs, which are then introduced via headspace sampling into a proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) for detection. This study optimized parameters of the LTE-HS-PTR-MS system, including the type, total volume, particle size of the enrichment material, and pre-concentration flow rate. The system's performance in terms of enrichment efficiency, sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), and recovery rate was evaluated. The results showed that this technique could reduce the instrument's LOD by 23.4 to 28.8 times. Finally, comparative analysis of breath samples from healthy individuals using two detection techniques revealed that, compared to conventional PTR-MS, LTE-HS-PTR-MS significantly enhanced the signal intensity of 17 product ions from exhaled VOCs, with an average enrichment efficiency exceeding 29 times. The highly sensitive detection technique developed in this study facilitates the detection of trace VOCs in exhalation and holds potential for the discovery of breath biomarkers for diseases.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"28 2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147359284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yinxia Yang, Yi Liu, Jialin Liang, Qian Zhao, Shi Gang Liu, Jie Luo
The improper overuse of veterinary antibiotics in agricultural breeding practices has resulted in their accumulation in food commodities and triggered pervasive concerns regarding food safety. The rapid detection of antibiotic residues is a crucial measure in ensuring food safety. In this study, a nanohybrid of silver and ceria (AgNP@CeO2) exhibiting peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity is synthesized and used to construct a colorimetric sensor that can respond to multiple antibiotics, achieving rapid and efficient screening of antibiotic contamination. Nanoceria exhibiting excellent recognition and adsorption capabilities toward various antibiotics is chosen as the recognition moiety of the sensor, and additionally, the incorporation of AgNPs can enhance the POD-like activity of ceria, thus achieving highly sensitive detection performance.The colorimetric sensing of antibiotics is based on the fact that the AgNP@CeO2 catalytically oxidize colorless 3,3',5,5'tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into its blue oxide (oxTMB). However, the chromogenic reaction is inhibited in the presence of antibiotics and the inhibition effect relies on the concentration of antibiotics. The colorimetric sensor can respond to three common antibiotics including tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and penicillins. The highly sensitive detection of tetracycline (TC), kanamycin A (Kana), and amoxicillin (AMX) are proved. In addition, smartphone-assisted digital image analysis is utilized to quantitative detection, enabling on-site rapid detection. The developed sensor is further applied successfully to quantify antibiotic residues in actual samples such as drinking mineral water, tap water, and milk, with gratifying results achieved.This study furnishes a novel alternative for the rapid on-site screening of antibiotic residues and delivers valuable insights into the application of nanozymes in food safety monitoring.
{"title":"Construction of a smartphone-assisted colorimetric nanosensor with multiple antibiotic response based on silver-ceria nanocomposites mimicking peroxidase activity","authors":"Yinxia Yang, Yi Liu, Jialin Liang, Qian Zhao, Shi Gang Liu, Jie Luo","doi":"10.1039/d6an00082g","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6an00082g","url":null,"abstract":"The improper overuse of veterinary antibiotics in agricultural breeding practices has resulted in their accumulation in food commodities and triggered pervasive concerns regarding food safety. The rapid detection of antibiotic residues is a crucial measure in ensuring food safety. In this study, a nanohybrid of silver and ceria (AgNP@CeO2) exhibiting peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity is synthesized and used to construct a colorimetric sensor that can respond to multiple antibiotics, achieving rapid and efficient screening of antibiotic contamination. Nanoceria exhibiting excellent recognition and adsorption capabilities toward various antibiotics is chosen as the recognition moiety of the sensor, and additionally, the incorporation of AgNPs can enhance the POD-like activity of ceria, thus achieving highly sensitive detection performance.The colorimetric sensing of antibiotics is based on the fact that the AgNP@CeO2 catalytically oxidize colorless 3,3',5,5'tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into its blue oxide (oxTMB). However, the chromogenic reaction is inhibited in the presence of antibiotics and the inhibition effect relies on the concentration of antibiotics. The colorimetric sensor can respond to three common antibiotics including tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and penicillins. The highly sensitive detection of tetracycline (TC), kanamycin A (Kana), and amoxicillin (AMX) are proved. In addition, smartphone-assisted digital image analysis is utilized to quantitative detection, enabling on-site rapid detection. The developed sensor is further applied successfully to quantify antibiotic residues in actual samples such as drinking mineral water, tap water, and milk, with gratifying results achieved.This study furnishes a novel alternative for the rapid on-site screening of antibiotic residues and delivers valuable insights into the application of nanozymes in food safety monitoring.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"72 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147368129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Artificial Chaperone polymer-enhanced hybridisation enabled the sensitive and specific detection of hsa-miR-500a-3p, a liquid biopsy biomarker, from a 1.0 µL sample within 15 minutes using a portable surface-functionalised power-free microchip. This chaperone polymer improved the sensitivity by over three orders of magnitude. This is the first demonstration of chaperone polymer-accelerated hybridisation between immobilised DNA and target microRNA.
{"title":"Chaperone Polymer-Enhanced MicroRNA Sensing on a Surface-Functionalised Power-Free Microchip","authors":"Ryo Ishihara, Kotomi Katori, Manaya Ogawa, Mutsumi Hosono, Yingfan Mu, Ren Ogata, Hinako Yokohari, Rin Hirose, Eri Shimura, Takeshi Baba, Naoko Yoshida, Naoki Yoshida, Atsushi Maruyama","doi":"10.1039/d6an00188b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/d6an00188b","url":null,"abstract":"Artificial Chaperone polymer-enhanced hybridisation enabled the sensitive and specific detection of hsa-miR-500a-3p, a liquid biopsy biomarker, from a 1.0 µL sample within 15 minutes using a portable surface-functionalised power-free microchip. This chaperone polymer improved the sensitivity by over three orders of magnitude. This is the first demonstration of chaperone polymer-accelerated hybridisation between immobilised DNA and target microRNA.","PeriodicalId":63,"journal":{"name":"Analyst","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147360884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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