Analytical Methods Blog

Take a look below at some wonderful HOT articles we’ve recently published this month in Analytical Methods. There are papers covering a large variety of fields, including seaweed analysis, continuous channel flow linear dichroism, immunosensors and environmental monitoring. These papers will be free to read for two weeks.

Determination of cysteamine using label-free gold nanoparticles
Vladimir V. Apyari, Stanislava G. Dmitrienko, Viktoriya V. Arkhipova, Aydar G. Atnagulov and Yuri A. Zolotov
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25675D

Continuous-channel flow linear dichroism
Xi Cheng, Maxim B. Joseph, James A. Covington, Timothy R. Dafforn, Matthew R. Hicks and Alison Rodger
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25513H

Determination of iodine species in seaweed and seawater samples using ion-pair reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Xu Han, Lianghui Cao, Heyong Cheng, Jinhua Liu and Zigang Xu
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25871D

Creating mass signatures for the detection of microRNA
Dickson M. Wambua, Bakhos A. Tannous and Norman H. L. Chiu
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25504A

Simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Cd(II) using an electrode modified with electropolymerized thiadiazole film
Changzhi Zhao, Hui Liu and Li Wang
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25525A

Reagentless amperometric immunosensor for α-1-fetoprotein based on assembly of nano-Au@SiO2 composite
Xiaomei Huang, Xiang Deng and Di Wu
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25778E

Improvement in accuracy and specificity of high-throughput sialic acid assay
Lam Raga A. Markely, Kanvasri N. Jonnalagadda, Martin Sinacore, Thomas Ryll and Shashi Prajapati
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25448D

An approach toward quantification of organic compounds in complex environmental samples using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Tran B. Nguyen, Sergey A. Nizkorodov, Alexander Laskin and Julia Laskin
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25682G

Surface plasmon resonance imaging of the enzymatic degradation of cellulose microfibrils
Scott G. Allen, Oleh M. Tanchak, Amanda Quirk, Adam N. Raegen, Kyle Reiter, Rebecca Whitney, Anthony J. Clarke, Jacek Lipkowski and John R. Dutcher
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25762A

Gajjar et al., Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article

Scientists at Lancaster University and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have used infrared and Raman spectroscopy for brain tumour diagnosis.

Professor Frank Martin and colleagues used the techniques combined with statistical analysis to discriminate between normal brain tissue and three different tumour types based on the unique spectral fingerprints of their biochemical composition.

Current diagnostic approaches lack the spatial resolution required by surgeons, and delineating the excision border is important in making sure the tumour is completely removed. Vibrational spectroscopy has potential for analysing brain tissue, and Raman in particular can be performed in vivo within seconds or minutes. The information obtained by this method can be combined with conventional methods, for example immunohistochemistry, to diagnose and grade brain tumours to allow for more accurate planning and execution of surgery and/or radiation therapy. This offers more potential for individualised treatment and better long-term survival.

Professor Martin says, “These are really exciting developments which could lead to significant improvements for individual patients diagnosed with brain tumours.  We and other research teams are now working towards a sensor which can be used during brain surgery to give surgeons precise information about the tumour and tissue type that they are operating on.”

Read the article in full using the link below – it will be free to access until 8 October.

Diagnostic segregation of human brain tumours using Fourier-transform infrared and/or Raman spectroscopy coupled with discriminant analysis
Ketan Gajjar, Lara D. Heppenstall, Weiyi Pang, Katherine M. Ashton, Júlio Trevisan, Imran I. Patel, Valon Llabjani, Helen F. Stringfellow, Pierre L. Martin-Hirsch, Timothy Dawson and Francis L. Martin
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25544H

Ghourchian et al., Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article

A cholesterol biosensor

From the University of Tehran, Iran, Hedayatollah Ghourchian and colleagues have developed an electrochemical biosensor that was able to determine cholesterol levels in serum samples. Cholesterol levels in blood is a good indicator of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, and coronary heart disease.

A nanocomposite based biosensor for cholesterol determination
Somayeh Karimi, Hedayatollah Ghourchian, Parvaneh Rahimi and Hossain-Ali Rafiee-Pour
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25826A

Extracting and quantifying the ingredients of Prozac®.

Thurbide et al., Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article

A team from Canada and the US have optimized a method for extracting the active pharmaceutical ingredient from Prozac® capsules. Kevin. B Thurbide, from Calgary University, and colleagues worked on a method using enhanced fluidity liquid extraction. Read more by clicking on the link below.

Characterization of sample preparation of Prozac® capsules using enhanced fluidity liquid extraction
Fadi L. Alkhateeb, Kevin B. Thurbide, Gordon Lambertus and Eric Jensen
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25737H

Liang et al., Anal. Methods, Advance Article

Silica-based stationary phases are very commonly used for high performance liquid chromatography but in most cases cannot be used above pH of 8. There have been a number of approaches used, mainly including post-synthesis grafting and direct synthesis, to improve the high pH stability of silica-based stationary phases. In this paper, Xinmiao Liang and colleagues from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics have used porous spherical silicon oxynitride (sph-SiON) material as a stationary phase for HPLC. Read more about their work below.

Silicon oxynitride microspheres as stationary phase for high performance liquid chromatography
Huihui Wan, Xingya Xue, Yuguang Du and Xinmiao Liang
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25783A

By Pui Sai Lau, Web Writer

Mashayekhi et al., Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article

With the prevalent misuse of amphetamine and its derivatives, drug testing is routinely performed in clinical and forensic laboratories. Effective testing requires high efficiency and reproducibility for analysis of complex, real samples. Hossein Ali Mashayekhi and colleagues from Islamic Azad University, Iran, have created a novel strategy to detect amphetamine and its related compounds in human urine by using ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction and gas chromatography. Find out more details by accessing the link below.

Simultaneous determination of amphetamine and related compounds in human urine using ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction and gas chromatography
Mohammad Rezaee, Hossein Ali Mashayekhi and Shirin Sadeghi Garmaroudi
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25461A