Analytical Methods Blog

D'Auria et al., Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article

From Italy, we have a team of scientists that have developed a biochip device that can detect ephedrine. Sabato D’Auria from the Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, and colleagues designed the chip to combine an immunochemical method with surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy to detect ephedrine at levels as low as 33 ng per mL. Ephedrine is a chemical precursor used to illegally produce amphetamines and therefore a quick and easy method to detect it is important.

A surface plasmon resonance-based biochip to reveal traces of ephedrine
Antonio Varriale, Maria Staiano, Vincenzo M. Marzullo, Maria Strianese, Stefano Di Giovannni, Giuseppe Ruggiero, Alberto Secchi, Massimiliano Dispenza, Anna Maria Fiorello and Sabato D’Auria
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25231G

It’s been a busy month with so many great papers, so here are some HOT articles from Analytical Methods that you might have missed this May!

Why not take a look, they will be free to read for 2 weeks.

Automatic miniaturized flow methodology with in-line solid-phase extraction for quinine determination in biological samples
A. Margarida Vaz, André R. T. S. Araújo, João L. M. Santos, José L. F. C. Lima and M. Lúcia M. F. S. Saraiva
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY05818A

A selective fluorogenic sensor for visual detection of nitrite
Zhongwei Xue, Zhisheng Wu and Shoufa Han
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25107H

Evaluation of an alternate microwave-assisted thermal desorption technique: compatibility with charcoal active and passive sampling for BTX exposure assessment in workplace atmospheres
Williams Estève and Eddy Langlois
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25164G

Precision in chemical analysis: a critical survey of uses and abuses
Michael Thompson
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25083G

Easy fabrication of a vibrating foil electrode
Min Lu,  Neil V. Rees and Richard G. Compton
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25352F

Identification of enzyme inhibitors using therapeutic target protein–magnetic nanoparticle conjugates
Lin-Sen Qing, Nan Tang, Ying Xue, Jian Liang, Yi-Ming Liu and Xun Liao
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25320H

Chemical modificomics: a novel strategy for efficient biomarker discovery through chemical modifications on a target peptide
Takaaki Goto, Shota Kojima, Shohei Shitamichi, Seon Hwa Lee and Tomoyuki Oe
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY05841C

Green extraction using catanionic surfactants of trimethyltetradecyl ammonium bromide–sodium dodecyl sulfate for preconcentration of organophosphorus pesticides in fruit samples
Ketsarin Seebunrueng, Yanawath Santaladchaiyakit and Supalax Srijaranai
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25238D

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

Bing Zhao and Yukihiro Ozaki from Jilin University and Kwansei Gakuin University, respectively, have together with colleagues developed a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based detection method for proteins using magnetic glass beads. Target proteins or molecules with a specially recognized feature can be captured and separated by the magnetic nanoparticles. Click on the title below to read more about this new method.

Biomagnetic glass beads for protein separation and detection based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Lei Chen, Xiao Xia Han, Zhinan Guo, Xu Wang, Weidong Ruan, Wei Song, Bing Zhao and Yukihiro Ozaki
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25244A

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

Forensic investigators often encounter cling film as a wrapping for illicit drugs. Using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) Stephen W. Holman and colleagues from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK, have been studying the level of the chemical variation in food grade low-density polyethylene (LDPE) cling film. Click on the below title to read more about their research.

A quantitative assessment of the chemical variation in food grade polyethylene cling film, a common wrapping material for illicit drugs, using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
Stephen W. Holman, Trevor F. Emmett and Michael D. Cole
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY05889H

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

Tetsuya Yomo and colleagues from Osaka University, Japan, have proposed a measurement and analysis method of discrete encapsulation of nanomaterials in colloidal capsules, in volumes of fL to pL, using fluorescence flow cytometry. The technique could be of great help in the molecular design of intrinsically heterogeneous microcapsules and vesicles. These microcapsules are important for applications that include drug carriers, catalyst reactions, and model cell studies. Click on the title below to read more.

Statistical analysis of discrete encapsulation of nanomaterials in colloidal capsules
Tatsuya Sakakura, Kazuya Nishimura, Hiroaki Suzuki and Tetsuya Yomo
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25105A

It’s been a busy month with so many great papers, so here are some HOT articles from Analytical Methods that you might have missed this April!

Why not take a look, they will be free to read for 2 weeks.

Non-invasive monitoring of temperature stress in Arabidopsis thaliana roots, using ion amperometry
Y. Sulaiman, Marc R. Knight and R. Kataky
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY05747F

Graphene oxide as a nano-platform for ATP detection based on aptamer chemistry
Wen Dan Pu, Li Zhang and Cheng Zhi Huang
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25166C

Electrochemical detection of dopamine in the presence of epinephrine, uric acid and ascorbic acid using a graphene-modified electrode
Xinying Ma, Mingyong Chao and Zhaoxia Wang
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25040C

Sulfite recognition and sensing using Au nanoparticles as colorimetric probe: a judicious combination between anionic binding sites and plasmonic nanoparticles
Jia Zhang, Yue Yuan, Xiaolei Wang and Xiurong Yang
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25181G

There are a number of countries around the world that use groundwater that is rich in arsenic (As) to flood their rice fields. It is believed that this practice is responsible for the high levels of As found in rice, compared to other crops. The bioavailability and toxicity of As is determined by its speciation, therefore it is necessary to have an appropriate analytical tool to characterize As contaminated food. Pradeep Alava and Gijs Du Laing, along with their colleagues from Ghent University, Belgium, have been studying the sample preparation techniques used for assessing the levels of As in rice. They have looked at the affect of various methods on the speciation of the As removed from samples, including extraction, microwave extraction, and grinding.

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

This article will be free to access for 2 weeks, so click through here and take a look!

Extensive grinding and pressurized extraction with water are key points for effective and species preserving extraction of arsenic from rice
Pradeep Alava, Tom Van de Wiele, Filip Tack and Gijs Du Laing
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY25094B

In the following paper, Tomasz Gierczak and colleagues from Warsaw University, Poland, present a simple, fast and reliable procedure for identifying the proteinaceous binders in works of art. The procedure consisted of an ammonia extraction in order to suppress any pigment interferences, acidic hydrolysis and finally quantification of underivatized amino acids using reversed phase liquid chromatography coupled with ESI-MS/MS. In this way, the composition of the amino acids of the proteins found in the paint binding media, such as eggs, casein and animal glues, was determined. The procedure was tested on paintings from the 13^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries. Click through here to read more.

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

Proteinaceous binders identification in the works of art using ion-pairing free reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry
Bartłomiej Witkowski ,  Magdalena Biesaga and Tomasz Gierczak
Anal. Methods, 2012, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2AY05605D