Analytical Methods Blog

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy could be used to detect hazardous chemicals hidden behind clothing, and could improve security screening technology in places such as airports.

Celine Canal, David Hutchins and colleagues from the University of Warwick detected the explosive ammonium nitrate hidden behind a layer of various clothing materials, from light acrylic to thick denim. ‘Light in the NIR wavelength range is invisible to the naked eye, allowing unnoticeable remote detection,’ explains Hutchins.

Read Fay Nolan-Neylan’s news story at Highlights in Chemical Technology or read the full article using the link below.

Remote identification of chemicals concealed behind clothing using near infrared spectroscopy
Céline M. Canal, Aamer Saleem, Roger J. Green and David A. Hutchins
Anal. Methods, 2011
DOI: 10.1039/c0ay00386g

In this Minireview, Ana Gonzalvez and colleagues highlight the brilliant research and advances achieved in the area of trace level analysis by IR spectroscopy during the past two decades.

Minireview: The ways to the trace level analysis in infrared spectroscopy
Ana Gonzalvez, Salvador Garrigues, Miguel de la Guardia and Sergio Armenta
Anal. Methods, 2010, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0AY00437E

Abigail Webster, Charlotte E. Dyer, Stephen J. Haswell and John Greenman
Anal. Methods, 2010, 2, 1005-1007
DOI: 10.1039/C0AY00293C

(A) Channel schematic of the device. (B) Photograph showing the glass microdevice with attached nanoport. (C) General schematic of the assembly showing the pumping system, gassing to media reservoir and flow of the system

John Greenman and colleagues from the University of Hull, UK have developed a new microfluidic device capable of maintaining the long-term culture of viable tissue biopsies.

Culturing tissue biopsies in a microfluidic device provides a more holistic model for detecting cellular response to changes, such as drug stimuli, because the device can accurately reproduce many of the key parameters of the in vivo environment.

This new system has so far been tested with human colorectal tissue biopsies, and demonstrates that tissue samples can be cultured for more than 3 days, currently considered as long-term.

The authors proprose that the simplistic and flexible design of the current device allows real time analytical interrogation of various tissue types.  The microfluidic tissue device could then be used for a variety of diverse applications in guiding drug treatment selection in a clinical setting.

This research is timely in driving towards less animal-reliant testing in the pharmaceutical industry and more personalised care in the medical arena.

Read the article for free in the latest issue of Analytical Methods.

Calcium chloride and ammonium hydroxide precipitation removes the inorganic phosphate

Enhancing determination of organophosphate species in high inorganic phosphate matrices: application to nerve agent degradation products
Yaofang Zhang, Kevin M. Kubachka and Joseph A. Caruso
Analytical Methods, 2010, DOI: 10.1039/c0ay00230e

Joseph Caruso and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati have developed a precipitation method for the removal of inorganic phosphates from samples to allow more effective identification of organophosphates by ICP-MS.

High concentrations of inorganic phosphates were successfully removed from apple juice and cola drink, leaving the organophosphates intact.  In this study, nerve agent degradation products were analysed, as they have the potential to contaminate food and environmental systems after their initial formation.

Caruso’s results indicate that this method could be suitable for more complex matrices containing relatively high levels of inorganic phosphate.

Access the article for free via the Analytical Methods homepage.

Continuous flowing inlets deliver essential nutrients to the tissue in the microfluidic device

A microfluidic device for tissue biopsy culture and interrogation
Abigail Webster, Charlotte E. Dyer, Stephen J. Haswell and John Greenman, Anal. Methods, 2010
DOI: 10.1039/c0ay00293c

Charlotte Dyer and colleagues at the University of Hull have designed a microfluidic device that can maintain tissue cultures for at least three days – much longer than previous designs, and long enough to perform drug testing.  This has the potential to reduce the need for animal testing and improve personalised medicine.

“The tissue is maintained in the device with continuous flow systems delivering essential nutrients and removing waste products in a highly controllable manner and with highly sensitive monitoring,” explains Dyer.

Her team tested the system using both normal and cancerous colon tissue, showing for the first time that a tumour biopsy sample can be maintained and responds to external stimuli, such as drugs.  They now intend to test other tissue types, and use the device to test the response of individual patient biopsy tissue samples to chemotherapeutic drugs.

To read Harriet Brewerton’s full news article, go to Highlights in Chemical Biology.