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Biomedical subjects

John H T Luong

Publications and source records attributed to John H T Luong.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Preparation of nano-tentacle polypyrrole with pseudo-molecular template for ATP incorporation.

Polypyrrole was electrochemically synthesized onto a gold electrode in the presence of sodium p-toluenesulfonate (TSNa) as the key dopant. Under the optimal synthesis condition, the surface morphology of PPy/TSNa was tailored and exhibited a nano-tentacle structure. The resulting rough and fuzzy morphology greatly enhanced the apparent surface area as well as the polymer film conductivity. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was then incorporated in the structure by subsequent ion exchanging. This procedure could be envisaged as pseudo-molecular templating to eliminate several shortcomings associated with physical templating. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy were conducted to investigate the incorporation of ATP. The pronounced rough surface of PPy/TSNa provided a higher density of active sites for ATP binding. The resulting PPy/ATP film exhibited a high charged capacity and lower impedance compared to the bare gold electrode. ATP remained stable in the PPy film; however, a negative bias to the electrode stimulated the conducting polymer to release ATP. This concept could serve as a mechanism for drug delivery and biosensing applications.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2007

Reusable platinum nanoparticle modified boron doped diamond microelectrodes for oxidative determination of arsenite.

Boron doped diamond (BDD) macro- and microelectrodes were modified by electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles using a multipotential step electrodeposition technique and used for the oxidative determination of arsenite, As(III). The formation of Pt nanoparticles was evident from cyclic voltammetry measurement, whereas AFM and SEM revealed the size and size distribution of deposited Pt nanoparticles. Raman spectroscopy illustrated a correlation between the typical BDD signature and the number of platinum deposition cycles. Linear sweep voltammetry performed with the modified BDD microelectrode outperformed its macrocounterpart and resulted in very low detecting currents with enhanced signal-to-noise ratios. With linearity up to 100 ppb and a detection limit of 0.5 ppb, the electrochemical system was applicable for processing tap and river water samples. Over 150 repetitive runs could be performed, and electrochemical etching of platinum allowed the reuse of the BDD microelectrode. The presence of copper and chloride ions, the two most severe interferents at levels commonly found in groundwater, did not interfere with the assay.

Arsenites↗
PubMed2006

Sensitive amperometric immunosensing using polypyrrolepropylic acid films for biomolecule immobilization.

An electrochemical immunosensor was constructed using an electropolymerized pyrrolepropylic acid (PPA) film with high porosity and hydrophilicity. A high density of carboxyl groups of PPA was used to covalently attach protein probes, leading to significantly improved detection sensitivity compared with conventional entrapment methods. As a model, anti-mouse IgG was covalently immobilized or entrapped in the PPA film and used in a sandwich-type alkaline phosphatase-catalyzing amperometric immunoassay with p-aminophenyl phosphate as the substrate. With covalent binding, the detection limit for IgG in PBS buffer, pH 7.4, was 100 pg/mL with a dynamic range of 5 orders of magnitude. The covalent bonding mode in the carbonate-bicarbonate buffer, pH 9.6, further brought down the detection limit to 20 pg/mL with remarkable selectivity.

Biosensing Techniques↗
PubMed2006

Metallic nanoparticle-carbon nanotube composites for electrochemical determination of explosive nitroaromatic compounds.

Metal nanoparticles (Pt, Au, or Cu) together with multiwalled and single-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT and SWCNT) solubilized in Nafion have been used to form nanocomposites for electrochemical detection of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and several other nitroaromatics. Electrochemical and surface characterization by cyclic voltammetry, AFM, TEM, SEM, and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of metal nanoparticles on CNTs. Among various combinations tested, the most synergistic signal effect was observed for the nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GC) containing Cu nanoparticles and SWCNT solubilized in Nafion. This combination provided the best sensitivity for detecting TNT and other nitroaromatic compounds. Adsorptive stripping voltammetry for TNT resulted in a detection limit of 1 ppb, with linearity up to 3 orders of magnitude. Selectivity toward the number and position of the nitro groups in different nitroaromatics was very reproducible and distinct. Reproducibility of the TNT signal was within 7% (n = 8) from one electrode preparation to another, and the response signal was stable (+/-3.8% at 95% confidence interval) for 40 repeated analyses with 10 min of preconditioning. The Cu-SWCNT-modified GC electrode was demonstrated for analysis of TNT in tap water, river water, and contaminated soil.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed2006

Electrochemical determination of arsenite using a gold nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode and flow analysis.

A flow analysis electrochemical system has been developed, characterized, and optimized for the determination of arsenite (As(III)). Sensitivity was significantly improved by the electrochemical deposition of gold nanoparticles on a dual glassy carbon electrode, which was inserted into a cross-flow thin-layer electrochemical cell. The electrochemical system was linear up to 15 ppb with a detection limit of 0.25 ppb. Gold deposition was evident from cyclic voltammetry measurements, whereas atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed the size and distribution of deposited gold nanoparticles. The size and density of the nanoparticles were related to the gold salt concentration, deposition time, and potential as well as the electrode position. The response to arsenite was directly related to the frequency, increment, and amplitude of the square wave voltammetry as well as the deposition time and potential. Estimated reproducibility was +/-1.1% at 95% confidence interval for 40 repeated analyses of 8 ppb arsenite during continuous analysis. The reproducibility was far superior if the electrochemical reduction of arsenite was performed in nitric acid instead of hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. The electrochemical system was applicable for analysis of spiked arsenic in mineral water containing a significant amount of various ion elements.

Arsenites↗
PubMed2005

Analysis of the 16 Environmental Protection Agency priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by high performance liquid chromatography-oxidized diamond film electrodes.

The capabilities of using boron-doped diamond (BDD) thin films as electrode materials for analysis of the 16 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) after a liquid chromatographic separation were evaluated. The BDD electrode was able to detect all 16 PAHs with high sensitivity due to the low background current and wide potential window. The method provided detection limits ranging from 12-40 nM (3-10 ppb) and repeatable results over consecutive analysis. Calibration curves were linear up to at least 10 microM for all PAHs. The work shows the promising use of diamond as an amperometric detector in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), especially for PAHs and other hydrophobic aromatic compounds.

Boron↗
PubMed2005

Light-assisted synthesis of Pt-Zn porphyrin nanocomposites and their use for electrochemical detection of organohalides.

Pt-Zn porphyrin nanocomposites have been synthesized using zinc porphyrin and dihydrogen hexachloroplatinate in the presence of light and ascorbic acid. TEM and AFM imaging revealed that Pt nanoparticles with an average diameter of approximately 3.5 nm were embedded within the Zn porphyrin matrix. The glassy carbon electrode was modified with Nafion-stabilized Pt-Zn porphyrin nanocomposites and used for dehalogenation of carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, pentachlorophenol, chlorobenzene, and hexachlorobenzene as five test models. The Pt-Zn porphyrin nanocomposite-modified electrode exhibited catalytic activity for the reduction of organohalides at -1.0 V versus Ag/AgCl. Raman signatures confirmed the dehalogenation of chlorobenzene by the nanocomposite-modified electrode. The above two aliphatic and three aromatic organohalides had detection limits of 0.5 microM with linearity up to 8 microM. The modified electrode was good for at least 80 repeated measurements of 4 microM chlorobenzene with a storage stability of 1 month at room temperature. The deactivation of the electrode activity was associated with the loss of platinum nanoparticles from the nanocomposite structure.

Electrochemistry↗
PubMed2005

Assessment of cytotoxicity by emerging impedance spectroscopy.

An on-line and continuous technique based on electric cell substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) was developed for measuring the concentration and time response function of fibroblastic V79 cells exposed to toxicants. Mercury chloride (HgCl(2)), cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)), benzalkonium chloride (BAK), sodium arsenate (Na(2)HAsO(4)), and trinitrobenzene (TNB) were used as five test models. The first four chemicals serve as a model for acute toxicants, and TNB represents a model for long-term cytotoxicity effects. Adhesion, spreading, and proliferation of V79 fibroblastic cells cultured on a microarray of small gold electrodes precoated with fibronectin were detected as resistance changes. The response function was derived to reflect the resistance change as a result of cell attachment, spreading, mitosis and cytotoxicity effect. Exposure of V79 cells to toxicants led to alterations in cell behavior, and therefore, chemical cytotoxicity was easily screened by measuring the response function of the attached and spread cells in the presence of inhibitor. The half inhibition concentration, the required concentration to achieve 50% inhibition, was obtained from the response function to provide dynamic information about cytotoxicity during the course of the assay. A simple mathematical model was developed to describe the responses of ECIS that were related to the adhesion, spreading, and proliferation of V79 fibroblastic cells. The novel results of this paper are mainly characterized by the systematic study of several parameters including the cell number, detection limit, sensor sensitivity, and cytotoxicity, and they may motivate further research and study of ECIS sensors.

Biosensing Techniques↗
PubMed2005

Electrophoretic separation of aniline derivatives using fused silica capillaries coated with acid treated single-walled carbon nanotubes.

This paper reports on a new strategy for coating fused silica capillaries based on the ionic adsorption of acid treated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on a poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride)-modified fused silica surface. The coated capillaries were used to demonstrate their performance for baseline separation of a mixture of seven nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds compared to capillary zone electrophoresis. This combined layer formed a coating material that could be useful for improvement of the selectivity of the solutes in an electrical field. We reasoned that the interaction of the solutes and the modified capillary wall occurred mainly via ionic interactions with the charged moieties of CNTs. The single-walled CNT modified capillaries were very stable and could be used for over 200 repeated analyses without compromising its analytical performance.

Aniline Compounds↗
PubMed2005

Oxidation, deformation, and destruction of carbon nanotubes in aqueous ceric sulfate.

A simple wet chemical method involving only ultrasonic processing in dilute ceric sulfate (CS) was used to functionalize carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Unexpectedly, single-walled and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs) were cut, oxidized, and disintegrated by sonication in 0.1 N CS for 2-5 h. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman scattering, and photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to probe wall damage during the chemical processing. Cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy were used to evaluate the conductivity of the CS-treated CNTs. This one-step process resulted in the destruction of SWCNTs to produce nonconducting amorphous carbon. MWCNTs were oxidized and converted to graphitic materials and amorphous carbon with retained conductivity.

Electric Conductivity↗
PubMed2005

Impedance sensing of DNA binding drugs using gold substrates modified with gold nanoparticles.

Interfacial interactions between immobilized DNA probes and DNA-specific sequence binding drugs were investigated using impedance spectroscopy toward the development of a novel biosensing scheme. The impedance measurements are based on the charge-transfer kinetics of the [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- redox couple. Compared to bare gold surfaces, the immobilization of DNA and then the DNA-drug interaction on electrode surfaces altered the capacitance and the interfacial electron resistance and thus diminished the charge-transfer kinetics by reducing the active area of the electrode or by preventing the redox species from approaching the electrode. Electrochemical deposition of gold nanoparticles on a gold electrode surface showed significant improvement in sensitivity. DNA-capped gold nanoparticles on electrodes act as selective sensing interfaces with tunable sensitivity due to higher amounts of DNA probes and the concentric orientation of the DNA self-assembled monolayer. The specificity of the interactions of two classical minor groove binders, mythramycin, a G-C specific-DNA binding anticancer drug, netropsin, an A-T specific-DNA binding drug and an intercalator, nogalamycin on AT-rich DNA-modified substrate and GC-rich DNA-modified substrate are compared. Using gold nanoparticle-deposited substrates, impedance spectroscopy resulted in a 20-40-fold increase in the detection limit. Arrays of deposited gold nanoparticles on gold electrodes offered a convenient tool to subtly control probe immobilization to ensure suitably adsorbed DNA orientation and accessibility of other binding molecules.

DNA↗
PubMed2004

Stabilization and size control of gold nanoparticles during laser ablation in aqueous cyclodextrins.

Femtosecond laser radiation has been used to ablate a gold target in aqueous beta-cyclodextrin (CD) solutions to produce stable gold nanoparticle colloids with extremely small size (2 to 2.4 nm) and size dispersion (1 to 1.5 nm). On the basis of XPS and zeta-potential measurements, we propose a model involving chemical interactions between the gold and the CDs. The model includes both the hydrophobic interaction of the Au0 with the interior cavity of the CD and the hydrogen bonding of O- groups on the partially oxidized gold surface with -OH groups of the CDs.

Cyclodextrins↗
PubMed2004

Electrochemical biosensing platforms using platinum nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes.

Platinum nanoparticles with a diameter of 2-3 nm were prepared and used in combination with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for fabricating electrochemical sensors with remarkably improved sensitivity toward hydrogen peroxide. Nafion, a perfluorosulfonated polymer, was used to solubilize SWCNTs and also displayed strong interactions with Pt nanoparticles to form a network that connected Pt nanoparticles to the electrode surface. TEM and AFM micrographs illustrated the deposition of Pt nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes whereas cyclic voltammetry confirmed an electrical contact through SWCNTs between Pt nanoparticles and the glassy carbon (GC) or carbon fiber backing. With glucose oxidase (GOx) as an enzyme model, we constructed a GC or carbon fiber microelectrode-based biosensor that responds even more sensitively to glucose than the GC/GOx electrode modified by Pt nanoparticles or CNTs alone. The response time and detection limit (S/N = 3) of this biosensor was determined to be 3 s and 0.5 microM, respectively.

Aspergillus niger↗
PubMed2004

Analysis of insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis and recombinant Escherichia coli by capillary electrokinetic chromatography.

Bacillus thuringiensis and recombinant Escherichia coli proteinaceous protoxins were subject to proteolysis and analyzed by capillary electrokinetic chromatography. Three resulting toxins (65 kDa) were baseline-resolved within 22 min using a 10 mM borate, pH 11 separation buffer consisting of 25 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 30 mM phytic acid. The toxins displayed differential interactions with the SDS and phytic acid phases to effect their separation. The ion-pairing interaction between the analyte and phytic acid was also useful in preventing adsorption to the capillary walls and thus enhanced separation resolution and efficiency. The use of electrokinetic chromatography allows achievement of the separation in a significantly shorter time than conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) weak-anion exchanger.

Bacillus thuringiensis↗
PubMed2003

Silicon-based surface plasmon resonance sensing with two surface plasmon polariton modes.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing on a silicon-based platform is considered. We have studied properties of SPR in a combined silicon-dielectric layer-gold film-sample medium structure and established conditions of the simultaneous excitation of two plasmon polariton modes that provide narrow and well-separated minima of the reflected intensity. It has been shown that the external mode over the gold-sample medium interface demonstrates a highly sensitive response to a change in the refractive index of the sample medium, whereas the internal mode over the dielectric-gold interface is almost insensitive to medium parameters. We propose that the internal mode can be used as an effective reference zero point for miniature and portable SPR-based systems designed for field and multichannel sensing.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Picoamperometric detection of glucose at ultrasmall platinum-based biosensors: preparation and characterization.

A simple method is described for the construction of a glucose biosensor with good reproducibility. After electrochemical etching, the sensing tip of an etched platinum microelectrode was insulated using a synthetic rubber dip coating. The insulating layer was then heat-cured, leading to a small exposed area at the very end of the etched Pt tip, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Phenol and 2-allylphenol were electropolymerized to form an extra insulating layer that effectively retained glucose oxidase (GOX) on the sensing tip of the electrode. On the basis of cyclic voltammetry measurements, the apparent radius of the biosensor tip was estimated to be between 10 and 500 nm, depending on GOX loading. With operational and storage stabilities over 3 weeks, the glucose biosensor prepared using optimal GOX concentration (10 mg/mL) exhibited a picoamperometric current response within approximately 2 s and a detection limit of 20 microM with excellent reproducibility.

Biosensing Techniques↗