The contamination of renal failure patients by metals can be associated to the presence of these metals in the medication, since they can be absorbed by the organism. The level of contamination caused by medication, in these cases, depends strongly on the quality of medication used in the treatment. Among the possible contaminants, there are metals such as aluminum, chromium and nickel. Therefore, the development of analytical methodologies for the quality control of medicaments used by anemic patients is of great importance. In the present work, the presence of Al, Cr and Ni as contaminants in erythropoietin formulations (EPO), a renal antianemic, was investigated by developing and optimizing an adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetric (AdCSV) method. It involves the optimization of a pretreatment step of samples by using UV irradiation for decomposition of matrix organic components. The AdCSV method is based on the adsorptive deposition of the complex formed at the electrode surface and the subsequent reduction of ligand (or metal) during the cathodic potential scan. The results found for Al, Cr and Ni in the studied samples, after performing the pretreatment step, show the applicability of the method for the determination of Al, Cr and Ni as contaminants in this kind of samples. The developed voltammetric methods are advantageous in relation to other existing methods concerning the high sensitivity of measurement if associated to the pretreatment step by UV irradiation associated with the addition of H2O2. / A contaminação de pacientes com insuficiência renal por espécies metálicas pode estar associada à presença destas na medicação empregada, uma vez que estas espécies podem ser absorvidas pelo organismo do paciente. O nível de contaminação através da medicação, nestes casos, dependerá da qualidade da medicação utilizada no tratamento. Dentre os possíveis contaminantes, estão metais como alumínio, cromo e níquel. Desta forma, o desenvolvimento de metodologias analíticas adequadas ao controle de qualidade dos medicamentos administrados ao paciente é de grande importância. No presente trabalho, investigou-se a presença de Al, Cr e Ni como contaminantes em formulações de eritropoetina (EPO), um antianêmico renal, através do desenvolvimento e otimização de um método voltamétrico adsortivo de redissolução catódica (AdCSV) com a otimização de uma etapa de pré-tratamento das amostras empregando radiação UV para a decomposição dos componentes orgânicos da matriz. O método está baseado na deposição adsortiva do complexo formado (metal-ligante) na superfície do eletrodo e na redução do ligante ou do metal durante a varredura catódica dos potenciais. Os valores de Al, Cr e Ni encontrados nas amostras estudadas, após a etapa de pré-tratamento, demonstram a aplicabilidade do método para a determinação de Al, Cr e Ni como contaminantes neste tipo de matriz. O método voltamétrico desenvolvido é vantajoso em relação a outros métodos existentes, devido à alta sensibilidade da medida quando associada a uma etapa de pré-tratamento da amostra com radiação UV combinado com adição de H2O2.

This study investigates electrochemical oxidation of m-cresol on boron-doped diamond electrode using direct current voltammetry (DCV), differential pulse voltametry (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). In aqueous media in pH range 2.0 - 12.0 m-cresol provides one oxidation peak. The electrode reaction is diffusion-controled. Because of electrode passivation two types of pretreatment were applied for reactivation of electrode surface., i.e. alumina polishing and anodic activation using potential of +2400 mV. Peak heights and potentials are strongly dipending on the type of pretreatment for DCV and DPV - the difference in peak potentials can reach 430 mV. Using optimal conditions for alumina polishing in 0.01 μmol·L-1 NaOH the linear dynamic range is 1.0 - 75 μmol·L-1 for DCV and 0.75 - 75 μmol·L-1 for DPV. And for anodic activation in BR buffer pH 2.0 the linear dynamic range is 0.75 - 75 μmol·L-1 for DCV and DPV. The influence of boron-doping level was investigated using a semiconductive and mettalic-type BDD film. For the latter the sensitivity in DP voltammetry is two times higer and for both types the linear dynamic range is ca 1 - 25 μmol·L-1 . The voltammetric response of m-cresol was further investigated in the presence of cationic surfactants. In the presence of CTAB and CPB the peak current...

This thesis is focused on the application of two working electrodes of graphite suitable for determination of oxidizable tumour biomarkers. It deals with the study of electrochemical behavior of urinary indican. For the determination the technique of differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used on carbon paste electrode and film composite paste electrode in Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer. In the first step optimal conditions were determined to find the lowest limit of determination (LQ) of this substance. BR buffer of pH 3 was chosen as the optimum medium for determination on a carbon paste electrode and BR buffer of pH 2 was used as the optimum medium for the determinaton using a film composite electrode. Performance for both electrodes was observed in a concentration range of from 1 · 10-6 to 5 · 10-5 mol·l-1 . The limit of determination for measurements on a carbon paste electrode was 0.7 µmol·l-1 and the film composite electrode was 1.7 µmol·l-1 . Possibility of the acummulation of indican was examined in order to increase sensitivity and decrease of limit of quantification. However, after 5 minute sorption, no increase in response was observed and the accumulation step was not inserted. Developed method was tested on the determination of urinary indican in human urine matrix after solid phase...

The objective of the present work is the study of the electrochemical behaviour of two diagnostic tumor markers of great importance, vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA), on carbon-based electrodes by using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. A comparison was made among non-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and GCE modified by multi-walled carbon nanotubes, Nafion (Nafion/GCE) and poly(neutral red) (PNR/GCE), and further boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode which was activated by anodic polarization (Eakt = +2,4 V, t = 30 s) or by polishing on alumina slurry. Significant differences in the voltammetric responses of VMA and HVA were found, not only among utilized electrode materials which also influenced the way of controlling the oxidation process, but also they depend on the pH value of aqueous media in which these acids occurred. An acidic environment is the most suitable for their determination. Calibration dependences were measured in 0.1 mol∙l−1 phosphate buffer pH 3.0 which was chosen as an optimal supporting electrolyte for differential pulse voltammetric determination. Achieved detection limits were 0.6, 0.9, 0.8 and 1.2 μmol∙l−1 for HVA and 0.4, 1.5, 2.4 and 1.1 μmol∙l−1 for VMA at BDD electrode, non-modified GCE, Nafion/GCE and PNR/GCE, respectively. Limits...

Les biocapteurs sont des moyens d'analyse en plein essor à la fois rapides, sélectifs et peu coûteux applicables à des domaines extrêmement variés (environnement, santé, agroalimentaire,…). Dans ce type d'outil, un élément sensible de nature biologique (anticorps, enzyme, microorganisme, ADN…) doté d'un pouvoir de reconnaissance pour un analyte ou un groupe d'analytes est associé à un transducteur pouvant être de type électrochimique, optique ou thermique. Dans ce travail, nous nous sommes intéressés au développement de différents biocapteurs, en se basant à l'immobilisation d'enzymes sur des microélectrodes en vue de la détection électrochimique d'analytes d'intérêt dans le domaine environnemental. Nous avons montré les potentialités d'application de deux biocapteurs conductimétrique et impédimétrique à base de lipase Candida Rugosa pour la détection directe et rapide des pesticides organophosphorés. Nous avons cherché à mieux comprendre le fonctionnement des biocapteurs et optimisé le procédé d'immobilisation des enzymes ainsi que différents paramètres de mesure afin de maximiser les performances analytiques des outils développés. Nous avons également élaboré un biocapteur impédimètrique pour une détermination très sensible de la phospholipase A2 en utilisant les nanoparticules d'or afin de renforcer la conductivité électrique. Enfin, nous avons développé un biocapteur de tyrosinase pour la détection du Bisphénol A, en se basant sur la modification électrochimique des électrodes de diamant dopé qui possèdent des propriétés électriques remarquables et uniques, avec l'ajout de nanotube de carbone multi-feuillet, ce qui permet d'améliorer des performances analytiques du biocapteur, en particulier sa limite de détection et sa stabilité. Les biocapteurs à base de lipase et de tyrosinase ont été appliqués avec succès à la quantification des composés organophosphorés et du bisphénol A respectivement dans plusieurs échantillons d'eaux réelles / A biosensor is an analytical device, used for the detection of an analyte, that combines a biological component so-called a receptor (e.g. enzyme, antibody, DNA, microorganism) to a physical transducer (e.g. electrochemical, optical or thermal). In last decade, biosensors are quite promising tools since they are rapid, selective and cost effective, with an increasing interest for their application in various fields (e.g environment, food, health). In this work, we developed different biosensors based on immobilized enzymes onto microelectrodes in view of electrochemical detection. First, we demonstrated the potentialities of conductometric and impedimeteric biosensors based on lipase from Candida Rugosa for direct and rapid detection of organophosphate pesticides. In order to enhance the analytical performances of the developed devices, we tried to optimize enzyme immobilization as well as several operational parameters. We also elaborated an impedimetric biosensor for a sensitive determination of phospholipase A2 activity. Finally, a tyrosinase biosensor was developed for ultra-sensitive detection of Bisphenol A, based on the unique proprieties of boron doped diamond electrodes and taking advantage the use of multi walled carbon naotubes to improve the stability and detection limit of biosensor. We also demonstrated the applicability of both biosensors based on lipase and tyrosinase for the detection of organophosphate pesticides and bisphenol A in river water

La détection de molécules odorantes représente un enjeu important dans divers domaines tels que l’industrie alimentaire, le diagnostic médical et la sécurité du territoire, par exemple. En effet, les odorants, présents par milliers dans notre environnement, véhiculent de nombreuses informations, via leur nature chimique ou leur concentration. Notre système olfactif est capable de discriminer des milliers de molécules différentes via des mécanismes biochimiques impliquant l’association de nombreux partenaires protéiques et un codage combinatoire de l’information. Ces biomolécules, qui englobent notamment les récepteurs olfactifs et les protéines de liaison aux odorants (OBP), constituent une source intéressante d’éléments de détection pour la conception de biocapteurs. Les OBP sont de petites protéines solubles présentent dans le mucus nasal à des concentrations de l’ordre du millimolaire. Leur poche de liaison hydrophobe leur confère la capacité de lier de façon réversible les molécules odorantes. Leur robustesse et leur manipulation aisée en font de bonnes candidates pour l’élaboration de biocapteurs. Au cours de ce travail, nous nous sommes intéressés à la détection de molécules odorantes en associant des OBP comme biorécepteur et l’électrochimie comme méthode de transduction. Par une méthode de mutagenèse dirigée, nous avons montré qu’en modifiant un seul des acides aminés dans la poche de liaison de deux OBP de rat (rOBP2 et rOBP3), il était possible de moduler leurs affinités envers les odorants. En parallèle, nous avons décrit la détection qualitative et quantitative de molécules volatiles à partir d’OBP. Nous avons montré que rOBP3 lie la 2-méthyl-1,4-naphtoquinone (MNQ), une sonde électrochimique. La quantité de MNQ déplacée de la poche de liaison de rOBP3 par la 3-isobutyl-2-méthoxypyrazine (IBMP), un odorant modèle, a été mesurée par voltammétrie cyclique à vagues carrées. Nous avons déterminé les constantes de dissociation des complexes rOBP3 / MNQ et rOBP3 / IBMP. Les valeurs mesurées par électrochimie ont été confirmées par compétition avec une sonde fluorescente et par titration calorimétrique isotherme. En combinant cette nouvelle méthode analytique à des variants de rOBP3 qui présentent des profils de liaison différents et complémentaires, nous avons détecté sélectivement chacun des constituants d’un mélange ternaire d’odorants. Ces travaux, qui allient ingénierie des OBP et électrochimie, offrent des perspectives intéressantes dans le domaine des nez électroniques. / The detection of odorant molecules has become an important challenge in different research area, such as the food industry, medical diagnostics and homeland security. Indeed, the thousands of odorants in our environment provide information on their chemical nature or their concentration. Human olfactory system is capable of discriminating thousands of different molecules thanks to biochemical mechanisms involving multiple protein receptor partners and a combinatorial coding. These biomolecules that include olfactory receptors and odorant-binding proteins (OBP) represent an interesting source of detectors for the design of biosensors. OBPs are small soluble proteins present in nasal mucus at millimolar concentrations. Their hydrophobic binding pocket gives them the ability to reversibly bind odorant molecules. OBPs are robust and easy to produce and are thus good candidates for the design of biosensors. In this work, we focused on the detection of odorant molecules associating OBPs as a bioreceptor and electrochemistry as a transduction method. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we have shown that by substituting a single amino acid in the binding pocket of two rat OBPs (rOBP2 and rOBP3), it is possible to modulate their binding affinities towards odorants. In parallel, we described a qualitative and quantitative method for the detection of volatile molecules using OBPs. We have shown that rOBP3 binds 2-methyl-1,4-naphtoquinone (MNQ), an electrochemical probe. The amount of MNQ displaced from the binding pocket of rOBP3 by the model odorant 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP), was measured using square-wave voltammetry. We determined the dissociation constants of the rOBP3 / MNQ and rOBP3 / IBMP complexes. These values measured by electrochemistry were confirmed by a competitive fluorescent assay and isothermal titration calorimetry. By combining this new analytical method to rOBP3 variants with different and complementary binding profiles, we were able to selectively detect each of the components of a ternary mixture of odorants. This work, that combines the engineering of OBPs and electrochemistry, offers us interesting perspectives in the field of electronic noses.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The overall aim of this thesis was to prepare nanostructured more processable heteronuclear sulphonated polyanyline nanocomposites with electroconductive properties suitable for applications in biosensors. The sulphonated self-assembled polyaniline and derivatised polyaniline nanocomposites (SPAHs) were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerisation or electrical decomposition. The SPAHs prepared include those of polyaniline (PANi), poly-o-methoxyaniline (POMA) and poly-2.5 dimethoxyaniline (PDMA). Two types of sulphonic acids of heteronuclear aromatic hydrocarbons were used in the production of sulphonated SPAH composites. These were anthracene sulphonic acid (ASA) and naphthalene sulphonic acids (NSA) wich played both doping and surfactant roles. / South Africa

Extensive research has been performed on the interaction of dithiocarbonates (xanthate) with a wide variety of substrates. This study the focuses on the interaction of trithiocarbonates (TTC) with pyrite and copper. The mechanism of adsorption of the xanthate is compared to that of the TTC. For the xanthate to adsorb it is necessary for an oxidant to be present, since xanthate adsorbs via charge transfer processes (electrochemical processes). It was found by the use of cyclic voltammetry and contact angle measurements that collector adsorption of the TTC can occur in both oxidising and reducing (thus the absence of an oxidant) conditions. Neither the TTC monomer nor the dimer could be detected on the surface by the use of Raman spectroscopy. The collector species on the surface was the TTC decomposition products namely the thiol or thiolate. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) confirmed that the TTC can interact under oxidising and reducing conditions. EIS showed that the rate of adsorption of the collector species for anodic currents increases relatively to the rate of adsorption for cathodic currents. Different adsorption mechanisms are realised for the different polarisation conditions. It is postulated that the TTC species serves as an intermediate for the adsorption of the thiol or thiolate on the surface, ultimately rendering the surface hydrophobic. Decomposition tests, performed by employing UV/Vis spectroscopy, indicated that the TTC is very unstable between a pH of 4 and 11. The thiol or thiolate however does not readily adsorb onto the substrates (indicated by the EIS measurements). Microflotation tests confirmed the thiolate’s inability to render pyrite hydrophobic. The microflotation tests also indicated that the TTC became less effective in recovering pyrite after it was left to decompose for a couple of hours. / Dissertation (MSc (Metallurgy))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Environmental pollution is a major threat to all life, which needs to be addressed. Heavy metals are well-known environmental pollutants due to their toxicity and, persistence in the environment toxicity for living organisms and having a bioaccumulative nature. Environmentally, the most common hazardous heavy metals are: Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, and As. Remediation using conventional physical and chemical methods is uneconomical and generates waste chemicals in large quantities. This study focuses on the extraction and determination of heavy metals (Nickel, Copper and Cobalt) by chelating Schiff base ligands of the type [O,N,N,O] with these metal ions. Two Schiff base ligands [N,N’-ethylenebis(salicylimine)] (Salen) and ligand [1,3-bis(salicylideneamino)-2-propanol] (Sal-DAP) were synthesized and characterised using FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR spectrometry and GC-MS techniques. Electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions in this work was achieved via ligand-metal complexation via two approaches. The in-situ method in which the metal and ligands were added to the electrochemical cell and stirred to allow complexation to occur and monitored by square wave voltammetry. While the ex-situ approach involved modifying the electrode surface by depositing a thin film of Schiff base on the electrode surface and immersed into a heavy metal solution to allow the complexation. Three modified GCE were used viz. Salen coated GCE, reduced graphene oxide-Salen coated GCE and a nafion-Salen coated GCE. The two approaches used for the electrochemical detection were successful and effective. The ex-situ approach was selected for the modification of the electrode surface since it demonstrated a higher capacity for heavy metal ion extraction.

This diploma thesis deals withthe studyof electrochemical behaviorand detection of two structurally different neurotransmitters, dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT), in solutions commonly used for neuron cultivation, namely Neurobasal (NB), NB with phenol red and in phosphate buffer (PB) of a pH close to the physiological value. An electrode based on boron-doped diamondwas used for the study, examiningtwo types of surfaces obtained after oxidation (O-BDD) and mechanical polishing (p-BDD). The results were obtained by two voltametric techniques,namely cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry.The studyrevealedthat DA oxidationis a quasi-reversible process,whereas 5-HT oxidizes irreversibly on O-BDD and p-BDD. Nevertheless, for both neurotransmitters their anodic oxidationonboth BDD surfaces is controlledby diffusion. Due to the passivation of the electrode surface by the oxidation products, anodic reactivation(Eact = +2400 mV, t = 30 s) was first testedto regenerate the O-BDD surface during DA and 5-HT measurements. There was no continuous decrease in DA peak currents on O-BDD and the measuredsignals were characterizedby high repeatabilityin all studiedmedia (sr (Ip) 1.1% in PB of pH 7.0, 1.7% in NB of pH 7.34, 0.9% in NB with phenol red of pH 7.48). In the case of 5-HT, the anodic reactivation was...