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Exposomics applies metabolomics methods and technologies to the comprehensive analysis of all low molecular weight molecules (< 1.5 kDa) in complex biological samples to characterize the interaction between cellular metabolism and exogenous lifestyle exposures that determine health and quality of life. To fully access the diverse classes of biological molecules related to an individual’s metabolic profile, metabolomics frequently requires the use of complementary analytical platforms, and employs targeted and untargeted molecular profiling strategies to identify biomarkers that are clinically relevant to an individual’s health status. Chapter 2 describes a quinoline-based boronic acid biosensor for N-acetylneuraminic acid that undergoes a striking binding enhancement under strongly acidic conditions. For the first time, this work allows for direct analysis of acidic sugars with high selectivity when using UV absorbance or fluorescence detection based on formation of a highly stable boronate ester complex with metabolites containing an α-hydroxycarboxylate moiety. Chapter 3 describes a targeted analysis of 24 different organic contaminants using GC-MS that can serve as biomarkers of recent smoke exposure following search-and-rescue training exercises by firefighters located at three different sites across the province of Ontario. Importantly, skin and possible respiratory uptake of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, methoxyphenols, and resin acids was confirmed by peak excretion of several wood smoke biomarkers in urine within 6 h following acute exposure. Chapter 4 applied a cross-platform metabolomics strategy based on CE-MS and GC-MS in order to identify and validate dietary biomarkers in matching plasma and urine samples collected from healthy participants in the pilot Diet and Gene Interaction Study (DIGEST). For the first time, we demonstrate that a panel of metabolites can serve as reliable biomarkers following contrasting Prudent and Western diets over 2 weeks of food provisions, which correlated well with self-reported diet records. This work paves the way for the development of objective biomarkers for accurate assessment of wood smoke exposures, as well as complex dietary patterns as required for new advances in occupational health and nutritional epidemiology. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Exposomics is an emerging multidisciplinary science aimed at deciphering the complex interactions that impact human health and gene expression, such as lifestyle choices (i.e., habitual diet) and lifelong environmental exposures. There is growing interest in identifying biomarkers that can be readily measured for chronic disease prevention given an alarming global prevalence of obesity and cardiometabolic disorders, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The research in this thesis focuses on developing new analytical methods for identifying and quantifying metabolites that may allow for better assessments of human health, and has contributed to the development of novel biosensors for the targeted analysis of N-acetylneuraminic (sialic) acid and related acidic sugars, as well as high resolution methods for broad spectrum analysis of biotransformed organic contaminants from smoke exposure by GC-MS, and plasma and urinary metabolites that differentiate contrasting Prudent and Western diets and correlate well with self-reported diet records.

During recent decades metallic nanoparticles have been found very interesting due to their unique characteristics which make them suitable for different applications. In this research, for the very first time, we tried to perform selective surface photo activation chemistry on the targeted facets of nanoparticles while they are in suspension. This technique enabled us to form desired assemblies of nanoparticles. We focused on elongated shaped gold nanorod due to its unique surface plasmon resonance and probable biomedical applications. In this research we formed a dumbbell shape assembly of nanoparticles in suspension. A probable application for these assemblies can be in vivo imaging. Initially, we reproduced gold nanorods using existing techniques in prior papers and optimized them according to our research needs. A low rpm centrifugal separation technique was developed to efficiently separate synthesized gold nanorods from other shapes. Several characterization techniques were utilized to characterize nanoparticles at each step including UV-absorbance, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering. Different generations of oligomers were synthesized to be used as gold nanorods coating, and each coating was tested and characterized using appropriate techniques. Our two-step coating replacement method using one of these photocleavable oligomers enabled us to achieve, for the very first time, selective UV photo activation of gold nanorod tips. The photo activated tips were then exposed to oppositely charged gold nanospheres to form dumbbell shape assemblies of gold nanorods and nanospheres. Furthermore, dumbbell shape assembly of nanoparticles was investigated and characterized. / Master of Science

Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt die elektrochemische Synthese (elektrochemische Polymerisation und Copolymerisation) und die Charakterisierung der Redox- und sensorischen Eigenschaften neuer funktionalisierter Polymere für die Ionensensorik. Die Funktionalisierung wird sowohl in der Polymer-Hauptkette (Polysalene) als auch in der Polymer-Seitenkette (ein Thiophen-Copolymer: 3-Methylthiophen/6-Hydroxy-2-(2-(3-thienyl)-ethoxy)-acetophenon) dargestellt. Die Redox-Prozesse der funktionalisierten Polymere wurden mit spektroelektrochemischen Methoden: ESR-, UV-Vis-NIR- und FTIR-Spektroelektrochemie charakterisiert. Durch diese Methoden konnten während der elektrochemischen Oxidation von funktionalisierten leitfähigen Polymeren verschiedene Polymer- bzw. Copolymer-Ladungsträger nachgewiesen werden: Polaronen, Bipolaronen beim Thiophen-Copolymer, zwei Polaronen auf einer Polymerkette im Singulettezustand beim Poly(3-methylthiophen) und eine diamagnetische Spin-Spin-Wechselwirkung zwischen ungepaarten Elektronen der Cu(II)-Ionen und der ungepaarten Elektronen von bisphenolischen Ligand-Kationradikalen beim Poly[Cu(II)-salen]. Sensorische Eigenschaften gegenüber Ni(II)-Ionen wurden durch Potentiometrie an einem Poly[Ni(II)-salen]-Derivat getestet. Es zeigt eine gute potentiometrische Ni(II)-Ionenselektivität (der Logarithmus des potentiometrischen Selektivitätskoeffizienten liegt im Bereich von -0.5 bis -1.5) in Anwesenheit von Cd(II), Mn(II), Zn(II) und Na(I).

My diploma thesis is focused on a comparison of direct-current and high frequency (15-80 kHz) electric discharge, which generates non-thermal plasma in water solution of sodium chloride. Mainly current-voltage and Lissajous charts are discussed in the first part of this thesis. These charts describe different discharge phases: electrolysis, bubble formation, discharge breakdown and discharge regular operation in a pin-hole of a dielectric barrier. Influence of frequency, electrolyte conductivity, thickness of the diaphragm (or length of the capillary) and pin-hole diameter on discharge breakdown and bubble generation was studied, too. Measurements were realized in a polycarbonate reactor with total volume of 110 ml, which was divided by a changeable polyacetal insulating wall. This wall divided the reactor into two approximately equal spaces with one stainless steel planar electrode in each part. The Shapal-MTM ceramic discs (thickness of 0.3–1.5 mm and diameter of the central pin-hole of 0.3-0.9 mm) were mounted in the centre of the insulating wall. Initial conductivity of sodium chloride solution was chosen within the interval of 100900 S/cm. The second part of my thesis compares an influence of the direct-current (DC) and high frequency (HF) power sources on physical solution properties (conductivity, pH and temperature) and generation of hydrogen peroxide. A plasma reactor with total volume of 4 l and with mixing set up was divided into two equal spaces with one planar platinum electrode in each part. Diaphragm with thickness of 0.6 mm and pin-hole diameter of 0.6 mm was installed in the middle of the separating wall. Experiment was held at discharge operation of 45 W for 40 minutes with both power sources. Detection of hydrogen peroxide was realised by using a titanium reagent forming a yellow complex, which was analysed by absorption spectroscopy. If HF discharge power is plotted as a function of applied frequency, exponential decrease of frequency with increasing power can be observed. Higher breakdown voltage is necessary for thicker dielectric barriers, on the other hand for bigger diameter of the pin-hole lower breakdown voltage and higher power is needed in DC as well as in HF regime. Breakdown voltage is decreased by the increasing conductivity in both regimes; due to more charge carriers in the higher conductivity lower breakdown voltage is needed. However frequency in HF regime and DC discharge power increases. HF discharge power is decreased by the increasing conductivity. Solution conductivity and temperature are increased by initial conductivity value in both discharge regimes. Solution pH drops to acidic conditions when HF or DC positive regime is applied due to the generation of reactive species and electrolysis (in DC regime). However solution becomes alkaline when DC negative regime is applied. Concentration of hydrogen peroxide is produced linearly when HF or DC negative regime is applied and it depends on initial solution conductivity.

Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt die elektrochemische Synthese (elektrochemische Polymerisation und Copolymerisation) und die Charakterisierung der Redox- und sensorischen Eigenschaften neuer funktionalisierter Polymere für die Ionensensorik. Die Funktionalisierung wird sowohl in der Polymer-Hauptkette (Polysalene) als auch in der Polymer-Seitenkette (ein Thiophen-Copolymer: 3-Methylthiophen/6-Hydroxy-2-(2-(3-thienyl)-ethoxy)-acetophenon) dargestellt. Die Redox-Prozesse der funktionalisierten Polymere wurden mit spektroelektrochemischen Methoden: ESR-, UV-Vis-NIR- und FTIR-Spektroelektrochemie charakterisiert. Durch diese Methoden konnten während der elektrochemischen Oxidation von funktionalisierten leitfähigen Polymeren verschiedene Polymer- bzw. Copolymer-Ladungsträger nachgewiesen werden: Polaronen, Bipolaronen beim Thiophen-Copolymer, zwei Polaronen auf einer Polymerkette im Singulettezustand beim Poly(3-methylthiophen) und eine diamagnetische Spin-Spin-Wechselwirkung zwischen ungepaarten Elektronen der Cu(II)-Ionen und der ungepaarten Elektronen von bisphenolischen Ligand-Kationradikalen beim Poly[Cu(II)-salen]. Sensorische Eigenschaften gegenüber Ni(II)-Ionen wurden durch Potentiometrie an einem Poly[Ni(II)-salen]-Derivat getestet. Es zeigt eine gute potentiometrische Ni(II)-Ionenselektivität (der Logarithmus des potentiometrischen Selektivitätskoeffizienten liegt im Bereich von -0.5 bis -1.5) in Anwesenheit von Cd(II), Mn(II), Zn(II) und Na(I).

Organic solar cells (OSCs) based on non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years due to their rapidly increasing efficiency and enormous potential. In this work, the optical and electronic properties of systems containing the very promising non-fullerene acceptor PYT have been thoroughly studied with the use of the density functional theory (DFT) and the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). By changing the electron linker from thiophene to furan and selenophene, respectively, the PYT was divided into three variants, each of which was studied independently. In addition, these three systems were combined with the donor PBDB-T to generate two distinct interface conformations. The properties studied in this work include the optimized geometries, HOMO-LUMO levels, UV-Vis spectra, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), natural transition orbitals (NTOs), density of states (DOS), dipole moments, open-circuit voltages, exciton binding energies, and local exciton (LE) and charge transfer (CT) energies. The calculations were performed in chlorobenzene solution utilizing the polarizable continuum model (PCM). It was discovered that PBDB-T/PY-Se exhibited remarkable flatness employing the π-π stacking conformation which corresponds well with the excellent D/A compatibility observed experimentally. All interfaces displayed appropriate positioning of the HOMO-LUMO levels, with the acceptor dominating the LUMO and the donor dominating the HOMO, with HOMO-LUMO gaps ranging between 1.34 and 1.38 eV. The differences in the interchanging of the electron linker were not that significant, and neither was the change in interface conformation in terms of the HOMO-LUMO levels. This may indicate that the system can be effective even without the presence of a π-π stacking conformation. The first excited states for all interface systems were shown to be pure CT transitions, and on average, 80% of the states exhibit CT character. The remaining contributions consisted of transitions within the pure materials, with a larger contribution within the acceptor. The theoretical results of this study indicate that systems containing the novel polymer acceptor PYT and its variants PY-O and PY-Se exhibit very intriguing properties, and further development of OSCs containing these polymers might further aid in the development of high-performance OSCs. / Organiska solceller (OSC) baserade på icke-fullerenacceptorer (NFA) har väckt stor uppmärksamhet de senaste åren på grund av dess snabbt ökande effektivitet och enorma potential. I detta arbete har de optiska och elektroniska egenskaperna hos system innehållande den mycket lovande icke-fullerenacceptorn PYT studerats grundligt med användning av täthetsfunktionalteorin (DFT) och den tidsberoende täthetsfunktionalteorin (TDDFT). Genom att ändra elektronförbindelsen från tiofen till furan respektive selenofen så delades PYT upp i tre varianter som var och en studerades oberoende av varandra. Dessutom kombinerades dessa tre system med donatorn PBDB-T för att generera två distinkta gränssnittskonformationer. Egenskaperna som studeras i detta arbete inkluderar optimerade geometrier, HOMO-LUMO-nivåer, UV-vis spektra, gränsmolekylära orbitaler (FMO), naturliga övergångsorbitaler (NTO), tillståndstäthet (DOS), dipolmoment, tomgångsspänning, excitonbindningsenergi samt lokal exciton (LE) och laddningsöverförings (CT) energier. Beräkningarna utfördes i klorbensenlösning med användning av den polariserbara kontinuummodellen (PCM). I resultatet uppvisade PBDB-T/PY-Se en anmärkningsvärd planhet med användning av π-π staplingskonformationen som överensstämmer väl med den utmärkta D/A-kompatibiliteten som observerats experimentellt. Alla gränssnitt visade lämplig positionering av HOMO-LUMO-nivåerna, med acceptorn som dominerade LUMO och donatorn som dominerade HOMO, med HOMO-LUMO-gap mellan 1.34 och 1.38 eV. Skillnaderna i utbytet av elektronförbindelsen visade sig inte vara signifikanta och inte heller skillnaden i gränssnittskonformation när det gäller HOMO-LUMO-nivåerna. Detta kan indikera att systemet kan vara effektivt även utan förekomst av π-π staplingskonformation. De första exciterade tillstånden för alla gränssnittssystem visade sig vara rena CT-övergångar och i genomsnitt uppvisade 80% av tillstånden CT-karaktär. Resterande andel bestod av övergångar inom de rena materialen med en större andel inom acceptorn. De teoretiska resultaten av denna studie indikerar att system innehållande den nya polymeracceptorn PYT och dess varianter PY-O och PY-Se uppvisar mycket spännande egenskaper samt att vidareutveckling av OSC:er som innehåller dessa polymerer ytterligare kan hjälpa till i utvecklingen av högpresterande OSC:er.

<p>In this thesis some multivariate spectroscopic methods for the analysis of solutions are proposed. Spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis form a powerful combination for obtaining both quantitative and qualitative information and it is shown how spectroscopic techniques in combination with chemometric data evaluation can be used to obtain rapid, simple and efficient analytical methods. These spectroscopic methods consisting of spectroscopic analysis, a high level of automation and chemometric data evaluation can lead to analytical methods with a high analytical capacity, and for these methods, the term high-capacity analysis (HCA) is suggested. It is further shown how chemometric evaluation of the multivariate data in chromatographic analyses decreases the need for baseline separation. </p><p>The thesis is based on six papers and the chemometric tools used are experimental design, principal component analysis (PCA), soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), partial least squares regression (PLS) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). The analytical techniques utilised are scanning ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, diode array detection (DAD) used in non-column chromatographic diode array UV spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and fluorescence spectroscopy. The methods proposed are exemplified in the analysis of pharmaceutical solutions and serum proteins.</p><p>In Paper I a method is proposed for the determination of the content and identity of the active compound in pharmaceutical solutions by means of UV-Vis spectroscopy, orthogonal signal correction and multivariate calibration with PLS and SIMCA classification. Paper II proposes a new method for the rapid determination of pharmaceutical solutions by the use of non-column chromatographic diode array UV spectroscopy, i.e. a conventional HPLC-DAD system without any chromatographic column connected. In Paper III an investigation is made of the ability of a control sample, of known content and identity to diagnose and correct errors in multivariate predictions something that together with use of multivariate residuals can make it possible to use the same calibration model over time. In Paper IV a method is proposed for simultaneous determination of serum proteins with fluorescence spectroscopy and multivariate calibration. Paper V proposes a method for the determination of chromatographic peak purity by means of PCA of HPLC-DAD data. In Paper VI PARAFAC is applied for the decomposition of DAD data of some partially separated peaks into the pure chromatographic, spectral and concentration profiles. </p>

La cellulose et ses dérivés sont utilisés dans un vaste nombre d’applications incluant le domaine pharmaceutique pour la fabrication de médicaments en tant qu’excipient. Différents dérivés cellulosiques tels que le carboxyméthylcellulose (CMC) et l’hydroxyéthylcellulose (HEC) sont disponibles sur le commerce. Le degré de polymérisation et de modification diffèrent énormément d’un fournisseur à l’autre tout dépendamment de l’origine de la cellulose et de leur procédé de dérivation, leur conférant ainsi différentes propriétés physico-chimiques qui leurs sont propres, telles que la viscosité et la solubilité. Notre intérêt est de développer une méthode analytique permettant de distinguer la différence entre deux sources d’un produit CMC ou HEC. L’objectif spécifique de cette étude de maitrise était l’obtention d’un profil cartographique de ces biopolymères complexes et ce, par le développement d’une méthode de digestion enzymatique donnant les oligosaccharides de plus petites tailles et par la séparation de ces oligosaccharides par les méthodes chromatographiques simples. La digestion fut étudiée avec différents paramètres, tel que le milieu de l’hydrolyse, le pH, la température, le temps de digestion et le ratio substrat/enzyme. Une cellulase de Trichoderma reesei ATCC 26921 fut utilisée pour la digestion partielle de nos échantillons de cellulose. Les oligosaccharides ne possédant pas de groupements chromophores ou fluorophores, ils ne peuvent donc être détectés ni par absorbance UV-Vis, ni par fluorescence. Il a donc été question d’élaborer une méthode de marquage des oligosaccharides avec différents agents, tels que l’acide 8-aminopyrène-1,3,6-trisulfonique (APTS), le 3-acétylamino-6-aminoacridine (AA-Ac) et la phénylhydrazine (PHN). Enfin, l’utilisation de l’électrophorèse capillaire et la chromatographie liquide à haute performance a permis la séparation des produits de digestion enzymatique des dérivés de cellulose. Pour chacune de ces méthodes analytiques, plusieurs paramètres de séparation ont été étudiés. / Cellulose and its derivatives are used in a wide range of applications, including the pharmaceutical industry for the manufacturing of medicines as inactive additives. Various cellulosic derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) are readily available for such use. The degree of polymerization and modification differs from one supplier to the other, according to the origin of the cellulose and its process of chemical modification, conferring on them different physico-chemical properties, such as viscosity and solubility. Our interest is to develop an analytical method that can distinguish between different sources of a given CMC or HEC product. The specific objective of this master’s study was to obtain a fingerprint of these complex biopolymers by developing an enzymatic digestion method to produce smaller oligosaccharides that could be separated by simple chromatographic methods. The digestion was studied as a function of various parameters, such as the composition of the hydrolysis solution, the pH, the temperature, the duration of digestion and the substrate/enzyme ratio. A cellulase enzyme from Trichoderma reesei ATCC 26921 was used for the partial digestion of our samples of cellulose. Since these oligosaccharides do not possess a chromophore or fluorophore, they can’t be detected either by absorbance or fluorescence. It was thus necessary to work out the labeling method for oligosaccharides using various agents, such as 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (APTS), 3-acetylamino-6-aminoacridine (AA-Ac) and phenylhydrazine (PHN). Finally, the use of capillary electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography allowed the separation of the enzymatic digestion products of the cellulose derivatives (CMC and HEC). For each of these analytical separation techniques, several parameters of the separation were studied.

In this work, an electrochemical method based on a cyt c biosensor has been developed, for the detection of selected arsenic and cyanide compounds. Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) electrode was used as a transducer, onto which cyt c was immobilised and used for direct determination of Prussian blue, potassium cyanide and arsenic trioxide by inhibition mechanism. The sensitivity as calculated from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV), for each analyte in phosphate buffer (pH= 7) was found to be (1.087- 4.488 ×10-9 M) and the detection limits ranging from 0.0043- 9.1 μM. These values represent a big improvement over the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.