Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Breast cancer is regarded as the most common cancer in South Africa and its rate of occurrence is increasing. About one in every 31 South African women are at the risk of developing breast cancer and early diagnosis and treatment guarantee 90% survival rate. Tamoxifen is the drugs of choice for the treatment of all stages of breast cancer. The drug binds with estrogen receptor (ER) to minimize the transcription of estrogen dependent genes. However, nearly 50% of ER-positive breast cancer patients either become resistant or fail to respond to tamoxifen resulting in a serious clinical challenge in breast cancer management. The Grand Health Challenges of South Africa includes the development of cost effective diagnostic systems suitable for early detection of diseases and drug resistivity for timely invention and better patient management. / 2020-08-31

A major problem in the quantitative analysis of AC voltammetric data has been the variance in results between laboratories, often resulting from a reliance on "heuristic" methods of parameter estimation that are strongly dependent on the choices of the operator. In this thesis, an automatic method for parameter estimation will be tested in the context of experiments involving electron-transfer processes in solution-phase. It will be shown that this automatic method produces parameter estimates consistent with those from other methods and the literature in the case of the ferri-/ferrocyanide couple, and is able to explain inconsistency in published values of the rate parameter for the ferrocene/ferrocenium couple. When a coupled homogeneous reaction is considered in a theoretical study, parameter recovery is achieved with a higher degree of accuracy when simulated data resulting from a high frequency AC voltammetry waveform are used. When surface-confined reactions are considered, heterogeneity in the rate constant and formal potential make parameter estimation more challenging. In the final study, a method for incorporating these "dispersion" effects into voltammetric simulations is presented, and for the first time, a quantitive theoretical study of the impact of dispersion on measured current is undertaken.

Voltammetric methods for the determination of diazepam (DZ) and nordiazepam (NDZ) were developed. Techniques differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and DC voltammetry were used for determination of DZ and NDZ at meniscus modified silver solid amalgam electrode (m-AgSAE). The effect of pHa on the intensity of signal was observed in the mixture of Britton-Robinson buffer and methanol (9:1), and in the mixture of 0.1 mol.l−1 NaOH and methanol (9:1). The stability of the signal during repeated measurements in the mixture of 0.1 mol.l−1 NaOH and methanol (9:1), and in the mixture of BR buffer and methanol (9:1) was monitored. Optimal pHa 13.2 of medium of 0.1 mol.l−1 NaOH and methanol (9:1) was used for determination of DZ with DPV and DCV techniques. Optimal pHa 10.1 of medium of BR buffer and methanol (9:1) was used for determination of NDZ with DPV and DCV techniques. Under these conditions linear dependencies calibration were measured. Concentration range of DZ was measured with DCV in range of 10x10−5 - 6x10−6 mol.l−1 and with DPV technique in range of 10x10−5 - 2x10−6 mol.l−1 . Concentration range of NDZ was measured with DCV technique in range of 10x10−5 - 4x10−6 mol.l−1 and with DPV technique in range of 10x10−5 - 2x10−6 mol.l−1 . The limit of detection for DZ was calculated 6.6x10−6 mol.l−1 with DCV and...

Filmes de óxidos de molibdênio, com ou sem a inclusão de metais, foram eletroquimicamente depositados sobre eletrodos de carbono vítreo em solução de Mo(VI) com pH ajustado em 2,5 ou 3,0. Estes filmes foram caracterizados por Soft X-ray Spectroscopy (SXS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) e Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS). A coordenação local dos sítios de Mo foram analizadas. As configurações estruturais locais do Mo foram avaliadas quando diferentes números de ciclos de potencial foram empregados na modificação dá superfície do eletrodo. Alguns metais (Pt, Pd, Rh e Cu) foram codepositados com as espécies de Mo e seu efeito nos materiais obtidos foi investigado. O grau de ocupação do orbital 4d do Mo foi examinado como um indicador da existência de interações entre o Mo e o metal codepositado. A incorporação de Pt no filme de óxidos na superfície de um eletrodo de ouro foi caracterizada por espectroscopia PIXE. O eletrodo modificado por óxidos de molibdênio foi estudado em faixas de potencial positivas frente à oxidação de nitrito (NO2-) e de óxido nítrico (NO). A relação entre a porosidade do filme e a presença de água em seus interstícios foi examinada e a capacidade de retenção de NO e NO2 foi também investigada. O eletrodo modificado foi usado como um sensor amperométrico em um sistema de injeção em fluxo (FIA) e o método foi empregado na determinação de nitrito em amostras de lingüiça. A oxidação de H2O2 foi investigada em superfície recoberta por filme de óxidos de Mo com Pt codepositada. O efeito do pH, do potencial e do tempo de pré-redução do filme de Pt e MoOx foi discutida. O comportamento eletroquímico dos filmes codepositados de Rh, Pd, Pt ou Cu e MoOx foi caracterizados comparativamente pela redução do iodato e pela oxidação do nitrito e do etanol nestes substratos. H4MogO26 foi empregado para preparar filmes contendo molibdênio e sua resposta eletroquímica foi comparada com as obtidas com o filme depositado por procedimento usual. O filme de óxidos de molibdênio foi usado com sucesso na imobilização de um complexos de Ru(III) na superfície de carbono vítreo. / Molybdenum oxide films with and without metal inclusion were electrochemically deposited on glassy carbon electrodes from Mo(VI) solutions at pH 2.5 or pH 3.0. These films were characterized by Soft X-ray Spectroscopy (SXS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS). The local coordination of Mo sites was analyzed. The Mo local structure configurations were evaluated when different number of potential cycles were employed in the modification of the electrode surface. Some metaIs (Pt, Pd, Rh and Cu) were codeposited with the Mo species and their effect on the obtained material was investigated. The occupancy leveI of the 4d orbital of Mo was examined as an indicator of interactions between Mo and codeposited metals. The incorporation of Pt in the oxide film at a gold electrode surface was characterized by PlXE spectroscopy. The electrode modified by molybdenum oxides was studied at positive potential ranges for the oxidation of nitrite (NO2-) and nitric oxide (NO). The relationship between the porosity of the film and its water content was exarnined and the entrapment of NO and NO2 was also investigated. The modified electrode was used as an amperometric sensor in a flow injection configuration and the method was employed in the deterrnination of nitrite in sausage samples. The oxidation of H2O2 was investigated at surfaces covered by the Mo filrn with codeposited Pt. The effect of pH and potential and time of pre-reduction on the response of the film with Pt was discussed. The electrochemical behaviour of codeposited films of Rh, Pd, Pt or Cu and Mo MoOx was characterized comparatively for the reduction of iodate and the oxidation of nitrite and ethanol. 4MogO26 was also employed to prepare films containing molybdenum and their electrochemical responses were compared with those obtained by using the film electrodeposited by the usual procedure. The molybdenum oxide film was successfully used for the immobilization of Ru(III) complex at glassy carbon surfaces.

Devido à alta toxicidade do mercúrio, os eletrodos contendo este metal vêm sendo substituídos por eletrodos modificados, dentre eles o filme de bismuto (f-Bi) tem demonstrado ser uma boa alternativa, pois apresentam comportamento e desempenho semelhante aos eletrodos de mercúrio, além de baixa toxicidade. A fim de se determinar os metais Cd2+ e Pb2+ em amostras de água do Rio Tietê, um eletrodo de f-Bi depositado de forma ex situ foi desenvolvido. As condições para a formação do f-Bi foram otimizadas e as melhores condições foram alcançadas utilizando uma solução de tampão acetato 0,2 mol L-1 pH 4,5 contendo 1,0x10-3 mol L-1 de Bi3+, aplicando um potencial de deposição de -0,50 V por 200 s. A determinação dos metais foi realizada através da voltametria de onda quadrada de redissolução anódica (SWASV - do inglês Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry), seus parâmetros foram otimizados e as melhores condições encontradas foram: frequência de 100 Hz; amplitude de pulso de 20 mV; step potential de 1 mV; potencial de pré-concentração de -0,925 V e tempo de pré- concentração de 450 s. Após a otimização dos parâmetros da SWASV foi construída uma curva analítica para os íons Cd2+ e Pb2+ na faixa de concentração de 5,0x10-8 a 3,0x10-6 mol L-1. As curvas analíticas apresentaram um aumento linear da corrente de pico em função da concentração dos metais com limite de detecção de 1,21 x10-7 e 1,13 x10-7 mol L-1 para o Cd e Pb, respectivamente. O método desenvolvido foi aplicado em amostras de água do rio Tietê e o f-Bi detectou Pb em concentração na ordem de 10-8 mol L-1. / Since Mercury is highly toxic, electrodes made with metal have been replaced by modified electrodes, among with bismuth film electrodes (f-Bi), and these latter ones have shown to be a good alternative, because they present both behavior and performance similar to the mercury electrodes, along with low toxicity. In order to determine Cd2+ and Pb2+ in water samples from the Tietê River, an f-Bi electrode laid up ex situ was developed. The conditions for the f-Bi formation were optimized and the best conditions were reached by using a solution of 0,2 mol L-1 acetate buffer with pH 4,5 containing 1,0 x10-3 mol L-1 of Bi3+, applying a deposition potential of -0,50 V for 200 s. Determinations of the metals was done by the square wave voltammetry anodic stripping voltammetry technique (SWASV), its parameters were optimized and the best conditions found were: 100 Hz frequency; 20 mV pulse amplitude; 1 mV step potential; -0,925 V pre-concentration potential and 450 s pre-concentration time. After the optimization of the technique an analytical curve was built with the addition of Cd2+ e Pb2+ metals in the concentration range between 5,0 x10-8 and 3,0 x10-6 mol L-1. The analytical curves showed a linear increase for the peak current in function of the concentration of the metals with detection limit of 1,21 x10-7 e 1,13 x10-7 mol L-1 for Cd and Pb, respectively. The developed method was applied in water samples from the Tietê River and the f-Bi detected Pb in a concentration of 10-8 mol L-1 order.

Devido à alta toxicidade do mercúrio, os eletrodos contendo este metal vêm sendo substituídos por eletrodos modificados, dentre eles o filme de bismuto (f-Bi) tem demonstrado ser uma boa alternativa, pois apresentam comportamento e desempenho semelhante aos eletrodos de mercúrio, além de baixa toxicidade. A fim de se determinar os metais Cd2+ e Pb2+ em amostras de água do Rio Tietê, um eletrodo de f-Bi depositado de forma ex situ foi desenvolvido. As condições para a formação do f-Bi foram otimizadas e as melhores condições foram alcançadas utilizando uma solução de tampão acetato 0,2 mol L-1 pH 4,5 contendo 1,0x10-3 mol L-1 de Bi3+, aplicando um potencial de deposição de -0,50 V por 200 s. A determinação dos metais foi realizada através da voltametria de onda quadrada de redissolução anódica (SWASV - do inglês Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry), seus parâmetros foram otimizados e as melhores condições encontradas foram: frequência de 100 Hz; amplitude de pulso de 20 mV; step potential de 1 mV; potencial de pré-concentração de -0,925 V e tempo de pré- concentração de 450 s. Após a otimização dos parâmetros da SWASV foi construída uma curva analítica para os íons Cd2+ e Pb2+ na faixa de concentração de 5,0x10-8 a 3,0x10-6 mol L-1. As curvas analíticas apresentaram um aumento linear da corrente de pico em função da concentração dos metais com limite de detecção de 1,21 x10-7 e 1,13 x10-7 mol L-1 para o Cd e Pb, respectivamente. O método desenvolvido foi aplicado em amostras de água do rio Tietê e o f-Bi detectou Pb em concentração na ordem de 10-8 mol L-1. / Since Mercury is highly toxic, electrodes made with metal have been replaced by modified electrodes, among with bismuth film electrodes (f-Bi), and these latter ones have shown to be a good alternative, because they present both behavior and performance similar to the mercury electrodes, along with low toxicity. In order to determine Cd2+ and Pb2+ in water samples from the Tietê River, an f-Bi electrode laid up ex situ was developed. The conditions for the f-Bi formation were optimized and the best conditions were reached by using a solution of 0,2 mol L-1 acetate buffer with pH 4,5 containing 1,0 x10-3 mol L-1 of Bi3+, applying a deposition potential of -0,50 V for 200 s. Determinations of the metals was done by the square wave voltammetry anodic stripping voltammetry technique (SWASV), its parameters were optimized and the best conditions found were: 100 Hz frequency; 20 mV pulse amplitude; 1 mV step potential; -0,925 V pre-concentration potential and 450 s pre-concentration time. After the optimization of the technique an analytical curve was built with the addition of Cd2+ e Pb2+ metals in the concentration range between 5,0 x10-8 and 3,0 x10-6 mol L-1. The analytical curves showed a linear increase for the peak current in function of the concentration of the metals with detection limit of 1,21 x10-7 e 1,13 x10-7 mol L-1 for Cd and Pb, respectively. The developed method was applied in water samples from the Tietê River and the f-Bi detected Pb in a concentration of 10-8 mol L-1 order.

<p>Coeliac disease (CD) is a gluten intolerance condition that results in the flattening of the villi, which line the bowel. It is the most common cause of malabsorption of food nutrients. This inability to absorb sufficient levels of nutrients causes many of the common symptoms experienced by CD patients. Some of the symptoms, which lead to an increase in mortality rate, include chronic diarrhea, fatigue, iron-deficient anemia and osteoporosis. People with CD have higher than normal levels of certain antibodies in their blood. Thus, the concentration of anti-transglutaminase antibody (anti-tTG) in human sera is an important analytical marker for the diagnosis of CD. An immunosensor is a type of biosensor that has an antigen or antibody fragment as its biological recognition component. The specificity of the molecular recognition of antigens by antibodies to form a stable complex is the basis of immunosensor technology. In this work, overoxidized polypyrrole (OvoxPpy) was electrosynthesized as a noval sensor platform on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The OvoxPpy was then doped with gold-nanoparticles (GNP) by electrodeposition using cyclic voltammetry to form GNP|OvoxPpy||GCE electrode system. Morphology and size of the GNP|OvoxPpy||GCE nanocomposite were determined using scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical immunosensor for anti-tTG antibodies was prepared by immobilizing transglutaminase antigen (tTG-antigen) onto the GNP|OvoxPpy||GCE by drop coating and allowed to incubate for 2 hrs. The electrochemical characterization of the nanocomposite platform and immunosensor were studied by voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)...</p>

<p>In this study two medicinal plant species, namely Galenia africana and Elytropapus rhinocerotis, the former belonging to the family Aizoceae and the latter belonging to the family Asteraceae, have been investigated and different compounds isolated and characterized. Both species are important plants used in traditional medicine in Africa and particularly in South Africa. Flavanoids are secondary metabolites found in plants. They have a protective function against UV radiation and have a defence against invading illnesses due to their important antioxidant activity. Much of the food we eat and some beverages we drink contain flavonoids. The aim of this study was to investigate the electrochemistry of flavanoids isolated from these species.</p>

A novel cyclopentadienylruthenium(II) thiolato Schiff base, [Ru(SC6H4NC(H)C6H4OCH2CH2SMe)(&eta / 5-C2H5]2 was synthesized and deposited as a selfassembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold electrode. Effective electronic communication between the Ru(II) centers and the gold electrode was established by electrostatically cycling the Shiff base-doped gold electrode in 0.1 M NaOH from -200 mV to +600 mV. The SAMmodified gold electrode (Au/SAM) exhibited quasi-reversible electrochemistry. The integrity of this electro-catalytic SAM, with respect to its ability to block and electro-catalyze certain Faradaic processes, was interrogated using Cyclic and Osteryoung Square Wave voltammetric experiments. The formal potential, E0', varied with pH to give a slope of about - 34 mV pH-1. The surface concentration, &Gamma / , of the ruthenium redox centers was found to be 1.591 x 10-11 mol cm-2. By electrostatically doping the Au/SAM/Horseradish peroxidase at an applied potential of +700 mV vs Ag/AgCl, a biosensor was produced for the amperometric analysis of hydrogen peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butylhydroperoxide. The electrocatalytic-type biosensors displayed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics with their limits of detection of 6.45 &mu / M, 6.92 &mu / M and 7.01 &mu / M for hydrogen peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butylhydroperoxide respectively.

<p>In this study two medicinal plant species, namely Galenia africana and Elytropapus rhinocerotis, the former belonging to the family Aizoceae and the latter belonging to the family Asteraceae, have been investigated and different compounds isolated and characterized. Both species are important plants used in traditional medicine in Africa and particularly in South Africa. Flavanoids are secondary metabolites found in plants. They have a protective function against UV radiation and have a defence against invading illnesses due to their important antioxidant activity. Much of the food we eat and some beverages we drink contain flavonoids. The aim of this study was to investigate the electrochemistry of flavanoids isolated from these species.</p>