scholarly journals All-Dielectric Metasurface for Sensing Microcystin-LR

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1363
Author(s):  
Binze Ma ◽  
Ao Ouyang ◽  
Juechen Zhong ◽  
Pavel A. Belov ◽  
Ravindra Kumar Sinha ◽  
...  

Sensing Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is an important issue for environmental monitoring, as the MC-LR is a common toxic pollutant found in freshwater bodies. The demand for sensitive detection method of MC-LR at low concentrations can be addressed by metasurface-based sensors, which are feasible and highly efficient. Here, we demonstrate an all-dielectric metasurface for sensing MC-LR. Its working principle is based on quasi-bound states in the continuum mode (QBIC), and it manifests a high-quality factor and high sensitivity. The dielectric metasurface can detect a small change in the refractive index of the surrounding environment with a quality factor of ~170 and a sensitivity of ~788 nm/RIU. MC-LR can be specifically identified in mixed water with a concentration limit of as low as 0.002 μg/L by a specific recognition technique for combined antigen and antibody. Furthermore, the demonstrated detection of MC-LR can be extended to the identification and monitoring of other analytes, such as viruses, and the designed dielectric metasurface can serve as a monitor platform with high sensitivity and high specific recognition capability.

Nanophotonics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Xiao Peng ◽  
Zhengbiao Ouyang ◽  
Suling Shen

Abstract Simultaneous realization of high quality factor (Q), sensitivity, and figure of merit (FOM) play a pivotal role in building the THz sensor. For such purpose, we propose an all-polymeric Bloch surface wave (BSW) structure that supports a bright BSW mode and a dark surface Fano state that is embedded in the continuum, both of which coupled to the same radiation channels. The existence of the sharp dip with a maximum depth of Fano line could be interpreted with the physics of Friedrich–Wintgen bound states in the continuum (FW-BICs), because of the destructive interference between bright BSW and dark surface Fano modes. A strong angular- and frequency-dependent Q was found. Related influential factors to Q value may also include an asymmetric arrangement of top and grating layers, together with the weak coupling provided by photonic crystals. One numerically optimized design shows a quality factor Q of the Fano mode as 23,670, which is almost two orders higher than that in conventional metallic-metamaterial-based designs. The optimized sensitivity can numerically reach 4.34 THz/RIU in the frequency domain, which is one order higher than that reported in all-dielectric metasurfaces. We infer the high sensitivity is related to the phase-matching condition provided by near-subwavelength gratings. The associated FOM can reach 8857/RIU. Besides, the proposed design also numerically demonstrates high sensitivity in the angular domain ∼125.5°/RIU. Considering it poses no specific requirement for materials that own high contrast of permittivity in the THz regime, large interfacing area, the mechanical and chemical robustness offered by polymers and low cost in fabrication, such all-polymeric BSW structure that supports novel Fano resonance in THz window may give access to rich applications in hazardous gas detection and label-free bio-sensing.


Nanophotonics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1081-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdoulaye Ndao ◽  
Liyi Hsu ◽  
Wei Cai ◽  
Jeongho Ha ◽  
Junhee Park ◽  
...  

AbstractOne of the key challenges in biology is to understand how individual cells process information and respond to perturbations. However, most of the existing single-cell analysis methods can only provide a glimpse of cell properties at specific time points and are unable to provide cell secretion and protein analysis at single-cell resolution. To address the limits of existing methods and to accelerate discoveries from single-cell studies, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a new sensor based on bound states in the continuum to quantify exosome secretion from a single cell. Our optical sensors demonstrate high-sensitivity refractive index detection. Because of the strong overlap between the medium supporting the mode and the analytes, such an optical cavity has a figure of merit of 677 and sensitivity of 440 nm/RIU. Such results facilitate technological progress for highly conducive optical sensors for different biomedical applications.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 813
Author(s):  
Magdalena Świądro ◽  
Paweł Stelmaszczyk ◽  
Irena Lenart ◽  
Renata Wietecha-Posłuszny

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a high-sensitivity methodology for identifying one of the most used drugs—ketamine. Ketamine is used medicinally to treat depression, alcoholism, and heroin addiction. Moreover, ketamine is the main ingredient used in so-called “date-rape” pills (DRP). This study presents a novel methodology for the simultaneous determination of ketamine based on the Dried Blood Spot (DBS) method, in combination with capillary electrophoresis coupled with a mass spectrometer (CE-TOF-MS). Then, 6-mm circles were punched out from DBS collected on Whatman DMPK-C paper and extracted using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The assay was linear in the range of 25–300 ng/mL. Values of limits of detection (LOD = 6.0 ng/mL) and quantification (LOQ = 19.8 ng/mL) were determined based on the signal to noise ratio. Intra-day precision at each determined concentration level was in the range of 6.1–11.1%, and inter-day between 7.9–13.1%. The obtained precision was under 15.0% (for medium and high concentrations) and lower than 20.0% (for low concentrations), which are in accordance with acceptance criteria. Therefore, the DBS/MAE/CE-TOF-MS method was successfully checked for analysis of ketamine in matrices other than blood, i.e., rose wine and orange juice. Moreover, it is possible to identify ketamine in the presence of flunitrazepam, which is the other most popular ingredient used in DRP. Based on this information, the selectivity of the proposed methodology for identifying ketamine in the presence of other components of rape pills was checked.


Foods ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mpho Mafata ◽  
Maria Stander ◽  
Baptiste Thomachot ◽  
Astrid Buica

Wine varietal thiols are important contributors to wine aroma. The chemical nature of thiols makes them difficult to measure due to low concentrations, high sensitivity to oxidation, and low ionization. Methods for the measurement of thiols usually consist of multiple steps of sample preparation followed by instrumental measurement. Studies have collected large datasets of thiols in white wine but not in red wine, due to the lack of availability of suitable methods. In this study, for the first time, convergence chromatography was used to measure thiols in red wine at ultratrace levels with improved sensitivity compared to previous methods. Performance parameters (selectivity, linearity, limits of detection, precision, accuracy) were tested to demonstrate the suitability of the method for the proposed application. Red wine thiols were measured in South African Pinotage, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines (n = 16 each). Cultivar differentiation using the thiol profile was demonstrated.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 102478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazmi A. Mohammed ◽  
Mahmoud M. Hamed ◽  
Ashraf A.M. Khalaf ◽  
Abdulaziz Alsayyari ◽  
S. El-Rabaie

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin A Bohula May ◽  
Marc P Bonaca ◽  
Petr Jarolim ◽  
Elliott M Antman ◽  
Eugene Braunwald ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND High-sensitivity assays for cardiac troponin enable more precise measurement of very low concentrations and improved diagnostic accuracy. However, the prognostic value of these measurements, particularly at low concentrations, is less well defined. METHODS We evaluated the prognostic performance of a new high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assay (Abbott ARCHITECT) compared with the commercial fourth generation cTnT assay in 4695 patients with non–ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) from the EARLY-ACS (Early Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibition in NSTE-ACS) and SEPIA-ACS1-TIMI 42 (Otamixaban for the Treatment of Patients with NSTE-ACS) trials. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular death or new myocardial infarction (MI) at 30 days. Baseline cardiac troponin was categorized at the 99th percentile reference limit (26 ng/L for hs-cTnI; 10 ng/L for cTnT) and at sex-specific 99th percentiles for hs-cTnI. RESULTS All patients at baseline had detectable hs-cTnI compared with 94.5% with detectable cTnT. With adjustment for all other elements of the TIMI risk score, patients with hs-cTnI ≥99th percentile had a 3.7-fold higher adjusted risk of cardiovascular death or MI at 30 days relative to patients with hs-cTnI <99th percentile (9.7% vs 3.0%; odds ratio, 3.7; 95% CI, 2.3–5.7; P < 0.001). Similarly, when stratified by categories of hs-cTnI, very low concentrations demonstrated a graded association with cardiovascular death or MI (P-trend < 0.001). Use of sex-specific cutpoints did not improve prognostic performance. Patients with negative fourth generation cTnT (<10 ng/L) but hs-cTnI ≥26 ng/L were at increased risk of cardiovascular death/MI compared to those with hs-cTnI <26 ng/L (9.2% vs 2.9%, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Application of this hs-cTnI assay identified a clinically relevant higher risk of recurrent events among patients with NSTE-ACS, even at very low troponin concentrations.


1988 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 1749-1752 ◽  
Author(s):  
T A Wilkins ◽  
G Brouwers ◽  
J C Mareschal ◽  
C L Cambiaso

Abstract We describe the first homogeneous, nonradioactive, high-sensitivity assay for human thyrotropin (TSH). The assay is based on particle immunoassay techniques, wherein 800-nm particles form the basis for the immunochemistry, delivery, and the detection technologies, respectively. Our assay also is the first to involve the use of fragmented monoclonal antibodies (to eliminate serum interferences) covalently coupled to particles without loss of their binding properties. Assays are performed in a semiautomated mode with use of a new modular system (Multipact). Equilibrium is reached in less than 2 h. Precision profile, sensitivity, and clinical studies indicate that the assay is accurate, has good precision at low concentrations, and that detection-limit characteristics compare well with those of a leading commercial high-sensitivity immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for TSH. Dilution characteristics were satisfactory down to the assay's detection limit for a range of clinical samples. Correlation studies vs a reference IRMA method yielded the regression equation, present method = 0.976 (IRMA) + 0.002 milli-int. unit/L (r = 0.98), for 223 samples with TSH concentrations in the range 0 to 30 milli-int. units/L. For 40 samples with TSH less than or equal to 1.0 milli-int. unit/L it was: present method = 0.94 (IRMA) + 0.005 milli-int. unit/L (r = 0.96).


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