scholarly journals Transmitted light pH optode for small sample volumes

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Rogge ◽  
Steffen Zinn ◽  
Paolo Prosposito ◽  
Roberto Francini ◽  
Andreas H. Foitzik

Abstract. An innovative concept of a low-cost pH optode with working volumes of less than 150 µL is presented. The pH monitoring is based on the color changing effect of pH indicators. The optode includes an RGB color sensor patch TCS34725 from Adafruit, a controllable LED and reactor slides and is addressed by a self-written LabVIEW© software. Utilizing the hue value of the HSV color model, it is possible to analyze the color change of the indicator and estimate the pH value of the analyzed samples by exploiting sigmoidal fit models. Measurements carried out with phenol red and DMEM (Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium) reported a standard error of calibration in the physiologic pH range (6.5–7.5) of ±0.04 pH units.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Zajíc ◽  
Lenka Traplová ◽  
Vlastimil Matějec ◽  
Marie Pospíšilová ◽  
Ivo Bartoň

In medicine knowledge of pH values can provide us with information not only about the patients’ status but also about physiological processes in the patient’s body. Measurements of pH in small-sample volumes and online pH monitoring in vivo can be employed to obtain such information. For such measurements we have developed and investigated U-shaped fiber-optic probes with immobilized pH indicators in this paper. U-shaped probes with a diameter of about 2 mm were prepared. Three different pH indicators, methyl red, methyl orange, and bromothymol blue, were immobilized in two types of matrices, namely, porous silica (PS) and ethylcellulose (EC), and applied on the U-shaped probes. Changes in spectra of transmitted power were measured and calibration curves were determined from these spectra. It has been found that a working pH range of prepared probes was from 3.1 to 7.6. The maximum sensitivity was about 0.1 1/pH unit. Effects of structural relaxations of detection layers and indicator leaching observed in experiments are discussed.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252961
Author(s):  
Taylor Mae Oeschger ◽  
David Carl Erickson

N. gonorrhoeae is one of the most pressing antibiotic resistant threats of our time and low-cost diagnostics that can easily identify antibiotic resistance are desperately needed. However, N. gonorrhoeae responds so uniquely to growth conditions that it cannot be assumed gonorrhea will respond to common microbiological methods used for other pathogenic organisms. In this paper, we explore visual colorimetric indicators of N. gonorrhoeae growth that can be seen without a microscope or spectrophotometer. We evaluate growth media, pH indicators, resazurin-based dyes, and tetrazolium-based dyes for their use in simple colorimetric system. Overall, we identified Graver Wade media as the best at supporting robust gonococcal growth while also providing the least background when analyzing results of colorimetric tests. XTT, a tetrazolium-based dye, proved to show to brightest color change over time and not negatively impact the natural growth of N. gonorrhoeae. However, other dyes including PrestoBlue, MTT, and NBT are less expensive than XTT and work well when added after bacterial growth has already occurred. By identifying the specific use cases of these dyes, this research lays the groundwork for future development of a color-based antibiotic susceptibility low-cost test for N. gonorrhoeae.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 2392-2401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Alzeyadi ◽  
Nadhir Al-Ansari ◽  
Jan Laue ◽  
Ali Alattabi

Excessive richness of nutrients in water bodies such as rivers, lakes and ponds lead into deterioration of aquatic life as a results of dense growth of algae. Phosphate is one of the main nutrients that should be controlled to prevent this serious issue. Utilizing low cost material as a phosphate sorbent is offering a treatment method characterized as a sustainable solution. In this study the efficiency of biomass bottom ash BBA as phosphate sorbent material from aqueous solution is investigated. Batch experiments were undertaken, in which a particular mass of BBA was brought into contact with the phosphate solution. The experiments studied the influence of pH (different phosphate solutions were prepared with pH range 4 to 8), temperature (adsorption capacity measured at the temperature range of 10 to 30 °C), and contact time. In addition, the adsorption isotherm models were also applied to better understand the mechanism of phosphate sorption by BBA. The results revealed that the bonding between the cations (BBA surface) and anions (phosphate solution) is significantly affected by the pH of the solution. BBA presents an excellent phosphate sorption, especially, at low pH value and temperature around 20 oC. The method of this research can be adopted as a followed strategy for examination the capability of selected material for phosphorus removal from wastewater.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Pinto ◽  
Guilherme Soares ◽  
André Próspero ◽  
Erick Stoppa ◽  
Gabriel Biasotti ◽  
...  

Abstract The identification of gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders requires the evaluation of regional GI transit, and the development of alternative methodologies in animals has a significant impact on translational approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to validate an easy and low-cost methodology (alternate current biosusceptometry – ACB) for the assessment of regional GI transit in rats through images. Rats were fed a test meal containing magnetic tracer and phenol red, and GI segments (stomach, proximal, medial and distal small intestine, and cecum) were collected to assess tracer’s retention at distinct times after ingestion (0, 60, 120, 240, and 360 min). Images were obtained by scanning the segments, and phenol red concentration was determined by the sample’s absorbance. The temporal retention profile, geometric center, gastric emptying, and cecum arrival were evaluated. The correlation coefficient between methods was 0.802, and the temporal retention of each segment was successfully assessed. GI parameters yielded comparable results between methods, and ACB images presented advantages as the possibility to visualize intrasegmental tracer distribution and the automated scan of the segments. The imaging approach provided a reliable assessment of several parameters simultaneously and may serve as an accurate and sensitive approach for regional GI research in rats.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205951312098853
Author(s):  
Dana M Hutchison ◽  
Amir A Hakimi ◽  
Avin Wijayaweera ◽  
Soohong Seo ◽  
Ellen M Hong ◽  
...  

Introduction: Scar treatments aim to address pathologic collagen deposition; however, they can be expensive or difficult to control. Electrochemical therapy (ECT) offers a simple alternative treatment. The purpose of this study is to examine the acid-base and histological changes in ex vivo human abdominal skin following ECT. Methods: Forty-two ex vivo human panniculus tissue sections collected from six individuals were tumesced with normal saline. ECT was performed by inserting two platinum needle electrodes connected to a DC power supply into each specimen. Voltage was varied (3–6 V) and applied for 5 minutes. Each specimen was sectioned across both electrode insertion sites and immediately stained with pH sensitive dye. The width of dye color change for each dosimetry pair was calculated. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate samples. Results and Discussion: ECT caused a spatially localised and dose-dependent increased area of acidic and basic pH around the anode and cathode, respectively. A significantly greater mean width of pH change was generated at the cathode compared to the anode in all treatment groups. Histological evaluation displayed broad condensation and hyalinisation of dermal collagen. Conclusion: ECT triggered dermal pH alterations and changed the underlying structural framework of the specimen. This technology may serve as a low-cost, minimally invasive local soft-tissue remodeling technique with potential application in scar management. Level of Evidence: 5 Lay Summary Electrochemical therapy is a novel treatment that causes spatially selective dermal injury in areas of interest. This study measures the effects of electrochemical therapy when applied to abdominal skin. Electrochemical therapy appears to have beneficial effects by causing a highly localised reduction in collagen content or local softening of tissue, which is consistent with other studies on scar therapies, including chemexfoliation, radiofrequency technologies, and lasers. However, electrochemical therapy can be performed at a fraction of the costs of these aforementioned modalities.


Biosensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Donggee Rho ◽  
Seunghyun Kim

An optical cavity-based biosensor (OCB) has been developed for point-of-care (POC) applications. This label-free biosensor employs low-cost components and simple fabrication processes to lower the overall cost while achieving high sensitivity using a differential detection method. To experimentally demonstrate its limit of detection (LOD), we conducted biosensing experiments with streptavidin and C-reactive protein (CRP). The optical cavity structure was optimized further for better sensitivity and easier fluid control. We utilized the polymer swelling property to fine-tune the optical cavity width, which significantly improved the success rate to produce measurable samples. Four different concentrations of streptavidin were tested in triplicate, and the LOD of the OCB was determined to be 1.35 nM. The OCB also successfully detected three different concentrations of human CRP using biotinylated CRP antibody. The LOD for CRP detection was 377 pM. All measurements were done using a small sample volume of 15 µL within 30 min. By reducing the sensing area, improving the functionalization and passivation processes, and increasing the sample volume, the LOD of the OCB are estimated to be reduced further to the femto-molar range. Overall, the demonstrated capability of the OCB in the present work shows great potential to be used as a promising POC biosensor.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Li Ma ◽  
Guang Tao Fei ◽  
Shao Hui Xu

Abstract In this study, polyaniline (PANI) is prepared by means of chemical oxidization polymerization and directly loaded on the modified fiber ball (m-FB) to obtain macroscale polyaniline/modified fiber ball (PANI/m-FB) composite, and then its removal ability of Cr(VI) is investigated. The effects of different parameters such as contact time, pH value and initial concentration on Cr(VI) removal efficiency are discussed. The experimental results illustrate that the favorable pH value is 5.0 and the maximum removal capacity is measured to be 293.13 mg g−1. Besides, PANI/m-FB composites can be regenerated and reused after being treated with strong acid. The kinetic study indicates that the adsorption procedure is mainly controlled by chemical adsorption. More importantly, the macroscale of composites can avoid secondary pollution efficiently. Benefiting from the low cost, easy preparation in large scale, environmentally friendly, excellent recycling performance as well as high removal ability, PANI/m-FB composites exhibit a potential possibility to remove Cr(VI) from industrial waste water. Graphic Abstract The polyaniline (PANI) was coated on modified fiber ball (m-FB) to remove Cr(VI) in waste water, and this kind of PANI/m-FB composites can avoid secondary pollution efficiently due to its macrostructure. Furthermore, the removal capacity can reach to 291.13 mg/g and can be multiple reused.


RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (21) ◽  
pp. 12470-12475
Author(s):  
Xinmei Liu ◽  
Chen Liang ◽  
Wenlong Yang ◽  
Chunyang Yang ◽  
Jiaqi Lin ◽  
...  

An effective approach to achieve the low cost and high stability of electro-catalysts for HER.


2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 1435-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiago L. Marques ◽  
Vanessa N. Alves ◽  
Luciana M. Coelho ◽  
Nívia M. M. Coelho

Metal contaminants are generally removed from effluents by chemical and physical processes which are often associated with disadvantages such as the use of toxic reagents, generation of toxic waste and high costs. Hence, new techniques have been developed, among them the study of natural adsorbents, for instance, the use of Moringa oleifera seeds. The potential of M. oleifera seeds for nickel removal in aqueous systems was investigated. The seeds utilized were obtained from plants grown in Uberlândia/Brazil. After being dried and pulverized, the seeds were treated with 0.1 mol/L NaOH. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analyses were used for the characterization of the material. Using the optimized methodology (50 mL of 4.0 mg/L Ni(II), pH range of 4.0–6.0, agitation time of 5 min and adsorption mass of 2.0 g) more than 90% of Ni(II) could be removed from water samples. The sorption data were fitted satisfactorily by the Langmuir adsorption model. Evaluation applying the Langmuir equation gave the monolayer sorption capacity as 29.6 mg/g. The results indicate that this material could be employed in the extraction of nickel, considering its ease of use, low cost and environmental viability, which make it highly attractive for application in developing countries.


Author(s):  
Mevi Irianti Tonapa ◽  
Rani Dewi Pratiwi ◽  
Elsye Gunawan

Kenop Flower (Gomphrena globosa L.) is used in the manufacture of lip cream because contains betacyanin pigments that function as color pigments. This study aims to determine the physical quality and stability of the lip cream preparation of the ethanol extract of kenop flower (Gomphrena globosa L.). This research was conducted experimentally, including the manufacture of lip cream formulations with ethanol extract of kenop flower (Gomphrena globosa L.) with a concentration of 10%. The results of the physical examination test for lip cream preparations for all preparations have a distinctive vanilla aroma with a semi-solid texture, F0 has ivory white color and F1-F3 has a brown color. The preparations had a homogeneous composition, average pH 6-7, had good greasing power, 5.0-5.8 average dispersion and 60.33-66.67 seconds average adhesion. The stability test carried out on day 28 found that all preparations were stable, had a distinctive vanilla aroma with a semi-solid texture, F0 had ivory white color and F1-F3 had a brown color. The preparation has a homogeneous composition; the average pH is 6-7. Where the lip cream formulas F1 and F3 decreased the pH value on the 28th day from 7 to 6 but tended to be stable and in the pH range that matched the lip pH. And there is no phase separation in all formulas.


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