“Turn on” Fluorescence Sensor of Glutathione Based on Inner Filter Effect of Co-Doped Carbon Dot/Gold Nanoparticle Composites

Glutathione (GSH) is a thiol that plays a significant role in nutrient metabolism, antioxidant defense and the regulation of cellular events. GSH deficiency is related to variety of diseases, so it is useful to develop novel approaches for GSH evaluation and detection. In this study we used nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dot-gold nanoparticle (NPCD–AuNP) composites to fabricate a simple and selective fluorescence sensor for GSH detection. We employed the reductant potential of the nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dots (NPCDs) themselves to form AuNPs, and subsequently NPCD–AuNP composites from Au3+. The composites were characterized by using a range of spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques, including electrophoretic light scattering and X-ray diffraction. The overlap of the fluorescence emission spectrum of NPCDs and the absorption spectrum of AuNPs resulted in an effective inner filter effect (IFE) in the composite material, leading to a quenching of the fluorescence intensity. In the presence of GSH, the fluorescence intensity of the composite was recovered, which increased proportionally to increasing the GSH concentration. In addition, our GSH sensing method showed good selectivity and sensing potential in human serum with a limit of detection of 0.1 µM and acceptable results.

Gallic Acid-Containing Gelatin-Based Nonwoven Mat with Synergistic Photodegradation and Photoindication Function for Reducing Nicotine

Cigarette smoking is a popular habit that has negative health consequences for populations. In this study, we developed a gallic acid-containing, gelatin-based nonwoven mat with photodegradation and photoindication functions. This could react with sidestream cigarette smoke and simultaneously inhibit the activity of the microbe growth in the air. The results of a fluorescence emission spectrum evidenced this photoindication function. Neither the nicotine nor gallic acid showed a redshift emission spectrum. However, the emission spectrum of the nonwoven mat exhibited the redshift and increased in intensity after absorbing the sidestream cigarette smoke. In this spectral evidence, the natural polymer played a key role in the photoindication function’s display because it could dissolve the nicotine of the sidestream cigarette smoke and cause it to react with the gelatin structure. The high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy results indicated that the gallic acid and ultraviolet (UV) light enhanced the absorption of nicotine and nicotine-like derivatives, which were dissolved by the Tween 80 of nonwoven mat. The liquid paraffin and Tween 80 could oxidize, dehydrogenate, and demethylate the nicotine that was absorbed by the gelatin nonwoven mat. In conclusion, the nonwoven mat developed in this study provided the functions to filter the nicotine of sidestream smoke and activate the photoindication property by absorbing 365-nm UV light.

Understanding of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) in Ionic Materials

Herein, an ionic material (IM) with Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) characteristics is reported for the first time. The IM is designed by pairing a Nile Blue A cation (NBA+) with an anionic near-infrared (NIR) dye, IR820−, using a facile ion exchange reaction. These two dyes absorb at different wavelength regions. In addition, NBA+ fluorescence emission spectrum overlaps with IR820− absorption spectrum, which is one requirement for the occurrence of the FRET phenomenon. Therefore, the photophysical properties of the IM were studied in detail to investigate the FRET mechanism in IM for potential dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs) application. Detailed examination of photophysical properties of parent compounds, a mixture of the parent compounds, and the IM revealed that the IM exhibits FRET characteristics, but not the mixture of two dyes. The presence of spectator counterion in the mixture hindered the FRET mechanism while in the IM, both dyes are in close proximity as an ion pair, thus exhibiting FRET. All FRET parameters such as spectral overlap integral, Förster distance, and FRET energy confirm the FRET characteristics of the IM. This article presents a simple synthesis of a compound with FRET properties which can be further used for a variety of applications.

Optimizing the Empirical Parameters of the Data-Driven Algorithm for SIF Retrieval for SIFIS Onboard TECIS-1 Satellite

Space-based solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been widely demonstrated as a great proxy for monitoring terrestrial photosynthesis and has been successfully retrieved from satellite-based hyperspectral observations using a data-driven algorithm. As a semi-empirical algorithm, the data-driven algorithm is strongly affected by the empirical parameters in the model. Here, the influence of the data-driven algorithm’s empirical parameters, including the polynomial order (np), the number of feature vectors (nSV), the fluorescence emission spectrum function, and the fitting window used in the retrieval model, were quantitatively investigated based on the simulations of the SIF Imaging Spectrometer (SIFIS) onboard the First Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Inventory Satellite (TECIS-1). The results showed that the fitting window, np, and nSV were the three main factors that influenced the accuracy of retrieval. The retrieval accuracy was relatively higher for a wider fitting window; the root mean square error (RMSE) was lower than 0.7 mW m−2 sr−1 nm−1 with fitting windows wider than 735–758 nm and 682–691 nm for the far-red band and the red band, respectively. The RMSE decreased first and then increased with increases in np range from 1 to 5 and increased in nSV range from 2 to 20. According to the specifications of SIFIS onboard TECIS-1, a fitting window of 735–758 nm, a second-order polynomial, and four feature vectors are the optimal parameters for far-red SIF retrieval, resulting in an RMSE of 0.63 mW m−2 sr−1 nm−1. As for red SIF retrieval, using second-order polynomial and seven feature vectors in the fitting window of 682–697 nm was the optimal choice and resulted in an RMSE of 0.53 mW m−2 sr−1 nm−1. The optimized parameters of the data-driven algorithm can guide the retrieval of satellite-based SIF and are valuable for generating an accurate SIF product of the TECIS-1 satellite after its launch.

Improvements to a laser-induced fluorescence instrument for measuring SO₂ – impact on accuracy and precision

This work describes key improvements made to the in situ laser-induced fluorescence instrument for measuring sulfur dioxide (SO2) that was originally described by Rollins et al. (2016). Here, we report measurements of the SO2 fluorescence emission spectrum. These measurements allow for the determination of the most appropriate bandpass filters to optimize the fluorescence signal, while reducing the instrumental background. Because many aromatic species fluoresce in the same spectral region as SO2, fluorescence spectra were also measured for naphthalene and anisole to determine if ambient SO2 measurements could be biased in the presence of such species. Improvement in the laser system resulted in better tunability, and a significant reduction in the 216.9 nm laser linewidth. This increases the online/offline signal ratio which, in turn, improves the precision and specificity of the measurement. The effects of these improvements on the instrumental sensitivity were determined by analyzing the signal and background of the instrument, using varying optical bandpass filter ranges and cell pressures and calculating the resulting limit of detection. As a result, we report an improvement to the instrumental sensitivity by as much as 50 %.

A Fluorescence Study on Surface Properties of Cationic Gemini Surfactant with Some Special Alcohols

Alcohols are very important additives and played a measure role as co-surfactants in various industrial and research applications. While, Gemini surfactants are mainly used as effective emulsifiers, antifoaming agents, bactericidal agents, coating agents and corrosion inhibitors etc. Therefore, it is important to study about the variations in alkanol concentrations which affects the aggregation number and other related parameters. Surface properties of gemini surfactant butanediyl-1,4-bis(dimethyldodecylammonium bromide) (12-4-12) has been studied by using fluorescence method. This method has been used to calculate the aggregation number (Nagg) and the other related parameters like dielectric constant (D), Stern Volmer binding constant (KSV) of mixed system. This method is also very important for the calculation of the micropolarity of the mixed system (gemini/alcohol). The micropolarity has been obtained with the help of the ratio of intensity of peaks (I1/I3) of the pyrene fluorescence emission spectrum. Cetylpridinium chloride and pyrene were used as quencher and probe, respectively. Keywords: Gemini surfactant, special alcohols, aggregation number, micropolarity

Improvements to a laser-induced fluorescence instrument for measuring SO₂: impact on accuracy and precision

This work describes improvements made to the in-situ laser induced fluorescence SO2 instrument as originally described in Rollins et al. (2016). We report measurements of the SO2 fluorescence emission spectrum. These measurements allow for the determination of the most appropriate bandpass filters to optimize the fluorescence signal while reducing the instrumental background. Because many aromatic species fluoresce in the same spectral region as SO2, fluorescence spectra were also measured for naphthalene and anisole to determine if ambient SO2 measurements may be biased in the presence of such species. In addition, the 216.9 nm laser linewidth was decreased in order to increase the online/offline signal ratio which in-turn increases the precision of the measurement. The effects of these improvements on the instrumental sensitivity were determined by analyzing the signal and background of the instrument using varying optical bandpass filter ranges and cell pressures and calculating the resulting limit of detection. As a result, we report an improvement to the instrumental sensitivity by as much as 50 %.

Synthesis of novel coumarin-based acid vapochromic fluorescence dye showing change of both color and fluorescence emission spectrum for application to sensitive, reusable, and washable textile sensors

A new coumarin-based fluorescence dye, which simultaneously changes the fluorescence behavior as well as color by exposure to an acid-gas, was synthesized by modifying the dye structure so as to produce relatively long alkyl groups. The newly synthesized halochromic fluorescence dye was applied to polyethylenic fibers, such as high molecular weight polyethylene. The acid-gas sensing was functionalized not only in the solution state but also inside a matrix. A textile sensor was subsequently fabricated in this study and showed visible changes to both color and fluorescence emission properties as well as sensitivity to changes under low concentrations of gas-phase hydrogen chloride. Further, the sensing performance was sustainable and repeatable. From the washability test, it was observed that the dye did not leach out completely.