2023

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16 pages, 1914 KiB

Open AccessReview

Overview of Various Components of Lateral-Flow Immunochromatography Assay for the Monitoring of Aflatoxin and Limit of Detection in Food Products: A Systematic Review

by Thasmin Shahjahan, Bilal Javed, Vinayak Sharma and Furong Tian

Chemosensors 2023, 11(10), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11100520 - 03 Oct 2023

Viewed by 2019

Abstract

The detection of aflatoxins is essential for the food industry to ensure the safety and quality of food products before their release to the market. The lateral-flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) is a simple technique that allows the rapid on-site detection of aflatoxins. The [...] Read more.

The detection of aflatoxins is essential for the food industry to ensure the safety and quality of food products before their release to the market. The lateral-flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) is a simple technique that allows the rapid on-site detection of aflatoxins. The purpose of this review is to evaluate and compare the limits of detection reported in the most recent research articles, published between the years of 2015 and 2023. The limits of detection (LODs) were compared against the particle type and particle size, as well as other variables, to identify trends and correlations among the parameters. A growing interest in the use of different metal and non-metal nanoparticles was observed over the years of 2015–2023. The diameters of the nanoparticles used were reportedly between 1 nm and 100 nm. Most of these particles displayed lower LODs in the range of 0.01 to 1.0 ng/mL. Furthermore, there was a significant level of interest in detecting aflatoxin B1, perhaps due to its high level of toxicity and common appearance in food products. This study also compares the use of metallic and non-metallic nanoparticles in detecting aflatoxins and the dependence of nanoparticles’ sizes on the detection range. Overall, the type of particle and particle size used in the development of LFIA strips can affect the sensitivity and LOD; hence, the optimization of these parameters and their modulation with respect to certain requirements can enhance the overall assay performance in terms of the reproducibility of results and commercialization. Full article

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23 pages, 4536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multitask Deep Learning-Based Pipeline for Gas Leakage Detection via E-Nose and Thermal Imaging Multimodal Fusion

by Omneya Attallah

Chemosensors 2023, 11(7), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11070364 - 28 Jun 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2068

Abstract

Innovative engineering solutions that are efficient, quick, and simple to use are crucial given the rapid industrialization and technology breakthroughs in Industry 5.0. One of the areas receiving attention is the rise in gas leakage accidents at coal mines, chemical companies, and home [...] Read more.

Innovative engineering solutions that are efficient, quick, and simple to use are crucial given the rapid industrialization and technology breakthroughs in Industry 5.0. One of the areas receiving attention is the rise in gas leakage accidents at coal mines, chemical companies, and home appliances. To prevent harm to both the environment and human lives, rapid and automated detection and identification of the gas type is necessary. Most of the previous studies used a single mode of data to perform the detection process. However, instead of using a single source/mode, multimodal sensor fusion offers more accurate results. Furthermore, the majority used individual feature extraction approaches that extract either spatial or temporal information. This paper proposes a deep learning-based (DL) pipeline to combine multimodal data acquired via infrared (IR) thermal imaging and an array of seven metal oxide semiconductor (MOX) sensors forming an electronic nose (E-nose). The proposed pipeline is based on three convolutional neural networks (CNNs) models for feature extraction and bidirectional long-short memory (Bi-LSTM) for gas detection. Two multimodal data fusion approaches are used, including intermediate and multitask fusion. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is utilized in the intermediate fusion to combine the spatial features extracted from each CNN, providing spectral–temporal representation. In contrast, in multitask fusion, the discrete cosine transform (DCT) is used to merge all of the features obtained from the three CNNs trained with the multimodal data. The results show that the proposed fusion approach has boosted the gas detection performance reaching an accuracy of 98.47% and 99.25% for intermediate and multitask fusion, respectively. These results indicate that multitask fusion is superior to intermediate fusion. Therefore, the proposed system is capable of detecting gas leakage accurately and could be used in industrial applications. Full article

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17 pages, 35133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Room Temperature UV-Activated NO₂ and NO Detection by ZnO/rGO Composites

by Vadim Platonov, Nikolai Malinin, Roman Vasiliev and Marina Rumyantseva

Chemosensors 2023, 11(4), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11040227 - 06 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1683

Abstract

Nanocomposites, including nanoparticles of semiconductor metal oxide (MO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), are of exceptional interest for light-activated gas sensors functioning without thermal heating. In this paper, we discuss the sensor properties of electrospun ZnO nanofibers and ZnO/rGO composites. The materials were [...] Read more.

Nanocomposites, including nanoparticles of semiconductor metal oxide (MO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), are of exceptional interest for light-activated gas sensors functioning without thermal heating. In this paper, we discuss the sensor properties of electrospun ZnO nanofibers and ZnO/rGO composites. The materials were characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and IR spectroscopy (FTIR). The sensor characteristics were studied when detecting reducing gases CO, H₂, and NH₃ and oxidizing gases NO and NO₂ at 25–150 °C in dark conditions and under UV illumination. ZnO nanofibers and ZnO/rGO composites have no sensitivity when detecting CO, NH₃, and H₂ either in dark conditions or under UV illumination. At T = 25 °C, UV illumination is a necessary condition for the appearance of a sensor response when detecting both NO and NO₂. The increased sensitivity of ZnO/rGO composites when detecting nitrogen oxides at T = 25 °C is discussed in terms of the heterojunction formation. Observed at T = 150 °C, opposite trends in the UV illumination influence on the sensor response toward NO and NO₂ are due to the participation of chemisorbed oxygen in the processes responsible for the sensor response formation when detecting NO. Full article

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23 pages, 3466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Low-Cost Virtual Sensor for Underwater pH Monitoring in Coastal Waters

by Sandra Viciano-Tudela, Lorena Parra, Sandra Sendra and Jaime Lloret

Chemosensors 2023, 11(4), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11040215 - 30 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2014

Abstract

In coastal water monitoring, abrupt pH changes might indicate different pollution sources. Existing sensors for pH monitoring in coastal waters at low cost are mainly based on a glass membrane and a reference electrode. Virtual sensors are elements capable of measuring certain parameters [...] Read more.

In coastal water monitoring, abrupt pH changes might indicate different pollution sources. Existing sensors for pH monitoring in coastal waters at low cost are mainly based on a glass membrane and a reference electrode. Virtual sensors are elements capable of measuring certain parameters based on data from other parameters or variables. The aim of this paper is to propose the use of a virtual pH sensor based on measuring different physical effects of H+ on the electromagnetic field generated by an inductor. Double inductors based on two solenoids of 40 and 80 spires are used as sensing elements. Samples with pH from 4 to 11 are used, and the effect of temperature is evaluated using samples from 10 to 40 °C. The induced voltage and the delay of the signal are measured for powering frequencies from 100 to 500 kHz. These data of delay, induced voltage, frequency, and temperature are included in a probabilistic neural network to classify these data according to the pH. The results indicate low accuracy for samples with a pH of 11. A second analysis, excluding these data, offered correctly classified cases of 88.9%. The system can achieve considerable high accuracy (87.5%) using data gathered at a single frequency, from 246 to 248 kHz. The predicted versus observed data is correlated with a linear model characterized by an R2 of 0.69, which is similar to the ones observed in other virtual sensors. Full article

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15 pages, 3085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioinspired Materials for Sensor and Clinical Applications: Two Case Studies

by Eleonora Alfinito, Mariangela Ciccarese, Giuseppe Maruccio, Anna Grazia Monteduro and Silvia Rizzato

Chemosensors 2023, 11(3), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors11030195 - 16 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1064

Abstract

The growing interest in bio-inspired materials is driven by the need for increasingly targeted and efficient devices that also have a low ecological impact. These devices often use specially developed materials (e.g., polymers, aptamers, monoclonal antibodies) capable of carrying out the process of [...] Read more.

The growing interest in bio-inspired materials is driven by the need for increasingly targeted and efficient devices that also have a low ecological impact. These devices often use specially developed materials (e.g., polymers, aptamers, monoclonal antibodies) capable of carrying out the process of recognizing and capturing a specific target in a similar way to biomaterials of natural origin. In this article, we present two case studies, in which the target is a biomolecule of medical interest, in particular, α-thrombin and cytokine IL-6. In these examples, different biomaterials are compared to establish, with a theoretical-computational procedure known as proteotronics, which of them has the greatest potential for use in a biodevice. Full article

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2022

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18 pages, 3381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reversible Colorimetric and Fluorescence Solid Sensors Based on Aryl Hydrazone Derivatives of 1,8-Naphthalimides for Caustic Media and Biogenic Amine Vapors

by Jesús L. Pablos, Sabela Fernández-Alonso, Fernando Catalina and Teresa Corrales

Chemosensors 2022, 10(10), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10100417 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1523

Abstract

Fluorescence and colorimetric solid sensors for caustic media and biogenic amine vapors have been prepared. For this purpose, several hydrazone derivatives of naphthalimides were synthesized and anchored to a photo-crosslinked membrane functionalized with acid chloride groups. The membranes were characterized using different techniques, [...] Read more.

Fluorescence and colorimetric solid sensors for caustic media and biogenic amine vapors have been prepared. For this purpose, several hydrazone derivatives of naphthalimides were synthesized and anchored to a photo-crosslinked membrane functionalized with acid chloride groups. The membranes were characterized using different techniques, and their thermal properties and swelling degree were determined. The new naphthalimides and the membranes were evaluated as sensors by determining the change in their spectroscopic properties of absorption and fluorescence with pH. The polymeric sensors exhibit improved stability and can be reused, as a consequence of their solid character and the reversibility of the process. Furthermore, membranes were evaluated as a sensor of trimethylamine vapors through their absorption and fluorescence bands, and the color change in the membrane showed that it could be used to detect basic media with the naked eye. Finally, membranes were packaged in Petri dishes at a controlled temperature with fresh fish bought in the local market. Then, the real chance of using the sensory materials was determined by analyzing the color change in samples. Full article

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20 pages, 1702 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Stacked Regression for the Simultaneous Determination of Fresh Cattle and Poultry Manure Chemical Properties

by Elizabeth Cobbinah, Oliver Generalao, Sathish Kumar Lageshetty, Indra Adrianto, Seema Singh and Gerard G. Dumancas

Chemosensors 2022, 10(10), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10100410 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2412

Abstract

Excessive use of animal manure as fertilizers can lead to pollution through the introduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other mineral compounds to the environment. Wet chemical analytical methods are traditionally used to determine the precise chemical composition of manure to manage the application [...] Read more.

Excessive use of animal manure as fertilizers can lead to pollution through the introduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other mineral compounds to the environment. Wet chemical analytical methods are traditionally used to determine the precise chemical composition of manure to manage the application of animal waste to the soil. However, such methods require significant resources to carry out the processes. Affordable, rapid, and accurate methods of analyses of various chemical components present in animal manure, therefore, are valuable in managing soil and mitigating water pollution. In this study, a stacked regression ensemble approach using near-infrared spectroscopy was developed to simultaneously determine the amount of dry matter, total ammonium nitrogen, total nitrogen, phosphorus pentoxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, and potassium oxide contents in both cattle and poultry manure collected from livestock production areas in France and Reunion Island. The performance of the stacked regression, an ensemble learning algorithm that is formed by collating the well-performing models for prediction was then compared with that of various other machine learning techniques, including support vector regression (linear, polynomial, and radial), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, ridge regression, elastic net, partial least squares, random forests, recursive partitioning and regression trees, and boosted trees. Results show that stack regression performed optimally well in predicting the seven abovementioned chemical constituents in the testing set and may provide an alternative to the traditional partial least squares method for a more accurate and simultaneous method in determining the chemical properties of animal manure. Full article

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14 pages, 4818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simultaneous Analysis of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and KRAS in Patients with Gastric and Colon Cancer Using Stochastic Sensors

by Damaris-Cristina Gheorghe, Raluca-Ioana Stefan-van Staden, Florina Pogacean and Stela Pruneanu

Chemosensors 2022, 10(10), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10100380 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1555

Abstract

Two stochastic sensors were characterized and validated for the molecular identification and quantification of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and KRAS in biological samples using two types of doped-graphene modified with maltodextrin. When a potential of 125 mV vs. Ag/AgCl was applied, the two [...] Read more.

Two stochastic sensors were characterized and validated for the molecular identification and quantification of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and KRAS in biological samples using two types of doped-graphene modified with maltodextrin. When a potential of 125 mV vs. Ag/AgCl was applied, the two stochastic sensors recorded extremely low limits of determination (fg mL⁻¹ magnitude order) and wide linear concentration ranges, which enabled the molecular identification and quantification of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and KRAS in healthy individuals and patients with gastric or colon cancer. The recoveries of MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 and KRAS in whole blood, saliva, urine and tumoral tissue samples exceeded 98.00% with a relative standard deviation of less than 1.00%. Full article

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41 pages, 2036 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Liquid Chromatography on the Different Methods for the Determination of Lipophilicity: An Essential Analytical Tool in Medicinal Chemistry

by José X. Soares, Álvaro Santos, Carla Fernandes and Madalena M. M. Pinto

Chemosensors 2022, 10(8), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10080340 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5772

Abstract

Lipophilicity is one of many parameters involved in the biological activity of drugs, as it affects their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior. Generally, lipophilicity is assessed by the partition coefficient of a compound between a nonpolar phase (n-octanol) and an aqueous phase [...] Read more.

Lipophilicity is one of many parameters involved in the biological activity of drugs, as it affects their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior. Generally, lipophilicity is assessed by the partition coefficient of a compound between a nonpolar phase (n-octanol) and an aqueous phase (water), expressed as P (partition coefficient) or as its decimal logarithm (Log P). The gold standard method for the experimental determination of Log P is the shake-flask method. In this context, chromatographic methods enable the direct and simple quantification of the partitioned compound between the two phases. This review discusses the use of liquid chromatography (LC) for direct and indirect determination of lipophilicity. Beyond the classical isotropic log P determination, methods for assessing anisotropic lipophilicity are also reviewed. Several examples are discussed that highlight the versatility of LC technique and current trends. The last section of this review focuses on a case study describing an experience of our group and emphasizing the dual role of LC in determining Log P. Full article

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21 pages, 4014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Meaningful Are Minor Details in the Generation of Nanomodified Electrochemical Enzyme Biosensors? Exploring the Scenario with Sinusoidal Approaches

by Md. Towhidur Rahman, David López-Iglesias, Alfonso Sierra-Padilla, Juan José García-Guzmán, Laura M. Cubillana-Aguilera, Dolores Bellido-Milla and José María Palacios-Santander

Chemosensors 2022, 10(8), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10080316 - 07 Aug 2022

Viewed by 1764

Abstract

In this work, a screening of Sonogel-Carbon (SNGC) electrodes modified with nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles) and the study of their effect on the electrochemical performance of sinusoidal voltage (SV) and current (SC)-based biosensors are reported. Surface modification was achieved by drop-casting [...] Read more.

In this work, a screening of Sonogel-Carbon (SNGC) electrodes modified with nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles) and the study of their effect on the electrochemical performance of sinusoidal voltage (SV) and current (SC)-based biosensors are reported. Surface modification was achieved by drop-casting and electrodeposition methodologies. Within the strategies used, SV and SC, recently exploited procedures, were used to electrodeposit simultaneously a poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT)-tyrosinase layer and the corresponding nanostructured material. Dopamine was selected as a benchmark analyte to evaluate the analytical performance of the different (bio)sensors obtained in terms of relevant figures of merit, such as sensitivity, limits of detection and quantitation, and accuracy, among others. A discussion about the pros and cons between the type of modification and the methods employed is also presented. Briefly, SC based sensors offered excellent quality analytical parameters and lower dispersion of the results. They were employed for more specific electrochemical studies, including interferences assays and the determination of DA in real samples, obtaining good recoveries (101–110.6%). The biosensor modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (drop-casting method) and SC-electrodeposited showed the best figures of merit: R² = 0.999; sensitivity = −4.92 × 10⁻⁹ A·µM⁻¹; RSD_sensitivity = 1.60%; LOD = 5.56 µM; RSD_LOD = 6.10%; and LOQ = 18.53 µM. Full article

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16 pages, 4008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fluorescent Calixarene-Schiff as a Nanovehicle with Biomedical Purposes

by José Antonio Lebrón, Manuel López-López, María Luisa Moyá, Mary Deasy, Ana Muñoz-Wic, Clara Beatriz García-Calderón, Iván Valle Rosado, Pilar López-Cornejo, Eva Bernal and Francisco José Ostos

Chemosensors 2022, 10(7), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10070281 - 14 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2043

Abstract

Gene therapy is a technique that is currently under expansion and development. Recent advances in genetic medicine have paved the way for a broader range of therapies and laid the groundwork for next-generation technologies. A terminally substituted difluorene-diester Schiff Base calix[4]arene has been [...] Read more.

Gene therapy is a technique that is currently under expansion and development. Recent advances in genetic medicine have paved the way for a broader range of therapies and laid the groundwork for next-generation technologies. A terminally substituted difluorene-diester Schiff Base calix[4]arene has been studied in this work as possible nanovector to be used in gene therapy. Changes to luminescent behavior of the calixarene macrocycle are reported in the presence of ct-DNA. The calixarene macrocycle interacts with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA), generating changes in its conformation. Partial double-strand denaturation is induced at low concentrations of the calixarene, resulting in compaction of the ct-DNA. However, interaction between calixarene molecules themselves takes place at high calixarene concentrations, favoring the decompaction of the polynucleotide. Based on cytotoxicity studies, the calixarene macrocycle investigated has the potential to be used as a nanovehicle and improve the therapeutic efficacy of pharmacological agents against tumors. Full article

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22 pages, 2115 KiB

Open AccessReview

Review—Recent Progress in Graphene Based Modified Electrodes for Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine

by Zouhour Hsine, Rym Mlika, Nicole Jaffrezic-Renault and Hafsa Korri-Youssoufi

Chemosensors 2022, 10(7), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10070249 - 28 Jun 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2963

Abstract

Graphene and its derivatives have been widely used for the electrochemical detection of dopamine (DA) neurotransmitter, thanks to its high surface area and excellent conductivity. Modified graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites have shown improved catalytic activity towards DA detection. Various modification approaches have been [...] Read more.

Graphene and its derivatives have been widely used for the electrochemical detection of dopamine (DA) neurotransmitter, thanks to its high surface area and excellent conductivity. Modified graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites have shown improved catalytic activity towards DA detection. Various modification approaches have been taken, including heteroatom doping and association with other nanomaterials. This review summarizes and highlights the recent advances in graphene-based electrodes for the electrochemical detection of DA. It also aims to provide an overview of the advantages of using polymer as a linker platform to form graphene-based nanocomposites applied to electrochemical DA sensors. Full article

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24 pages, 1116 KiB

Open AccessReview

E-Senses, Panel Tests and Wearable Sensors: A Teamwork for Food Quality Assessment and Prediction of Consumer’s Choices

by Margherita Modesti, Alessandro Tonacci, Francesco Sansone, Lucia Billeci, Andrea Bellincontro, Gloria Cacopardo, Chiara Sanmartin, Isabella Taglieri and Francesca Venturi

Chemosensors 2022, 10(7), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors10070244 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2972

Abstract

At present, food quality is of utmost importance, not only to comply with commercial regulations, but also to meet the expectations of consumers; this aspect includes sensory features capable of triggering emotions through the citizen’s perception. To date, key parameters for food quality [...] Read more.

At present, food quality is of utmost importance, not only to comply with commercial regulations, but also to meet the expectations of consumers; this aspect includes sensory features capable of triggering emotions through the citizen’s perception. To date, key parameters for food quality assessment have been sought through analytical methods alone or in combination with a panel test, but the evaluation of panelists’ reactions via psychophysiological markers is now becoming increasingly popular. As such, the present review investigates recent applications of traditional and novel methods to the specific field. These include electronic senses (e-nose, e-tongue, and e-eye), sensory analysis, and wearables for emotion recognition. Given the advantages and limitations highlighted throughout the review for each approach (both traditional and innovative ones), it was possible to conclude that a synergy between traditional and innovative approaches could be the best way to optimally manage the trade-off between the accuracy of the information and feasibility of the investigation. This evidence could help in better planning future investigations in the field of food sciences, providing more reliable, objective, and unbiased results, but it also has important implications in the field of neuromarketing related to edible compounds. Full article

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