Ultralow detection limit of giant magnetoresistance biosensor using Fe3O4–graphene composite nanoparticle label

A special Fe3O4nanoparticles–graphene（Fe3O4–GN） composite as a magnetic label was employed for biodetection using giant magnetoresistance（GMR） sensors with a Wheatstone bridge. The Fe3O4–GN composite exhibits a strong ferromagnetic behavior with the saturation magnetization MS of approximately 48 emu/g, coercivity HC of 200 Oe, and remanence Mr of 8.3 emu/g, leading to a large magnetic fringing field. However, the Fe3O4 nanoparticles do not aggregate together, which can be attributed to the pinning and separating effects of graphene sheet to the magnetic particles. The Fe3O4–GN composite is especially suitable for biodetection as a promising magnetic label since it combines two advantages of large fringing field and no aggregation. As a result, the concentration x dependence of voltage difference ｜？V｜ between detecting and reference sensors undergoes the relationship of ｜？V｜ = 240.5 lgx ＋ 515.2 with an ultralow detection limit of 10 ng/mL（very close to the calculated limit of 7 ng/mL） and a wide detection range of 4 orders.

Estimation of multivariate detection limits of four quality parameters in licorice using MEMS–NIR spectrometry coupled with two sampling accessories

In this work,multivariate detection limits(MDL)estimator was obtained based on the microelectro-mechanical systems–near infrared(MEMS–NIR)technology coupled with two sampling accessories to assess the detection capability of four quality parameters(glycyrrhizic acid,liquiritin,liquiritigenin and isoliquiritin)in licorice from di®erent geographical regions.112 licorice samples were divided into two parts(calibration set and prediction set)using Kennard–Stone(KS)method.Four quality parameters were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method according to Chinese pharmacopoeia and previous studies.The MEMS–NIR spectra were acquired from¯ber optic probe(FOP)and integrating sphere,then the partial least squares(PLS)model was obtained using the optimum processing method.Chemometrics indicators have been utilized to assess the PLS model performance.Model assessment using chemometrics indicators is based on relative mean prediction error of all concentration levels,which indicated relatively low sensitivity for low-content analytes(below 1000 parts per million(ppm)).Therefore,MDL estimator was introduced with alpha error and beta error based on good prediction characteristic of low concentration levels.The result suggested that MEMS–NIR technology coupled with fiber optic probe(FOP)and integrating sphere was able to detect minor analytes.The result further demonstrated that integrating sphere mode(i.e.,MDL0:05;0:05,0.22%)was more robust than FOP mode(i.e.,MDL0:05;0:05,0.48%).In conclusion,this research proposed that MDL method was helpful to determine the detection capabilities of low-content analytes using MEMS–NIR technology and successful to compare two sampling accessories.

DISCUSSION ON DECISION LIMIT AND DETECTION LIMIT IN SPECTROSCOPY

Based on fundamental arguments, the expressions for the decision limit and the detection limit both in the count domain and in the count rate domain are derived.These expressions are found to be different from those shown in the existing literature.

Ultrasensitive polarized-light photodetectors based on 2D hybrid perovskite ferroelectric crystals with a low detection limit

Polarized-light photodetectors are the indispensable elements for practical optical and optoelectronic device applications.Two-dimensional(2D)hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics,in which the coupling of spontaneous polarization(P_(s))and light favors the dissociation of photo-induced carriers,have taken a booming position within this portfolio.However,polarized-light photodetectors with a low detectionlimit remain unexplored in this 2D ferroelectric family.In this work,the high-quality individual crystals of a 2D perovskite ferroelectric,BA_(2)CsPb_(2)Br_(7)(1,where BA^(+)is n-butylammonium),were used to fabricate ultrasensitive polarized-light detectors.Its unique bilayered structural motif results in quite strong electric and optical anisotropy with a large absorption ratio of a_(c)/α_(a)≈3.2(λ=405 nm).Besides,the presence of ferroelectric Psalso endows high built-in electric field along the polar c-axis that favors photoelectric activities.Under an extremely low detectable limit of 40 n W/cm^(2),the detector of 1 exhibits a notable dichroism ratio(I_(ph)^(c)/I_(ph)^(a)≈1.5),a large responsivity of~39.5 m A/W and a specific detectivity of~1.2×10^(12)Jones.Moreover,crystal-based devices of 1 also exhibit a fast response speed(~300μs)and excellent anti-fatigue merits.This work highlights great potentials of hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics toward polarized-light photodetection.

Theoretical and experimental assessment of a novel method to establish the complete measurement range of the calorimeter and its limit of detection and quantification

For determining the accuracy of a calorimeter over the instrument’s entire measuring range,a novel method has been established.For this new approach,(a)benzoic acid(C_(6)H_(5)CO_(2)H) as a certified reference material(CRM),(b)SiO_(2) and(c)a mixture of CRM benzoic acid and SiO_(2) have been used.To illustrate the essential difference between 1)the novel analytical method for control of the entire measurement range and 2)the calorimeter calibration,both applications of benzoic acid(BA)have been demonstrated.An experimental result showed that BA was successfully used to check the whole calorimeter measurement range.The results also showed that the same new method was successfully applied to determine the limit of detection and quantification.A new instrument testing process and a new measurement technique have thus been established.In this way,the cost of using CRM to control the accuracy of measuring the entire measuring range of the calorimeter,as shown in this paper,is minimized.The requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard are satisfied.ISO/IEC 17025:2017,together with ISO 9001:2015(quality management systems),ISO 14001:2015(relate to environmental protection)and ISO45001:2018(occupational safety),constitute an integrated quality system by which a testing laboratory may also accredit.

Organic X-Ray Image Sensors Using a Medium Bandgap Polymer Donor with Low Dark Current

The development of portable X-ray detectors is necessary for diagnosing fractures in unconscious patients in emergency situations.However,this is quite challenging because of the heavy weight of the scintillator and silicon photodetectors.The weight and thickness of X-ray detectors can be reduced by replacing the silicon layer with an organic photodetectors.This study presents a novel bithienopyrroledione-based polymer donor that exhibits excellent photodetection properties even in a thick photoactive layer(~700 nm),owing to the symmetric backbone and highly soluble molecular structure of bithienopyrroledione.The ability of bithienopyrroledione-based polymer donor to strongly suppress the dark current density(Jd~10−10 A cm^(−2))at a negative bias(−2.0 V)while maintaining high responsivity(R=0.29 A W−1)even at a thickness of 700 nm results in a maximum shot-noise-limited specific detectivity of D_(sh)^(*)=2.18×10^(13)Jones in the organic photodetectors.Printed organic photodetectors are developed by slot-die coating for use in X-ray detectors,which exhibit D_(sh)^(*)=2.73×10^(12)Jones with clear rising(0.26 s)and falling(0.29 s)response times upon X-ray irradiation.Detection reliability is also proven by linear response of the X-ray detector,and the X-ray detection limit is 3 mA.

Using a Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor for Rapid Detection of Salmonella Typhimurium in Chicken Carcass

Chicken is one of the most popular meat products in the world. Salmonella Typhimurium is a common foodbome pathogens associated with the processing of poultry. An optical Surface Plasmon Resonance （SPR） biosensor was sensitive to the presence of Salmonella Typhimurium in chicken carcass. The Spreeta biosensor kits were used to detect Salmonella Typhimurium on chicken carcass successfully. A taste sensor like electronic tongue or biosensors was used to basically ＂taste＂ the object and differentiated one object from the other with different taste sensor signatures. The surface plasmon resonance biosensor has potential for use in rapid, real-time detection and identification of bacteria, and to study the interaction of organisms with dif- ferent antisera or other molecular species. The selectivity of the SPR biosensor was assayed using a series of antibody con- centrations and dilution series of the organism. The SPR biosensor showed promising to detect the existence of Salmonella Typhimurium at 1 x 106 CFU/ml. Initial results show that the SPR biosensor has the potential for its application in pathogenic bacteria monitoring. However, more tests need to be done to confirm the detection limitation.

A research on the effect of plasma spectrum collection device on LIBS spectral intensity

Only a small amount of spectral information is collected because the collection solid angle of the optical fiber probe and lens is very limited when collecting spectral information.To overcome this limitation,this study presents a novel method for acquiring plasma spectral information from various spatial directions.A parabolic-shaped plasma spectral collection device(PSCD)is employed to effectively collect more spectral information into the spectrometer,thereby enhancing the overall spectral intensity.The research objects in this study were soil samples containing different concentrations of heavy metals Pb,Cr,and Cd.The results indicate that the PSCD significantly enhances the spectral signal,with an enhancement rate of up to 45%.Moreover,the signal-to-noise ratio also increases by as much as 36%.Simultaneously,when compared to the absence of a device,it is found that there is no significant variation in plasma temperature when the PSCD is utilized.This observation eliminates the impact of the spatial effect caused by the PSCD on the spectral intensity.Consequently,a concentrationspectral intensity relationship curve is established under the PSCD.The results revealed that the linear fitting R^(2)for Pb,Cr,and Cd increased by 0.011,0.001,and 0.054,respectively.Additionally,the limit of detection(LOD)decreased by 0.361 ppm,0.901 ppm,and 0.602 ppm,respectively.These findings indicate that the spectral enhancement rate elevates with the increase in heavy metal concentration.Hence,the PSCD can effectively enhance the spectral intensity and reduce the detection limit of heavy metals in soil.

Ultrasensitive and stable X-ray detection using zero-dimensional lead-free perovskites

Sensitive and reliable X-ray detectors are essential for medical radiography,industrial inspection and security screening.Lowering the radiation dose allows reduced health risks and increased frequency and fidelity of diagnostic technologies for earlier detection of disease and its recurrence.Three-dimensional(3 D)organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskites are promising for direct X-ray detection-they show improved sensitivity compared to conventional X-ray detectors.However,their high and unstable dark current,caused by ion migration and high dark carrier concentration in the 3 D hybrid perovskites,limits their performance and long-term operation stability.Here we report ultrasensitive,stable X-ray detectors made using zero-dimensional(0 D)methylammonium bismuth iodide perovskite(MA3Bi2I9)single crystals.The 0 D crystal structure leads to a high activation energy(Ea)for ion migration(0.46 e V)and is also accompanied by a low dark carrier concentration(~10^6 cm^-3).The X-ray detectors exhibit sensitivity of 10,620μC Gy-1 air cm-2,a limit of detection(Lo D)of 0.62 nG yairs-1,and stable operation even under high applied biases;no deterioration in detection performance was observed following sensing of an integrated X-ray irradiation dose of^23,800 m Gyair,equivalent to>200,000 times the dose required for a single commercial X-ray chest radiograph.Regulating the ion migration channels and decreasing the dark carrier concentration in perovskites provide routes for stable and ultrasensitive X-ray detectors.

Heavy Metal Detection in Soils by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Using Hemispherical Spatial Confinement

Spatial confinement has great potential for Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy （LIBS） instruments after it has been proven that it has the ability to enhance the LIBS signal strength and repeatability. In order to achieve in-situ measurement of heavy metals in farmland soils by LIBS, a hemispherical spatial confinement device is designed and used to collect plasma spectra, in which the optical fibers directly collect the breakdown spectroscopy of the soil samples. This device could effectively increase the stability of the spectrum intensity of soil. It also has other advantages, such as ease of installation, and its small and compact size. The relationship between the spectrum intensity and the laser pulse energy is studied for this device. It is found that the breakdown threshold is 160 cm-2, and when the laser fluence increases to 250 J/cm2, the spectrum intensity reaches its maximum. Four different kinds of laser pulse energy were set up and in each case the limits of detection of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were calculated. The results show that when the laser pulse fluence was 2.12 GW/cm2, we obtained the smallest limits of detection of these heavy metals, which are all under 10 mg/kg. This device can satisfy the needs of heavy metal in-situ detection, and in the next step it will be integrated into a portable LIBS instrument.

LIBS Detection of Heavy Metal Elements in Liquid Solutions by Using Wood Pellet as Sample Matrix

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy （LIBS） has been applied to the analysis of heavy metals in liquid samples. A new approach was presented to lower the limit of detection （LOD） and minimize the sample matrix effects, in which dried wood pellets absorbed the given amounts of Cr standard solutions and then were baked because they have stronger and rapid absorption properties for liquid samples as well as simple elemental compositions. In this work, we have taken a typical heavy metal Cr element as an example, and investigated the spectral feasibility of Cr solutions and dried wood pellets before and after absorbing Cr solutions at the same experimental conditions. The results were demonstrated to successfully produce a superior analytical response for heavy metal elements by using wood pellet as sample matrix according to the obtained LOD of 0.07 ppm for Cr element in solutions.

Development and evaluation of a DNA microarray assay for the simultaneous detection of nine harmful algal species in ship ballast and seaport waters

Rapid,high-throughput and reliable methods are urgently required to accurately detect and monitor harmful algae,which are responsible for algal blooms,such as red and green tides. In this study,we successfully developed a multiplex PCR-based DNA microarray method capable of detecting nine harmful algal species simultaneously,namely A lexandrium tamarense,Gyrodinium instriatum,Heterosigma akashiwo,Karenia mikimotoi,Prorocentrum donghaiense,Prorocentrum minimum,Ulva compressa,Ulva ohnoi and Ulva prolifera. This method achieved a limit of detection(LOD) of 0.5 ng of genomic DNA(orders of magnitude of the deci-nanogram range) in the tested algae cultures. Altogether,230 field samples from ship ballast waters and seaport waters were used to evaluate the DNA microarray. The clinical sensitivity and specificity of the DNA microarray assay in detecting field samples were 96.4% and 90.9%,respectively,relative to conventional morphological methods. This indicated that this high-throughput,automatic,and specific method is well suited for the detection of algae in water samples.

Improved sensitivity on detection of Cu and Cr in liquids using glow discharge technology assisted with LIBS

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy-assisted glow discharge(LIBS-GD)for analysis of elements in liquid was proposed,and it was applied to detect heavy metals in highly sensitive mixed solutions of Cu and Cr.During the experiments of GD and LIBS-GD,the experimental parameters have been optimized and the optimal voltage is 450 V,laser energy is 60 mJ,and the delay time is 4000 ns.Furthermore,the calibration curves of Cu and Cr under GD and LIBS-GD experiments have been established,and the limits of detection(LODs)of Cu and Cr were obtained with the method of GD and LIBS-GD,respectively.The LOD of Cu decreased from3.37(GD)to 0.16 mg l(LIBS-GD),and Cr decreased from 3.15 to 0.34 mg l.The results prove that the capability of elemental detection under LIBS-GD has improved compared with the GD method.Therefore,LIBS-GD is expected to be developed into a highly sensitive method for sewage detection.

A new Keggin-type polyoxometallate-based bifunctional catalyst for trace detection and pH-universal photodegradation of phenol

The widespread application of phenolic substances in the field of food,medicine and industry,is harmful to the environment and human health.Therefore,it is very important to develop a con-venient and effective method to detect and degrade phenolic compounds.Herein,we report a new keggin-type polyoxometallate-based metal-organic complex self-assembled under solvothermal condition,{[Cu(dap)(3-PA)]4(SiW_(12)O_(40))(H_(2)O)_(2)}·2H_(2)O(1,dap=1,2-diaminopropane,3-HPA=3-pyridineacrylic acid).1 shows an interesting 1D ladder-like structure.As a bifunctional catalyst,1 can be employed as a colori-metric sensor toward phenol with the relatively low detection limit(LOD)of 0.36μmol/L(S/N=3)in the wide range(0.001-0.1 mmol/L).The title colorimetric sensor is applied to determine phenol in various water environment with good recoveries ranging from 95%-105%.In addition,1 also exhibits excellent photocatalytic degradation toward phenol under visible light with the highest removal efficiency at 96%for 100 min and wide pH universality.The selectivity,stability and reliability of the detection of 1 towards phenol,as well as the detection for 4-chlorophenol,o-cresol,4-nitrophenol and phloroglucinol were stud-ied.Furthermore,the photocatalytic reaction kinetics and the mechanisms of photodegradation of phenol were also investigated in detail.

Measurements of Nighttime Nitrate Radical Concentrations in the Atmosphere by Long-Path Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy

The long-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy （LP-DOAS） technique was developed to mea- sure nighttime atmospheric nitrate radical （NO3） concentrations. An optimized retrieval method, resulting in a small residual structure and low detection limits, was developed to retrieve NO3. The time series of the NO3 concentration were collected from 17 to 24 March, 2006, where a nighttime average value of 15.8 ppt was observed. The interfering factors and errors are also discussed. These results indicate that the DOAS technique provides an essential tool for the quantification of NO3 concentration and in the study of its effects upon nighttime chemistry.

Effect of Water Vapor Absorption on Measurements of Atmospheric Nitrate Radical by LP-DOAS

During the measurement of atmospheric nitrate radical by long-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy, water vapor strong absorption could affect the measurement of nitrate radical and detection limits of system. Under the tropospheric condition, the optical density of water vapor absorption is non-linearly dependent on column density. An effective method was developed to eliminate the effect of water vapor absorption. Reference spectra of water vapor based on the daytime atmospheric absorption spectra, when fitted together with change of cross section with water vapor column densities, gave a more accurate fitting of water vapor absorptions, thus its effect on the measurements of nitrate radical could be restricted to a minimum and detection limits of system reached 3.6 ppt. The modified method was applied during an intensive field campaign in the Pearl River Delta, China. The NO3 concentration in polluted air masses varied from 3.6 ppt to 82.5 ppt with an average level of 23.6±1.8 ppt.

Quantifying in situ N2 fluxes from an intensively managed calcareous soil using the 15N gas-flux method

Denitrification-induced nitrogen(N) losses from croplands may be greatly increased by intensive fertilization.However,the accurate quantification of these losses is still challenging due to insufficient available in situ measurements of soil dinitrogen(N) emissions.We carried out two one-week experiments in a maize-wheat cropping system with calcareous soil using theN gas-flux(NGF) method to measure in situ Nfluxes following urea application.Applications ofN-labeled urea(99 atom%,130-150 kg N ha) were followed by irrigation on the 1 st,3 rd,and 5 th days after fertilization(DAF 1,3,and 5,respectively).The detection limits of the soil Nfluxes were 163-1 565,81-485,and 54-281 μg N mhfor the two-,four-,and six-hour static chamber enclosures,respectively.The Nfluxes measured in 120 cases varied between 159 and 2 943(811 on average) μg N mh.which were higher than the detection limits,with the exception of only two cases.The Nfluxes at DAF 3 were significantly higher(by nearly 80%(P<0.01)) than those at DAF 1 and 5 in the maize experiment,while there were no significant differences among the irrigation times in the wheat experiment.The Nfluxes and the ratios of nitrous oxide(NO) to the NO plus Nfluxes following urea application to maize were approximately 65% and 11 times larger,respectively(P<0.01),than those following urea application to wheat.Such differences could be mainly attributed to the higher soil water contents,temperatures,and availability of soil N substrates in the maize experiment than in the wheat experiment.This study suggests that theNGF method is sensitive enough to measure in situ Nfluxes from intensively fertilized croplands with calcareous soils.

Improvement of Tunable Diode Laser Absorption System with a Novel Multipass Cell and Wavelet Transform

Combination of Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy(TDLAS)technique and multipass cell is an attractive approach for ultrahigh sensitive detection of trace gases.Theoretically,based on Beer-Lambert law,the longer optical path length and the larger gas absorption,the lower concentration gas could be detected.However,lower radiation intensity and inevitable etalon fringe resulted from multiple reflections would greatly weaken the Signal-to-Noise Ratio(SNR)and thus an expected ultrahigh sensitive detection system is difficult to achieve.In order to fully make use of the advantages of TDLAS and multipass cell,the base length and the total optical path length of the multipass cell are needed to be carefully balanced.Furthermore,the harmonic signals contaminated by various noises are processed with wavelet transform method.As a demonstration of this method,few low concentrations of gas CO in N2 are measured employing TDLAS technique and a novel sealed multipass cell with total optical length of 114 m.The detection limit is about 5×10-6(volume ratio),which is one order of magnitude better than earlier noise reduction.

Assessment of Different Instruments and Methods for Detecting Pollution Share Rate of Heavy Metals in Water Samples

[ Objective ] This study aimed to investigate the impacts of different instruments and methods on detection of water samples and evaluate the detection results and pollution share rate. [ Method] Concentrations of six heavy metals in three surface water samples and three underground water samples were detected by AAS and ICP-AES to analyze the differences in detection results and calculate the pollution share rate of heavy metals. [Result] As a result, the pollution share rate of six heavy metals varied significantly. Calculation results of comprehensive pollution share rate based on the lower pollution index of the same heavy metal in the same water sample detected by two methods were different from the results using either method. Due to different detection limits of instruments, detection results of heavy metals in the same water sample were different, which affected the accuracy of environmental quality assessment. [ Conclusion ] The detected pollution share rate varies with different detection limits. Therefore, instruments and methods with lower detection limit should be used. To be specific, AAS is suitable for detection of Pb and Cd, while ICP is suitable for detection of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn.

DNA diagnostics for reliable and universal identification of Helicobacter pylori

Reliable diagnostics are a major challenge for the detection and treatment of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection.Currently at the forefront are non-invasive urea breath test(UBT)and stool antigen test(SAT).Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)is not endorsed due to nonspecific primers and the threat of false-positives.The specificity of DNA amplification can be achieved by nested PCR(NPCR),which involves two rounds of PCR.If the primers are properly designed for the variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene,it is not difficult to develop an NPCR assay for the unambiguous identification of H.pylori.Elaborate NPCR for a 454 bp amplicon was validated on 81 clinical biopsy,stool,and saliva samples,each from the same individuals,and compared with available H.pylori assays,namely histology,rapid urease test,SAT,and 13C-UBT.The assay was much more sensitive than simple PCR,and it was equally sensitive in biopsy samples as the 13CUBT test,which is considered the gold standard.In addition,it is sufficiently specific because sequencing of the PCR products exclusively confirmed the presence of H.pylori-specific DNA.However,due to the threshold and lower abundance,the sensitivity was much lower in amplifications from stool or saliva.Reliable detection in saliva also complicates the ability of H.pylori to survive in the oral cavity aside from and independent of the stomach.The reason for the lower sensitivity in stool is DNA degradation;therefore,a new NPCR assay was developed to obtain a shorter 148 bp 16S rRNA amplicon.The assay was validated on stool samples from 208 gastroenterological patients and compared to SAT results.Surprisingly,this NPCR revealed the presence of H.pylori in twice the number of samples as SAT,indicating that many patients are misdiagnosed,not treated by antibiotics,and their problems are interpreted as chronic.Thus,it is unclear how to properly diagnose H.pylori in practice.In the first approach,SAT or UBT is sufficient.If samples are negative,the 148 bp amplicon NPCR assay should be performed.If problems persist,patients should not be considered negative,but due to threshold H.pylori abundance,they should be periodically tested.The advantage of NPCR over UBT is that it can be used universally,including questionable samples taken from patients with achlorhydria,receiving proton pump inhibitors,antibiotics,bismuth compound,intestinal metaplasia,or gastric ulcer bleeding.