Dario Compagnone

Monoclonal antibody based electrochemical immunosensor for the determination of ochratoxin A in wheat

Competitive electrochemical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays based on disposable screen-printed electrodes have been developed for quantitative determination of ochratoxin A (OTA). The assays were carried out using monoclonal antibodies in the direct and indirect format. OTA working range, I(50) and detection limits were 0.05-2.5 and 0.1-7.5mugL(-1), 0.35 (+/-0.04) mugL(-1) and 0.9 (+/-0.1) mugL(-1), 60 and 100mugL(-1) in the direct and indirect assay format, respectively. The immunosensor in the direct format was selected for the determination of OTA in wheat. Samples were extracted with aqueous acetonitrile and the extract analyzed directly by the assay without clean-up. The I(50) in real samples was 0.2mugL(-1) corresponding to 1.6mug/kg in the wheat sample with a detection limit of 0.4mug/kg (calculated as blank signal -3sigma). Within- and between-assay variability were less than 5 and 10%, respectively. A good correlation (r=0.9992) was found by comparative analysis of naturally contaminated wheat samples using this assay and an HPLC/immunoaffinity clean-up method based on the AOAC Official Method 2000.03 for the determination of OTA in barley.

3,3', 5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine as electrochemical substrate for horseradish peroxidase based enzyme immunoassays. A comparative study

The use of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as an electrochemical substrate for horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was investigated. HRP activity has been detected using flow injection analysis at a glassy carbon working electrode polarised at +100 mV versus Ag/AgCl in 0.1 mol l–1 citrate–phosphate buffer (pH 5.0). The optimum concentrations were 2 × 10–4 mol l–1 TMB and 10–3 mol l–1 H2O2. The detection limit obtained after 15 min of incubation was 8.5 × 10–14 mol l–1 HRP with the amperometric method. This limit was lower than that obtained using hydroquinone as HRP substrate and comparable to that with the p-aminophenyl phosphate–alkaline phosphatase system. Better performance was achieved with amperometric than spectrophotometric detection using TMB in a competitive ELISA for rabbit immunoglobulin G as a model analyte.

Amperometric ammonium ion and urea determination with enzyme-based probes

Amperometric enzyme probes for ammonium and urea have been assembled and evaluated using immobilized glutamate dehydrogenase and urease enzymes coupled with platinum electrodes. Analytical parameters such as pH, buffer, temperature, probe life-time, enzyme immobilization, cofactor concentration and response time have been optimized. Ammonium was detected in the range 10(-5)-3 x 10(-4) mol l-1. Better reproducibility and stability were achieved using the enzyme GLDH type III and NADH at a concentration of 10(-3) mol l-1. Urea has been determined in the range 10(-5)-3 x 10(-4) mol l(-1) using the enzyme urease first in solution and then immobilized on nylon net. The analysis was based on an amperometric measurement which gives a linear relationship between current and analyte concentration. This considerably improved the sensitivity of the analysis when compared with the potentiometric-based procedures. Moreover, this method does not suffer from the potassium ion interference which affects the potentiometric nonactin-based NH+4 electrodes. Analysis of ammonium and urea were carried out in standard solutions and in saliva samples. Results compared with a spectrophotometric reference procedure correlated well.

Multiclass analysis of illicit drugs in plasma and oral fluids by LC-MS/MS

AbstractAn analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination in human plasma and oral fluids of several illicit drugs belonging to different chemical and toxicological classes is presented. Amphetamine, methamphetamine, morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, tetrahydrocannabinol, carboxytetrahydrocannabinol, ketamine, and phencyclidine have been quantified in real samples using a very rapid sample treatment, basically a protein precipitation. The quantitative analysis was performed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and has been fully validated. All the analytes were detected in positive ionization mode using a TurboIonSpray source, except carboxytetrahydrocannabinol, which was detected in negative ionization mode. The use of a diverter valve between the column and the mass spectrometer allows the preservation of the ion source performances for high-throughput analysis. FigureDiverter system

Effects of fly attack (Bactrocera oleae) on the phenolic profile and selected chemical parameters of olive oil.

The phenolic fraction of virgin olive oil influences both its quality and oxidative stability. One of the principal threats of the quality of olive fruit is the olive fly ( Bactrocera oleae) as it alters the chemical composition. The attack of this olive pest has been studied in order to evaluate its influence on the quality of virgin olive oil (free acidity, peroxide value, fatty acid composition, water content, oxidative stability, phenols, and antioxidant power of phenolic fraction). The study was performed using several virgin olive oils obtained from olives with different degrees of fly infestation. They were acquired in different Italian industrial mills from the Abruzzo region. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of phenolic profiles were performed by capillary electrophoresis-diode array detection, and electrochemical evaluation of the antioxidant power of the phenolic fraction was also carried out. These analyses demonstrated that the degree of fly attack was positively correlated with free acidity ( r = 0.77, p < 0.05) and oxidized products ( r = 0.58, p < 0.05), and negatively related to the oxidative stability index ( r = -0.54, p < 0.05) and phenolic content ( r = -0.50, p < 0.05), mainly with secoiridoid compounds. However, it has been confirmed that the phenolic fraction of olive oil depends on several parameters and that a clear correlation does not exist between the percentages of fly attack and phenolic content.

Development of an Electrochemical Immunosensor for Ochratoxin A

Abstract A direct, competitive electrochemical enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the quantitative determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) using polyclonal antibodies. The assay is carried out on carbon‐based screen printed electrodes (SPE). Optimisation of the ELISA competitive conditions allowed us to realise an assay with improved analytical behaviour compared to the classical spectrophotometric ELISA based assay. The performance was comparable to a published monoclonal based assay. The assay gave a detection limit of 180 pg mL−1 and sensitivity of 6.1 ± 0.1 ng mL−1. The immunosensor was challenged with wine to assess a matrix effect. Recoveries obtained were in the 70–118% range. The method appears to be suitable for OTA contamination screening in food samples.

Development of a biosensor for monitoring of glycerol during alcoholic fermentation

A biosensor for the measurement of glycerol in FIA was constructed using covalently immobilized glycerokinase and glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase in conjunction with a Pt based hydrogen peroxide probe. Different immobilization strategies have been studied including random and asymmetric immobilization onto a polymeric support and immobilization onto two different membranes. The latter resulted in the best configuration for batch measurement. The most effective configuration for measurement in FIA was the immobilization of glycerokinase in a glass beads reactor coupled with glycerol-3-phosphate oxidase on a preactivated Immobilon AV membrane kept at the electrode surface. Using a 250-microliter injection loop, 3 mmol ATP(Mg+2) in 0.1 M borate buffer pH 8.5 and a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min, a linear response in the 2 x 10(-6)/10(-3) mol/l range and a detection limit of 5 x 10(-7) mol/l were obtained for glycerol. Lifetime of the glycerol-3-phosphate membrane was extended up to 1 month by storage in the working buffer containing 1% DEAE-dextran and 5% lactitol. More than 350 samples can be assayed with this system. The biosensor was used to monitor off-line glycerol production during alcoholic fermentations carried out at different pHs and temperatures.

Micro-solid phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of stimulants, hallucinogens, ketamine and phencyclidine in oral fluids.

A confirmatory method for the determination of illicit drugs based on micro-solid phase extraction with modified tips, made of a functionalized fiberglass with apolar chains of octadecylsilane into monolithic structure, has been developed in this study. Drugs belonging to different chemical classes, such as amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, methylenedioxymethylamphetamine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ketamine, mescaline, phencyclidine and psilocybine were analyzed. The quantitation was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and the analytes were detected in positive ionization by means of an electrospray source. The limits of quantification ranged between 0.3 ng mL(-1) for cocaine and 4.9 ng mL(-1) for psilocybine, with coefficients of determination (r(2)) >0.99 for all the analytes as recommended in the guidelines of Society of Forensic Toxicologists-American Association Forensic Sciences.

Extravirgin olive oil up-regulates CB1 tumor suppressor gene in human colon cancer cells and in rat colon via epigenetic mechanisms

Extravirgin olive oil (EVOO) represents the typical lipid source of the Mediterranean diet, an eating habit pattern that has been associated with a significant reduction of cancer risk. Diet is the more studied environmental factor in epigenetics, and many evidences suggest dysregulation of epigenetic pathways in cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of EVOO and its phenolic compounds on endocannabinoid system (ECS) gene expression via epigenetic regulation in both human colon cancer cells (Caco-2) and rats exposed to short- and long-term dietary EVOO. We observed a selective and transient up-regulation of CNR1 gene - encoding for type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB₁) - that was evoked by exposure of Caco-2 cells to EVOO (100 ppm), its phenolic extracts (OPE, 50 μM) or authentic hydroxytyrosol (HT, 50 μM) for 24 h. None of the other major elements of the ECS (i.e., CB₂; GPR55 and TRPV1 receptors; and NAPE-PLD, DAGL, FAAH and MAGL enzymes) was affected at any time point. The stimulatory effect of OPE and HT on CB₁ expression was inversely correlated to DNA methylation at CNR1 promoter and was associated with reduced proliferation of Caco-2 cells. Interestingly, CNR1 gene was less expressed in Caco-2 cells when compared to normal colon mucosa cells, and again this effect was associated with higher level of DNA methylation at CNR1. Moreover, in agreement with the in vitro studies, we also observed a remarkable (~4-fold) and selective increase in CB₁ expression in the colon of rats receiving dietary EVOO supplementation for 10 days. Consistently, CpG methylation of rat Cnr1 promoter, miR23a and miR-301a, previously shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and predicted to target CB₁ mRNA, was reduced after EVOO administration down to ~50% of controls. Taken together, our findings demonstrating CB₁ gene expression modulation by EVOO or its phenolic compounds via epigenetic mechanism, both in vitro and in vivo, may provide a new therapeutic avenue for treatment and/or prevention of colon cancer.

Carbon film electrodes for oxidase-based enzyme sensors in food analysis

Carbon film resistor electrodes have been evaluated as transducers for the development of multiple oxidase-based enzyme electrode biosensors. The resistor electrodes were first modified with Prussian Blue (PB) and then covered by a layer of covalently immobilized enzyme. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to characterize the interfacial behaviour of the Prussian Blue modified and enzyme electrodes; the spectra demonstrated that the access of the substrates is essentially unaltered by application of the enzyme layer. These enzyme electrodes were used to detect the substrate of the oxidase (glucose, ethanol, lactate, glutamate) via reduction of hydrogen peroxide at +50mV versus Ag/AgCl in the low micromolar range. Response times were 1-2min. Finally, the glucose, ethanol and lactate electrochemical biosensors were used to analyse complex food matrices-must, wine and yoghurt. Data obtained by the single standard addition method were compared with a spectrophotometric reference method and showed good correlation, indicating that the electrodes are suitable for food analysis.