Eric C. Romani

Silica nanoparticles doped with anthraquinone for lung cancer phototherapy.

In the present study, SiO2 nanoparticles functionalized with 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl group (SiNP-AAP) were used, for the first time, to covalently bond rose bengal (SiNP-AAP-RB) or 9,10-anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (SiNP-AAP-OCAq). The functionalized SiNP were characterized by: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); elemental analysis (CHN) for determination of the dye concentration; FTIR and UV-vis diffuse reflectance (DR-UV-vis) and a surface area study (BET). The functionalized SiNPs were applied in photodynamic therapy (PDT) against lung cancer cell lines. The evaluated cytotoxicity revealed 20-30% cell survival after 15min of PDT for both materials but the OCAq concentration was half of the RB nanomaterial. The phototoxicity was mainly related to oxidative stress generated in the cellular environment by singlet oxygen and by hydrogen abstraction as confirmed by the laser flash photolysis technique. The unprecedented results indicate that SiNP-AAP-OCAq is a possible system for promoting cell apoptosis by both type I and type II mechanisms.

Determination of captopril using selective photoluminescence enhancement of 2-mercaptopropionic modified CdTe quantum dots

A photoluminescent probe for the determination of captopril is proposed based on the enhancement of luminescence from 2-mercaptopropionic modified CdTe quantum dots (2-MPA-CdTe QDs). Under optimum conditions, the calibration model (the Langmuir binding isotherm) was linear up to 4.8 × 10−4 mol L−1 with equilibrium binding constant of 3.2 × 104 L mol−1 and limit of detection (xb + 3 sb) of 2.7 × 10−7 mol L−1 (59 ng mL−1). The approach was tested in the determination of captopril in pharmaceutical formulations and the results were in agreement with the ones obtained using reference method. The possible mechanism of interaction is also investigated by Raman and electronic absorption spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering.

Spherical gold nanoparticles and gold nanorods for the determination of gentamicin.

Gentamicin is an antibiotic indicated to treat mastitis in dairy cattle and for the treatment of bacterial resistance in the context of hospital infections. The effect caused by gentamicin on the optical properties of gold nanoparticles aqueous dispersions were used to develop quantitative methods to determine this antibiotic. Two different aqueous dispersions, one containing spherical Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the other containing Au nanorods (AuNRs), had their conditions adjusted to enable a stable and sensitive response towards gentamicin. The use of AuNPs, with measurement at 681nm of the rising coupling plasmon band, enabled a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.4ngmL-1 (0.02ng absolute LOD), ten times lower than the one achieved by measuring the decreasing of the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance band (at 662nm). The linear analytical response of AuNPs measured at 681nm did not require rationing of signal values to correct for linearity. Stability of the analytical response resulted in intermediary precision below 2%. No significant interference was imposed by excipients traditionally present in injectable solutions for veterinary use. Percent recoveries obtained in such formulations were between 94.5 and 98.2% regardless the existence of any difference in the proportion of the compounds known as gentamicin (C1, C1a and C2) in standard and in the samples. The method requires no derivatization with toxic reagents as usually is required in other spectroscopic approaches.

Synthesis of oxocarbon-encapsulated gold nanoparticles with blue-shifted localized surface plasmon resonance by pulsed laser ablation in water with CO2 absorbers

Colloidal suspensions of oxocarbon-encapsulated gold nanoparticles have been synthesized in a one-step procedure by pulsed-laser ablation (PLA) at 532 nm of a solid gold target placed in aqueous solution containing CO2 absorbers, but without any stabilizing agent. Multi-wavelength surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy allows the identification of adsorbed amorphous carbon and graphite, Au-carbonyl, Au coordinated CO2-derived bicarbonates/carbonates and hydroxyl groups around the AuNPs core. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis and high resolution transmission electron microscopy highlight the organic shell structure around the crystalline metal core. The stability of the colloidal solution of nanocomposites (NCs) seems to be driven by solvation forces and is achieved only in neutral or basic pH using monovalent hydroxide counter-ions (NaOH, KOH). The NCs are characterized by a blue shift of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band typical of metal-ligand stabilization by terminal π-back bonding, attributed to a core charging effect caused by Au-carbonyls. Total organic carbon measurements detect the final content of organic carbon in the colloidal solution of NCs that is about six times higher than the value of the water solution used to perform PLA. The colloidal dispersions of NCs are stable for months and are applied as analytical probes in amino glycoside antibiotic LSPR based sensing.

Prototyping of meso- and microfluidic devices with embedded TiO2 photocatalyst for photodegradation of an organic dye

AbstractWe present prototyping of meso- and microfluidic photocatalytic devices, functionalized through incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and comparison of their efficiencies for the degradation of rhodamine B (10−5 mol/L). The prototyping of the photocatalytic devices involves simple and low-cost procedures, which includes microchannels fabrication on PDMS, deposition and impregnation of TiO2 on PDMS, and, finally, plugging on the individual parts. For the microfluidic device with 13 μL internal volume, photocatalytic TiO2—PDMS composite was sealed by another PDMS component activated by O2 plasma (PDMS—TiO2—PDMS). For the mesofluidic device, a homemade polyetheretherketone (PEEK) flow cell with 800 μL internal volume was screwed on a steel support with a glass slide and the photocatalytic composite. The photocatalytic activities of the devices were evaluated using two different pumping flow systems: a peristaltic pump and a syringe pump, both at 0.05 mL/min under the action of 365 nm ultraviolet (UV) light. The characterization of TiO2—PDMS composite was performed by confocal Raman microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The photocatalytic microreactor was the most efScient, showing high organic dye photodegradation (88.4% at 12.5 mW/cm2).

Synthesis and characterization of polyurethane/reduced graphene oxide composite deposited on steel

There has been an ongoing effort by the coatings industry to improve surface properties in order to increase corrosion and wear resistances, as well as other material properties. In this work, we report a methodology for producing nanocomposite films of polyurethane and graphene oxide and polyurethane and reduced graphene oxide. The coatings were applied on steel. The nanocomposites coatings were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Corrosion tests reveal that the use of reduced graphene oxide increases corrosion resistance when compared with the use of graphene oxide as filler.

Incorporation of Boron Atoms on Graphene Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition Using Triisopropyl Borate as a Single Precursor

We synthesized single-layer graphene from a liquid precursor (triisopropyl borate) using a chemical vapor deposition. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements were used for the characterization of the samples. We investigated the effects of the processing temperature and time, as well as the vapor pressure of the precursor. The core-level XPS spectra revealed the presence of boron atoms incorporated into substitutional sites. This result, corroborated by the observed upshift of both G and 2D bands in the Raman spectra, suggests the p-doping of single-layer graphene for the samples prepared at 1000°C and pressures in the range of 75 to 25 mTorr of the precursor vapor. Our results show that, in optimum conditions for single-layer graphene growth, that is, 1000°C and 75 mTorr for 5 minutes, we obtained samples presenting the coexistence of pristine graphene with regions of boron-doped graphene.