Fuwei Pi

Photocatalytic degradation of Acephate, Omethoate, and Methyl parathion by Fe3O4@SiO2@mTiO2 nanomicrospheres.

A novel magnetic mesoporous nanomicrospheres Fe3O4@SiO2@mTiO2 were synthetized and characterized by a series of techniques including FE-TEM, EDS, FE-SEM, PXRD, XPS, BET, TGA as well as VSM, and subsequently tested as a photocatalyst for the degradation of Acephate, Omethoate, and Methyl parathion under UV irradiation. The well-designed nanomicrospheres exhibit a pure and highly crystalline anatase TiO2 layer, large specific surface area, and high-magnetic-response. Photocatalytic degradation of the three organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) and the formation intermediates were identified using HPLC, TOC-Vcpn, IC, pH meter and GC-MS. Acephate, Omethoate, and Methyl parathion disappeared after 45min, 45min, and 80min UV illumination, respectively. At the end of the treatment, the total organic carbon (TOC) of the OPPs was reduced 80-85%. The main mineralization products were SO4(2-), NO3(-) and PO4(3-) and Omethoate additionally formed NO2(-). Based on the results, we proposed the photocatalytic degradation pathways for Acephate, Omethoate, and Methyl parathion.

A novel molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor modified with carbon dots, chitosan, gold nanoparticles for the determination of patulin

In this paper, molecular imprinting technique was applied to the electrochemical sensor. We used 2-oxindole as dummy template, ρ-Aminothiophenol (ρ-ATP) as functional monomers, combined with the high sensitivity of electrochemical detection, to achieve a specific and efficient detection of patulin in fruit juice. In addition, carbon dots and chitosan were used as the modifying material to improve electron-transfer rate, expand the electroactive surface of glassy carbon electrode and enhance strength of the signal. The Au-S bond and hydrogen bond were employed to complete the assembly of the ρ-ATP and 2-oxindole on the surface of the electrode. Then, polymer membranes were formed by electropolymerization in a polymer solution containing ρ-ATP, HAuCl4, tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) and the template molecule 2- oxindole. After elution, the specific cavity can adsorb the target patulin. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements were performed to monitor the electropolymerization process and its optimization. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses were used for characterization. This was the first time that the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology combined with carbon dots, chitosan and Au nanoparticles modification and was applied in the electrochemical detection of patulin. The linear response range of the MIP sensor was from 1 × 10-12 to 1 × 10-9molL-1 and the limit of detection (LOD) was 7.57 × 10-13molL-1. The sensor had a high-speed real-time detection capability, low sample consumption, high sensitivity, low interference, good stability and could become a new promising method for the detection of patulin.

Metabolomics analysis to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols: glabridin reversed metabolism change caused by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells.

Inflammation has been shown to play a critical role in the development of many diseases. In this study, we used metabolomics to evaluate the inflammatory effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the anti-inflammatory effect of glabridin (GB, a polyphenol from Glycurrhiza glabra L. roots) in RAW 264.7 cells. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that in comparison with the LPS group, the metabolic profile of the GB group was more similar to that of the control group. LPS impacted the amino acid, energy, and lipid metabolisms in RAW 264.7 cells, and metabolic pathway analysis showed that GB reversed some of those LPS impacts. Metabolomics analysis provided us with a new perspective to better understand the inflammatory response and the anti-inflammatory effects of GB. Metabolic pathway analysis can be an effective tool to elucidate the mechanism of inflammation and to potentially find new anti-inflammatory agents.

Development of a simple and convenient cell-based electrochemical biosensor for evaluating the individual and combined toxicity of DON, ZEN, and AFB1

A simple and convenient cell-based electrochemical biosensor was developed to assess the individual and combined toxicity of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on Hep G2 cells. The sensor was modified in succession with AuNPs (gold nanoparticles), cysteamine, and laminin. The cells interacting with laminin formed tight cell-to-electrode contacts, and collagen was used to maintain cell adhesion and viability. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was developed to evaluate mycotoxin toxicity. Experimental results show that DON, ZEN, and AFB1 caused a significant decrease in cell viability in a dose dependent manner. The EIS value decreased with concentrations of DON, ZEN, and AFB1 in the range of 0.01-20, 0.1-50, and 0.1-3.5μg/mL, and IC50 obtained using the developed method was 48.5, 59.0, and 3.10μg/mL, respectively. A synergistic effect was observed between DON and ZEN, an additive effect was observed between DON and AFB1, and an antagonism effect was found in the binary mixtures of ZEN and AFB1 and ternary mixtures. These results were confirmed via CCK-8 assay. Utilizing SEM, we found that cells treated with mycotoxins caused significant changes in cell morphology, thus lessening cell adsorption and impedance reduction. Biological assay indicated that EIS patterns correlated with [Ca2+]i concentrations and apoptosis and necrotic cells ratios, thus effecting electrochemical signals. This method is simpler, more convenient, sensitive, and has a quicker response rate than most conventional cytotoxicity evaluation methods.

The Antagonistic Effect of Mycotoxins Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone on Metabolic Profiling in Serum and Liver of Mice

Metabolic profiling in liver and serum of mice was studied for the combined toxic effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN), through gas chromatography mass spectrum. The spectrum of serum and liver sample of mice, treated with individual 2 mg/kg DON, 20 mg/kg ZEN, and the combined DON + ZEN with final concentration 2 mg/kg DON and 20 mg/kg ZEN for 21 days, were deconvoluted, aligned and identified with MS DIAL. The data matrix was processed with univariate analysis and multivariate analysis for selection of metabolites with variable importance for the projection (VIP) > 1, t-test p value < 0.05. The metabolic pathway analysis was performed with MetaMapp and drawn by CytoScape. Results show that the combined DON and ZEN treatment has an obvious “antagonistic effect” in serum and liver tissue metabolic profiling of mice. The blood biochemical indexes, like alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and albumin (ALB)/globulin (GLO), reveal a moderated trend in the combined DON + ZEN treatment group, which is consistent with histopathological examination. The metabolic pathway analysis demonstrated that the combined DON and ZEN treatment could down-regulate the valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and O-glycosyl compounds related glucose metabolism in liver tissue. The metabolic profiling in serum confirmed the finding that the combined DON and ZEN treatment has an “antagonistic effect” on liver metabolism of mice.

A novel electrochemical biosensor for antioxidant evaluation of phloretin based on cell-alginate/ʟ-cysteine/gold nanoparticle-modified glassy carbon electrode

Antioxidant evaluation of bioactive compounds is limited, since many methods lack a real physiological environment that can be used conveniently and intuitively. In this study, a simple, label-free and effective electrochemical biosensor method has been developed to evaluate the antioxidant effect of phloretin (Ph) by 3D cell modification on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). In response to this, A549 cells were immobilized onto a self-assembled ʟ-cysteine/gold nanoparticle (AuNPs/ʟ-Cys)-modified GCE surface by a simple drop casting after encapsulated in alginate. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results showed that the impedance value (Ret) increased with the concentration of H2O2 in the range of 0-60 μmol/L with the correlation of 0.990 which acted as an oxidative stress model inducer. However, the EIS value decreased with the co-incubation of Ph ranging from 10 to 100 μmol/L, showing a dose-dependent manner and time effect, indicating that the variation of Ret was responded to the antioxidant effect. The response impedance of the biosensor is linear to Ph concentrations from 20 μmol/L to 100 μmol/L with the detection limit (LOD) as 1.96 μmol/L. A significant correlation was observed between reactive oxygen species (ROS) values and Ret values following the concentrations of Ph, thus demonstrating the good biological relevance of cell-based electrochemical method. The strategy has been used to evaluate Ph antioxidant capacity in real cells with satisfactory results, indicating the feasibility of biosensor analysis for antioxidant evaluation.

A class-specific artificial receptor-based on molecularly imprinted polymer-coated quantum dot centers for the detection of signaling molecules, N-acyl-homoserine lactones present in gram-negative bacteria

Herein, a novel class-specific artificial receptor-based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated quantum dots (QDs@MIP) was synthesized, characterized, and used for the detection and quantification of the bacterial quorum signaling molecules N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), a class of autoinducers from Gram-negative bacteria. The QDs@MIP was prepared by surface imprinting technique under controlled conditions using CdSe/ZnS QDs as the signal transducing material. The synthesis of the QDs@MIP was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. After template elution, the obtained cavities sensitively and selectively recognized the target AHLs of interest. The fluorescence intensity of the QDs@MIP was significantly quenched compared to the control non-imprinted polymer (QDs@NIP) upon exposure to different AHL concentrations. It also had a good linearity in the range from 2 to 18 nM along with a detection limit of 0.66, 0.54, 0.88, 0.72 and 0.68 nM for DMHF, C4-HSL, C6-HSL, C8-HSL and N-3oxo-C6-HSL, respectively. Most interestingly, the proposed sensor exhibited high sensitivity, good stability and fast response (30 s) towards the target molecules due to successful formation of surface imprints. The practicability of the developed sensor in real samples was further confirmed through the analysis of bacterial supernatant samples with satisfactory recoveries ranging from 89 to 103%. According to these results, the as-prepared QDs@MIP can be used as a new potential supporting technique for the rapid and real-time detection of bacterial pathogens in food safety and healthcare facilities.

Synthesis of Fe3O4@mTiO2 nanocomposites for the photocatalytic degradation of Monocrotophos under UV illumination

Novel magnetic mesoporous core/shell nanocomposites Fe3O4@mTiO2 were synthetized and characterized by FE-TEM, EDS, PXRD as well as BET, and subsequently tested as photocatalysts for the degradation of Monocrotophos under UV irradiation. The well-designed nanocomposites exhibit a pure and highly crystalline anatase TiO2 layer, large specific surface area, and high magnetic response. Photocatalytic degradation of Monocrotophos and the formation of intermediates were identified using HPLC, TOC-Vcpn, and GC-MS. Monocrotophos were found to completely disappear after 45 min of UV illumination. At the end of the treatment, the total organic carbon (TOC) of Monocrotophos was reduced by 82%. Finally, we proposed the photocatalytic degradation pathway for Monocrotophos.