Yuxiao Cheng

Combining biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles and ATP bioluminescence for rapid detection of Escherichia coli.

A rapid, specific and sensitive method for assay of Escherichia coli (E. coli) using biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles (BMNPs) in combination with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence was proposed. The BMNPs were fabricated by immobilizing a specific anti-E. coli antibody on the surface of amine-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (about 20nm in diameter), and then was applied to capture the target bacteria E. coli from samples. The BMNPs exhibited high capture efficiency to E. coli. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed that the BMNPs were bound to the surface of entire E. coli cells. The target bacteria became magnetic so that could be isolated easily from the sample solution by employing an external magnetic field. The concentration of E. coli captured by the BMNPs was then detected by an ATP bioluminescence method. The optimization of ATP measurement was carried out to improve the detection sensitivity. The proposed method was applied to detect the E. coli inoculated into pasteurized milk with low detection limit (20 cfu/mL) and short detection time (about 1h).

Preparation and photoelectrocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods embedded in highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays electrode for azo dye degradation

In this article, the ZnO nanorods embedded in highly ordered TiO(2) nanotube arrays (ZnO/TiO(2) NR/Ts) electrodes were fabricated through two steps: (1) electrosynthesis of TiO(2) nanotube arrays (TiO(2) NTs) in HF solution by anodization method; (2) followed by cathodic electrodeposition of ZnO embedded in the TiO(2) nanotube arrays. The morphological characteristics and structures of ZnO/TiO(2) NR/Ts electrodes were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and UV-vis spectra. The linear-sweep photovoltammetry response on the ZnO/TiO(2) NR/Ts electrode was presented and the photocurrent was dramatically enhanced on the ZnO/TiO(2) NR/Ts electrode, comparing with that on bare TiO(2) NTs electrode. The photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic activity of ZnO/TiO(2) NR/Ts electrode was evaluated in degradation of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution.

Rapid amperometric detection of coliforms based on MWNTs/Nafion composite film modified glass carbon electrode

A multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)/Nafion modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated for the rapid amperometric detection of coliforms, represented by Escherichia coli (E. coli). In the bacterial solution, beta-galactosidase which was used as an indicator of coliforms reacted with substrate, p-aminophenol-beta-galactopyranoside (PAPG), and produced p-aminophenol (PAP). PAP was detected by MWNTs/Nafion modified GCE. Due to the cation-exchange capacity of Nafion and the electrocatalytic ability of MWNTs, the detection sensitivity of PAP was improved and the detection time of coliforms was shortened. The bacterial can be detected within 5h ranging from 10 to 10(4)cfu/mL. The MWNTs/Nafion modified GCE was easy to be constructed and regenerated. To our best knowledge, it was the first time to use MWNTs/Nafion modified GCE to detect the concentration of coliforms.