Chitosan In Order Research Articles

Effects of a dual functional filler, polyethersulfone-g-carboxymethyl chitosan@MWCNT, for enhanced antifouling and penetration performance of PES composite membranes

Ultrafiltration technology, separating water from impurities by the core membrane, is an effective strategy for treating wastewater to meet the ever-growing requirement of clean and drinking water. However, the similar nature of hydrophobic organic pollutants and the membrane surface leads to severe adsorption and aggregation, resulting unavoidable membrane degradation of penetration and rejection. The present study presents a novel block amphiphilic polymer, polyethersulfone-g-carboxymethyl chitosan@MWCNT (PES-g-CMC@MWCNT), which is synthesized by grafting hydrophobic polyethersulfone to hydrophilic carboxymethyl chitosan in order to suspend CMC in organic solution. A mixture of hydrophilic carboxymethyl chitosan and hydrophobic polymers (polyethersulfone), in which hydrophilic segments are bonded to hydrophobic segments, could provide hydrophilic groups, as well as gather and remain stable on membrane surfaces by their hydrophobic interaction for improved compatibility and durability. The resultant ultrafiltration membranes exhibit high water flux (198.10 L m−2·h−1), suitable hydrophilicity (64.77°), enhanced antifouling property (82.96%), while still maintains excellent rejection of bovine serum albumin (91.75%). There has also been an improvement in membrane cross-sectional morphology, resulting in more regular pores size (47.64 nm) and higher porosity (84.60%). These results indicate that amphiphilic polymer may be able to significantly promote antifouling and permeability of ultrafiltration membranes.

Chitosan-Loaded Copper Oxide Nanoparticles: A Promising Antifungal Nanocomposite against Fusarium Wilt Disease of Tomato Plants

The extensive use of agrochemicals for crop protection is increasing their environmental risks. Due to the incredible antimicrobial potential of nanomaterials, research into their potential use in sustainable agriculture as alternatives to chemical fungicides is advancing rapidly. In this study, we evaluated the possible antifungal properties of copper oxide nanocomposite (CH@CuO NPs) coated with chitosan in order to fend off Fusarium wilt diseases in tomato plants caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) throughout in vitro and in vivo experiments. Here, we demonstrate some of the characteristics of a potential antifungal nanocomposite composed of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), firmly immobilized on chitosan nanoparticle (CH) surfaces as dark spots, with an irregular shape and 54.22 nm in size, as indicated by Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. Spectroscopic and microscopic investigations, as well as its antifungal efficacy, verified that the successful synthesis of the CH@CuO NPs at three different concentrations (1, 25, and 50) mg/L against three different wild isolates of the pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum that infect tomatoes was successfully proven to be effective. In vitro comparisons revealed that CH@CuO NPs showed stronger antifungal activity at only 1 mg/L (96.22 ± 1.35) than the classical chemical fungicide “Kocide 2000” at conc. 2.5 g/L (77.34 ± 0.33), for example, in the case of FOL1 isolate. In accordance with the in vivo data, tomato plants can be treated with only 1 mg/L of CH@CuO NPs for up to 75 days, by which time Fusarium wilt disease severity is reduced by 91.5% In contrast, 2.5 g/L of Kocide 2000 is required to reduce disease in tomato plants by about 90%. This research expands our understanding of agro-nanotechnology by outlining the characteristics of a unique, environmentally friendly, and economically viable nanopesticide for long-term plant protection.

Structural and conformational changes on chitosan after green heterogeneous synthesis of phenyl derivatives

Four aromatic acid compounds: benzoic acid (Bz), 4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (HPPA), gallic acid (GA) and 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) were covalently bonded to chitosan in order to improve water solubility at neutral pH. The synthesis was performed via a radical redox reaction in heterogeneous phase by employing ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide (AA/H2O2) as radical initiators in ethanol. The analysis of chemical structure and conformational changes on acetylated chitosan was also the focus of this research. Grafted samples exhibited as high as 0.46 M degree of substitution (MS) and excellent solubility in water at neutral pH. Results showed a correlation between the disruption of C3-C5 (O3…O5) hydrogen bonds with increasing solubility in grafted samples. Spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR and 1H and 13C NMR showed modifications in both glucosamine and N-Acetyl-glucosamine units by ester and amide linkage at C2, C3 and C6 position, respectively. Finally, loss of crystalline structure of 2-helical conformation of chitosan after grafting was observed by XRD and correlated with 13C CP-MAS-NMR analyses.

Hot Melt Extrusion as an Effective Process in the Development of Mucoadhesive Tablets Containing Scutellariae baicalensis radix Extract and Chitosan Dedicated to the Treatment of Oral Infections

Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) technology was developed to obtain blends containing lyophilized Scutellariae baicalensis root extract and chitosan in order to improve the rheological properties of the obtained blends, including tableting and compressibility properties. (Hydroxypropyl)methyl cellulose (HPMC) in 3 different ratios was used as amorphous matrix formers. The systems were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR), and in vitro release, permeability, and microbiological activity studies. Then, the extrudates were used to prepare tablets in order to give them the appropriate pharmaceutical form. HPMC-based systems released baicalin more slowly, resulting in delayed peaks in the acceptor fluid. This behavior can be explained by the fact that HPMC swells significantly, and the dissolved substance must have diffused through the polymer network before being released. The best tabletability properties are provided by the formulation containing the extrudate with lyophilized extract HPMC 50:50 w/w. These tablets offer a valuable baicalin release profile while maintaining good mucoadhesive properties that condition the tablet's retention in the application site and the effectiveness of therapy.

Influence of Deacetylation Degree of Chitosan on the Anticorrosive Properties of Carbon Steel Coatings

AbstractThis study outlines the improvement on anticorrosion behavior of chitosan‐based sol‐gel coatings on carbon steel surface obtained for high deacetylation degree values of this natural biopolymer. Important economic losses in major industries represent a problem due to corrosion of metals in aggressive medium, such as carbon steel, which is widely used due to its hardness, durability, ductility, low cost, handiness. Therefore, non‐toxic, cost‐effective, and eco‐friendly strategies are needed to protect metallic surface of steel. Against this background, the anticorrosion coating performance of chitosan, from three different commercial sources, as a single component, on carbon steel in chloride solutions is investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. The present study is performed to evaluate the corrosion protective abilities of chitosan in order to determine the relationship with its deacetylation degree (DDA), evaluated by potentiometric titration, a simple and reliable method. Depending on the DDA, the experimental results indicate that there is a remarkable difference between different chitosan samples regarding the value of the charge transfer resistance of coating on steel.

Chitosan resistance by the deletion of the putative high affinity glucose transporter in the yeast Ustilago maydis

Chitosan is a polycationic amino-sugar polymer soluble in acidic pH. As a potential antifungal, it has been tested against several fungi. Its main mode of action is the permeabilization of cell membrane by the interaction with specific membrane sites. Ustilago maydis, an attractive fungal model used in biochemical and biotechnology research, is highly sensitive to chitosan, with extensive membrane destruction that results in cell death. Using the Golden Gate system, several mutant strains with deletions in monosaccharide transporters were obtained and tested against chitosan in order to know the implications of these membrane proteins in the sensitivity of the fungus against chitosan. Δum11514/03895 strain, a mutant with a deletion in a hypothetical high affinity glucose transporter, showed resistance to chitosan. Morphological characterization of the mutant displayed an apparent increase in mitochondrial content, but oxygen consumption as well as growth rate were not affected by the gene deletion. Alteration in cell wall surface was observed in the mutant strain. In contrast to wild type, the Δum11514/03895 strain showed integrity of cell wall and cell membrane in the presence of chitosan. The resistance against chitosan is likely associated to the modification of cell wall architecture and is not related to energy-depend process.

Cytotoxicity Effects of Curcumin Loaded on Chitosan Alginate Nanospheres on the KMBC-10 Spheroids Cell Line.

PurposeBreast cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer in women. Curcumin showed therapeutic potential against breast cancer, but applying that by itself does not lead to the associated health benefits due to its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination. Moreover, poor water solubility of curcumin causes accumulation of a high concentration of curcumin and so decrease its permeability to the cell. Many strategies are employed to reduce curcumin metabolism such as adjuvants and designing novel delivery systems. Therefore, in this study sodium alginate and chitosan were used to synthesize the hydrogels that are known as biocompatible, hydrophilic and low toxic drug delivery systems. Also, folic acid was used to link to chitosan in order to actively targetfolate receptors on the cells.MethodsChitosan-β-cyclodextrin-TPP-Folic acid/alginate nanoparticles were synthesized and then curcumin was loaded on them. Interaction between the constituents of the particles was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Morphological structures of samples were studied by FE-SEM. Release profile of curcumin was determined by dialysis membrane. The cytotoxic test was done on the Kerman male breast cancer (KMBC-10) cell line by using MTT assay. The viability of cells was detected by fluorescent staining. Gene expression was investigated by real-time PCR.ResultsThe encapsulation of curcumin into nano-particles showed an almost spherical shape and an average particle size of 155 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity investigation was indicated as dose-respond reaction against cancer breast cells after 24 h incubation. On the other hand, in vitro cell uptake study revealed active targeting of CUR-NPs into spheroids. Besides, CXCR4 expression was detected about 30-fold less than curcumin alone. The CUR-NPs inhibited proliferation and increased apoptosis in spheroid human breast cancer cells.ConclusionOur results showed the potential of NPs as an effective candidate for curcumin delivery to the target tumor spheroids that confirmed the creatable role of folate receptors.

Comparison of the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Efficacy of Viscose Treated with Various Natural Compounds for Medical Use

This research is based on the use of a variety of natural compounds and their mixtures with chitosan in order to create an efficient textile product for sanitary/medical use which shows antimicrobial and antioxidant effectiveness at the same time. It is assumed that natural compounds showing antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy also do so even when applied on a non-woven viscose substrate intended for wound healing. A study of the effectiveness of the individual treatment was performed using antimicrobial (dynamic-stress test) and anti-oxidative (ABTS•+) testing. It was confirmed that the properties of functionalised viscose treated with different functionalisation formulations differ in dependence on the separate formulations. Results show that for a comprehensive insight into the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of functionalised viscose, a very detailed study of the results of antimicrobial and antioxidant testing is needed in order for it to be possible to create a textile material with the necessary functionality.

Chitosan chemically modified to deliver nitric oxide with high antibacterial activity

The aim of the current study is to report a simple and efficient method to chemically modify chitosan in order to form S-nitroso-chitosan for antibacterial applications. Firstly, commercial chitosan (CS) was modified to form thiolated chitosan (TCS) based on an easy and environmental-friendly method. TCS was featured based on physicochemical and morphological techniques. Results have confirmed that thiol groups in TCS formed after CS's primary amino groups were replaced with secondary amino groups. Free thiol groups in TCS were nitrosated to form S-nitrosothiol moieties covalently bond to the polymer backbone (S-nitroso-CS). Kinetic measurements have shown that S-nitroso-CS was capable of generating NO in a sustained manner at levels suitable for biomedical applications. The antibacterial activities of CS, TCS and S-nitroso-CS were evaluated based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill curves determined for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. MIC/MBC values reached 25/25, 0.7/0.7 and 3.1/3.1 μg mL−1 for CS/TCS and 3.1/3.1, 0.1/0.2, 0.1/0.2 μg mL−1 for S-nitroso-CS, respectively. Decreased MIC and MBC values have indicated that S-nitroso-CS has higher antibacterial activity than CS and TCS. Time-kill curves have shown that the bacterial cell viability decreased 5-fold for E. coli and 2-fold for S. mutans in comparison to their respective controls, after 0.5 h of incubation with S-nitroso-CS. Together, CS backbone chemically modified with S-nitroso moieties have yielded a polymer capable of generating therapeutic NO concentrations with strong antibacterial effect.

Fabrication of Silver- and Zinc-Doped Hydroxyapatite Coatings for Enhancing Antimicrobial Effect

This study develops, for the first time, composite coatings based on silver and zinc doped hydroxyapatite in chitosan matrix (AgZnHApCs). The AgZnHApCs composite coatings were prepared by dip coating method. The hydroxyapatite (HAp), biocompatible material for regenerating and strengthening damaged bones were doped with silver and zinc ions and coated with chitosan in order to produce a uniform and homogenous coating with biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties. The stability of AgZnHApCs suspensions was evaluated by ultrasound measurements. The value of stability parameters of AgZnHApCs suspension is in good agreement with the value of bidistilled water used as reference fluid. Homogeneously dispersed solutions of AgZnHApCs were synthesized to endeavor to optimize the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the coatings obtained at room temperature. The AgZnHApCs composite suspension and coatings were analyzed using various investigation techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenylte-2H-tetrazolium bromide) assay and antimicrobial studies. The optical spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), metallographic examination and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on AgZnHApCs composite coatings were also conducted. Cell culture and MTT assays demonstrate that AgZnHApCs composite suspension and coatings have no negative effect on the cell viability and proliferation. The cell morphology was not affected in presence of AgZnHApCs composite suspension and coatings. The antimicrobial assays conducted against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Candida albicans ATCC 90029 microbial strains revealed that both the AgZnHApCs composite suspension and coatings exhibited great antimicrobial properties.

Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-pyrazoloquinoxaline Schiff bases for Cr (VI) removal from wastewater

Two novel chitosan Schiff bases namely chitosan pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline Schiff base (Ch-PQ1) and chitosan phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline Schiff base (Ch-PQ2) were synthesized as a modification of chitosan in order to increase its ability in heavy metal removal from wastewater. Their structures were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA analysis and X-ray diffraction. They were tested for the removal of hexavalent chromium from synthetic samples. In addition pH conditions, polymer dosage, Cr (VI) initial concentration and contact time were studied as a key factor for the adsorption process. Kinetic studies of the removal process were also clarified. Furthermore, experimental equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Both chitosan Schiff bases showed high removal efficiency, the result indicated that Cr (VI) removal using Ch-PQ1 and Ch-PQ2 was 96.4% and 98.8% respectively.

Immobilization of Ib-M2 peptide on core@shell nanostructures based on SPION nanoparticles and their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7

Antimicrobial peptides arise as a very promising alternative for the treatment of infections generated by pathogenic microorganisms. The Ib-M2 antimicrobial peptide turns out to be a very promising candidate for these types of applications. However, it is required to evaluate immobilization systems that give peptides greater stability and activity in order to be used in biological systems. Given the above, this paper reports the preparation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated with chitosan in order to immobilize the Ib-M2 antimicrobial peptide. Structural properties of SPIONs were studied by DLS, SEM, XRD, FT-IR, XPS and the magnetic properties were evaluated by vibrating-sample magnetometer technique. The antimicrobial activity of the Ib-M2/SPIONs@Chi bioconjugate obtained was evaluated against Escherichia coli O157:H7 by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results show that the SPIONs obtained have particle size between 10 and 15 nm with a magnetite-type structure which was confirmed by FT-IR and XPS. Characterization of magnetic properties evidences a superparamagnetic behavior of nanoparticles obtained. MIC results showed that Ib-M2/SPIONs@Chi bioconjugate exhibit a comparable or higher activity against E. coli in comparison with the free Ib-M2 peptide. These results show that the bioconjugate obtained can be considered for use in biomedical applications.

CHITOSAN AND PECTATE BIOPARTICLES MADE FROM ORANGE ALBEDO. ADSORPTION OF COPPER (II)

The investigation herein reports on the development of bioparticles by mixing calcium pectate with chitosan in order to chelate Cu+2 from water polluted with heavy metals. Calcium pectate was used to synthesize these bioparticles. The pectate was obtained from orange albedo, which was in turn obtained from shredded and dry biomass, treated with an acidulated solution in order to eliminate the pectin (Ps). The first treatment given to the biomass was with a sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH), in order to de-methoxylate the pectin. Subsequently, the biomass was treated with ethyl alcohol and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) to a temperature of 80 - 90°C, to renew the pectin. This improved the mechanical stability that this constituent requires. Experimental results of the Cu+2 ions are expressed as a withholding rate percentage in time.

Noncovalent Sericin-Chitosan Scaffold: Physical Properties and Low Cytotoxicity Effect.

This research aims to utilize sericin, which is the waste from boiling silk cocoon, for the supramolecular scaffold preparation with chitosan. A suitable method for the self-assembled scaffold formation of sericin and chitosan at 1:1 stoichiometry is presented and the morphological and physical properties of the scaffold are studied. The effect of an alcohol/NaOH solution on the secondary structure of sericin protein within the sericin-chitosan scaffold, with adjusted pH, was investigated. Additionally, the scaffold was tested in a native phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The results show that sericin increases the porosity of scaffold while chitosan increases the rigidity. The self-assembled sericin and chitosan material is nontoxic to human cells and which can adhere and spread well on such support. For the effect of the molecular weight of chitosan (15,000 and 100,000 g/mol), the scaffold made from lower molecular weight (MW) chitosan provides a somewhat smaller porosity, but a similar swelling ratio and water uptake. On the basis of this research, sericin, which is a silk waste from the textile industry, can be utilized to produce a self-assembled scaffold with chitosan in order to increase the porosity of the scaffold. This type of scaffold is not toxic and can be used for the adhesion of fibroblast cells.

Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan-Polyvinyl Alcohol-Fe2O3 Composite Membrane for DMFC Application

This study investigates the utilization of different compositions of Fe2O3 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to modify chitosan in order to prepare a composite membrane. The membranes were synthesized using the phase inversion method and extensively characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical properties analysis, and water uptake analysis, whereby SEM was used to confirm the morphology of the composite membranes. Different electrochemical properties such as ion exchange capacity, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability of these membranes were also measured. The results showed that increasing the PVA mass improved the water uptake, ion exchange capacity (IEC), and proton conductivity because the PVA addition increased the hydrophilicity of the membrane; thus, the pore surface on the membrane was more open, which also caused higher membrane permeability. However, the methanol permeability values of all composite membranes were lower than that of Nafion. The highest IEC and proton conductivity were obtained for the CS-PVA-H3070 membrane, with values of 4.300 meq/g and 6.71 × 10−2 S·cm−1, respectively. The mechanical strength of these membranes showed that the PVA addition increased the elongation break and decreased the tensile strength of the membrane. The results imply that the chitosan membrane modified with PVA and Fe¬2O3 has a potential for DMFC applications.

Residual heavy metals in industrial chitosan: State of distribution

A series of industrial chitosans were analyzed on the presence of residual heavy metals. For the first time, optical microscopy data showed that chitosan solution retained a huge number of insoluble microparticles while transmittance electron microscopy revealed that insoluble fibrous microparticles were incrusted by crystalline nanoparticles with the sizes 5–50 nm. A series of filters used for chitosan solution filtration was analyzed on the presence of retained heavy metal and other residuals by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDXS) and mass-spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) methods. The SEM-EDXS analysis revealed the presence of Fe residuals together with Si, Al, N and S in the particles found on the filters. ICP-MS analysis found the presence of heavy metals (mainly Fe, Cr and Ni) both on the filter surfaces and in the effluent chitosan solution passed though the filters.This study draws attention to the necessity of a careful selection of industrially manufactured chitosan in order to avoid hidden undesirable effects of chitosan on pharmaceuticals and biomaterials and gives a warning of inapplicability of a stainless-steel made apparatus as a reactor susceptible to caustic soda corrosion for chitin deacetylation and production of medical and food grade chitosan.

Pengaruh Nanokitosan-Ag/Cu pada Perkembangan Penyakit Antraknosa pada Cabai

Plant disease that often attacks the chili both in pre- and postharvest is fruit rot or commonly called with antracnose. Antracnose is caused by the attack of fungus Colletotrichum capsici. To control it, fungicides which are effective, safe for environmental and human are needed. For that purpose, people develop chitosanbased fungicide. Chitosan has been widely reported has an antimicrobial role for viral, bacterial, and fungal which can cause disease in plants. Further development of chitosan in order to increase antimicrobial activity is by the synthesis of Ag/Cu-Chitosan nanoparticles. Based on tests, it is known that both in the laboratory and greenhouse scale, Ag-ChNPs at a dose of 500 ppm and Cu-ChNPs at a dose of 1000 ppm have an inhibition effect on growth of Colletotrichum capsici by 17.3 and 42.3% meanwhile the treatment of Ag-ChNPs at a dose of 500 ppm and Cu-ChNPs at a dose of 1000 ppm were significantly potential in suppressing the incidence of the diseases on Tanjung, Ciko, and Kencana varieties of chili in greenhouse. Microscopically, the activities of antimicrobial compounds of Ag/Cu-Chitosan nanoparticles cause a damage to the fungal hyphae which is characterized by malformations that lead to the inhibition of hyphae growth. In the petri dish it was shown by the emergence of inhibition zone in the form of clear area around the treated disc paper.

Depolymerization of chitosan from snail (Pilla ampullaceae) field shell using α-amylase

Chitosan is a biopolymer derivative from chitin that has many benefits for applications in various fields. Since chitosan has a large molecular weight, it has constraints to its application. To overcome the disadvantage, it needs hydrolysis of chitosan in order to obtain a lower molecular weight. In this research, the hydrolysis of chitosan from snail field shell (Pilla ampullaceae) will be operated by the enzymatic process using α-amylase. The chitosan solution is hydrolysis using α-amylase with the varied time of hydrolysis. The results showed that the operating conditions for chitosan hydrolysis using α-amylase enzyme is at 5 hours operating time and concentration of enzyme 0.02 %. The hydrolysis can reduce the molecular weight of chitosan snail field shell from 6.41 x 105Da to 1.06 x 104Da and the viscosity from 41.7 cPs to 17.3 cPs.

Dexamethasone-containing bioactive dressing for possible application in post-operative keloid therapy

Bioactive dressing based on bacterial cellulose modified with carboxymethyl groups (mBC) was successfully prepared and studied. The surface of mBC was activated using carbodiimide chemistry and decorated with alginate/hydroxypropyl cellulose submicroparticles containing dexamethasone phosphate (DEX-P). Prior to their deposition particles were coated with chitosan in order to facilitate their binding to mBC, and to increase the control over the release process. The detailed physicochemical characterization of the particles and the bioactive dressing was performed, including the determination of the particles’ size and size distribution, DEX-P encapsulation efficiency and loading, particles’ distribution on the surface of the mBC membrane, as well as DEX-P release profiles from free and mBC-bound particles. Finally, the preliminary cytotoxicity studies were performed. The fabricated bioactive material releases DEX-P in a controlled manner for as long as 25 h. Biological tests in vitro indicated that the dexamethasone-containing submicroparticles are not toxic toward fibroblasts, while effectively inhibiting their proliferation. The prepared bioactive dressing may be applied in the treatment of the post-operative wounds in the therapy of keloids and in other fibrosis-related therapies.Graphical abstract

A novel ECL sensor based on a boronate affinity molecular imprinting technique and functionalized SiO2@CQDs/AuNPs/MPBA nanocomposites for sensitive determination of alpha-fetoprotein

In this work, a boronate-affinity sandwich electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor was constructed to detect alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) based on a multiple signal amplification strategy. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were utilized and modified on the surface with chitosan in order to facilitate electron transfer. The composite of the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) enhanced the selectivity of alpha-fetoprotein detection. 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (MPBA) was used as the tracing tag for capture of alpha-fetoprotein. SiO2 nanoparticles carried carbon quantum dots (CQDs) labeled with gold nanoparticles and produced an ECL signal. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the linear range for alpha-fetoprotein was between 0.001 and 1000 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9952, and the detection limit was 0.0004 ng/mL (S/N = 3). This proposed ECL sensor displayed several advantages, including outstanding selectivity, fine reproducibility, high sensitivity, low detection limit and wide linear range. Furthermore, the newly constructed boronate-affinity sandwich ECL sensor was successfully applied to the determination of alpha-fetoprotein in serum samples, indicating great potential for application in clinical diagnostics.