Novel red photoluminescence sensor based on Europium ion doped calcium hydroxy stannate CaSn(OH)6:Eu+3 for latent fingerprint detection

A Novel Fluorescent Aptasensor Based on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Selective and Sensitive Detection of Saxitoxin in Shellfish

Background:

Saxitoxin (STX) stands as one of the most potent marine biotoxins, exhibiting high lethality. Despite its severity, current treatments remain ineffective, and existing detection techniques are limited due to ethical concerns and technical constraints.

Methods:

Herein, an innovative approach was constructed for STX detection, utilizing mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) as a foundation. This innovative, easy, and label-free aptamer (Apt)- sensor was fabricated. Apts were employed as molecular identification probes and "gated molecules," while rhodamine 6G was encapsulated within particles to serve as a signal probe. In a lack of STX, Apts immobilized on an MSN surface kept a "gate" closed, preventing signal probe leakage. Upon the presence of STX, the "gate" opened, allowing a particular binding of Apts to STX and a subsequent release of a signal probe.

Results:

Experimental results demonstrated a positive correlation between fluorescence intensity and concentrations of STX within a range of 1 to 80 nM, with an exceptional limit of detection of 0.12 nM. Furthermore, the selectivity and stability of a biosensor were rigorously evaluated, validating its reliability.

Conclusion:

This newly developed sensing strategy exhibits remarkable performance in STX detection. Its success holds significant promise for advancing portable STX detection equipment, thereby addressing a pressing need for efficient and ethical detection methods in combating marine biotoxin contamination.

Fluorescent aptamer-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles for quantitative acetamiprid detection

Acetamiprid (ACE) is widely used to control aphids, brown planthoppers, and other pests in agricultural production. However, ACE is difficult to degrade in the environment, resulting in excessive residue, which causes acute and chronic toxicity to human beings and non-target organisms. Therefore, the development of a rapid, convenient, and highly sensitive method to quantify ACE is essential. In this study, aminated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs-NH₂) were synthesized by one-pot method, and 6-carboxyl fluorescein modified aptamers (FAM-Apt) of ACE were adsorbed on the surface of MSNs-NH₂ by electrostatic interaction. Finally, a simple and sensitive fluorescence analysis method for the rapid detection of ACE was established. In the absence of ACE, the negatively charged FAM-Apt was electrostatically bound to the positively charged MSNs-NH₂, followed by centrifugation to precipitate MSNs-NH₂@FAM-Apt, and no fluorescent signal was detected in the supernatant. In the presence of ACE, the specific combination of FAM-Apt with ACE was greater than its electrostatic interaction with MSNs-NH₂, so that FAM-Apt was separated from MSNs-NH₂, and the supernatant had strong fluorescence signal after centrifugation. For ACE detection, the linear concentration range was 50-1100 ng/mL, and the detection limit (LOD) was 30.26 ng/mL. The method exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility, which is suitable for practical sample analysis and provides guidance for rapid detection of pesticide residues.

One material, many possibilities via enrichment of luminescence in La2Zr2O7:Tb3+ nanophosphors for forensic stimuli aided applications

Engineering a single material with multidirectional applications is crucial for improving productivity, low cost, flexibility, least power consumption, etc. To achieve these requirements, novel design structures and high-performance materials are in urgent need. Lanthanide-doped nanophosphors have the greatest strengths and ability in order to tune their applications in various dimensions. However, applications of nanophosphor in latent fingerprints visualization, anti-counterfeiting, and luminescent gels/films are still in their infancy. This study demonstrated a simple strategy to enhance the luminescence of Tb³⁺ (1-11 mol %) doped La₂Zr₂O₇ nanophosphors by conjugating various fluxes via a simple solution combustion route. The photoluminescence emission spectra reveal intense peaks at ~ 491, 546, 587, and 622 nm, which arises from ⁵D₄ → ⁷F_J (J = 6, 5, 4, 3) transitions of Tb³⁺ ions, respectively. The highest emission intensity was achieved in the NH₄Cl flux assisted nanophosphor as compared to NaBr and NH₄F assisted samples. The colorimetric images of fingerprints visualized using the optimized nanophosphor on forensic related surfaces exhibit level -III ridge details, including sweat pores, the width of the ridges, bifurcation angle, and the successive distance between sweat pores, etc. These results are decisive parameters that clearly support the statement "no two persons have ever been found to have the same fingerprints". The anti-counterfeiting security ink was formulated using optimized nanophosphor and various patterns were designed by simple screen printing and dip pen technologies. The encoded information was decrypted only under ultraviolet 254 nm light. All the designed patterns are exhibit not just what it looks/feel like and how better it works. As a synergetic contribution of enhanced luminescence of the prepared nanophosphor, the green-emissive films were fabricated, which display excellent flexibility, uniformity, and transparency in the normal and ultraviolet 254 nm light illumination. The aforementioned results revealed that the prepared NH₄Cl flux-assisted La₂Zr₂O₇: Tb³⁺(7 mol %) NPs are considered to be the best candidate for multi-dimensional applications.

Cation Crosslinking-Induced Stable Copper Nanoclusters Powder as Latent Fingerprints Marker

Luminescent copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) have shown great potential in light-emitting devices (LEDs), chemical sensing, catalysis and biological fields. However, their practical use has been restricted by poor stability, and study on the stability of Cu NCs solid powder along with the mechanism is absent. In this study, stablized Cu NCs powder was first obtained by cation crosslinking method. Compared with the powder synthesized by solvent precipitation method, the stability of Cu NCs powder crosslinked by ionic inducer Ce3+ was enhanced around 100-fold. The storage time when the fluorescence intensity decreased to 85% (T85) was improved from 2 h to 216 h, which is the longest so far. The results of characterizations indicated that the aggregation structure was formed by the binding of Ce3+ with the capping ligands of Cu NCs, which helped in obtaining Ce-Cu NCs powder from aggregate precipitation in solution. Furthermore, this compact structure could avoid the destruction of ambient moisture resulting in long-lasting fluorescence and almost unchanged physical form. This demonstrated that phosphor, with excellent characteristics of unsophisticated synthesis, easy preservation and stable fluorescence, showed great potential in light sources, display technology and especially in latent fingerprints visualization on different substrates for forensic science.

Novel fluorescent nano-sensor based on amino-functionalization of Eu3+:SrSnO3 for copper ion detection in food and real drink water samples

Lanthanide-doped nanoparticles exhibit unique optical properties and have been widely utilized for different sensing applications. Herein, the Eu3+:SrSnO3@APTS nanosensor was synthesized and its optical properties were analyzed using UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The TEM images of the synthesized nanophosphor Eu3+:SrSnO3@APTS exhibited peanut-like morphology, composed of two or more spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter ∼33 nm. Effects of environmental pH values and doping concentrations as well as amino functionalization on the structure of Eu3+:SrSnO3 were investigated. The as-synthesized optical nanosensor was used for determination of copper ions based on a fluorescence quenching approach. Red emission with a long lifetime was obtained in the case of the 0.06 mol Eu3+:SrSnO3@APTS sample. Under the optimal experimental conditions, a Stern-Volmer plot exhibited a good linearity for copper ions over the concentration (0.00-10.8) × 10-11 mol L-1 with a correlation efficient of 0.996 and a limit of detection 3.4 × 10-12 mol L-1. The fluorescent sensor was dynamically quenched via a coulombic interaction mechanism between the Eu3+ (5L6) and Cu2+. The Eu3+:SrSnO3@APTS nanosensor with the optimal Eu3+ dopant concentration of 0.06 mol was applied for copper determination in food and real drink water samples with high recovery values. We believe that the developed nanosensor probe can also be used for the detection of other toxic compounds, with high selectivity and sensitivity.

Recent Trends in Fluorescent Organic Materials for Latent Fingerprint Imaging

Fingerprints are an important kind of material evidence with the key function in personal identification, which are unique and life-long to everyone. Latent (invisible) fingerprints are common at the crime scene, needing to be visualized with proper methods in order to identify sources of the fingerprints in routine forensic practice. Fluorescent imaging of latent fingerprints has the advantage of high contrast, sensitivity, selectivity, and less dependency on instruments. Taking the environment and users' safety into consideration, organic materials for fluorescent imaging of latent fingerprints are reviewed mainly in recent 5 years. New strategies of fingerprint reagents and improved performances established for fingerprint development based on fluorescent organic materials are discussed in the view of forensic practice. In addition, we briefly highlight current challenges of recent fluorescent imaging works based on organic materials for the latent fingerprints development in forensic practice.