Analytica Chimica Acta最新文献

{"title":"Advances in metallic nanostructures-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging of biological samples: A review","authors":"Joanna Nizioł, Sumi Krupa, Wiktoria Szuberla, Tomasz Ruman","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344256","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.344256","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Background</h3>Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has emerged as a powerful tool for the spatial visualization of biomolecules, driving advances in diverse fields such as biomedical research, plant metabolomics, and forensic science. Incorporating nanostructures, particularly metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles, has revolutionized laser desorption/ionization (LDI)-MSI by enhancing ionization efficiency, spatial resolution, and sensitivity.<h3>Results</h3>This review focuses on the preparation, application, and performance of various metallic nanostructures (e.g., gold, silver, platinum, and metal oxides) in LDI-MSI, emphasizing both fundamental physicochemical properties and their role in improving sensitivity, spatial resolution, and data reproducibility.<h3>Significance</h3>We provide a comparative assessment of metallic nanostructures versus other types of nanomaterials (quantum dots, carbon-based materials), highlight key advantages and current limitations, and offer a roadmap for future developments in nanomaterial-assisted MSI, including prospective strategies for stabilizing and functionalizing surfaces, exploring alternative laser wavelengths, and ensuring robust analytical workflows.","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144189006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Capture-SELEX-based screening and mechanism analysis for the dual-colorimetric aptasening of microcystin in water","authors":"Zhongmei Peng, Xuning Kang, Zhenlin Fan, Jingping Zhang, Yuzhu Song, Jinyang Zhang, Qinqin Han","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344261","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.344261","url":null,"abstract":"Microcystins (MCs), a class of cyclic heptapeptides prevalent in aquatic ecosystems, pose significant hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, neurotoxic, and reproductive risks to both human and environmental health. Current detection methods often lack cost-effectiveness or operational simplicity, highlighting the urgent need for innovative strategies to enhance the monitoring of MCs in water and food sources. This study proposes an aptamer-based approach to address these limitations by targeting three predominant MC variants: MC-LR, MC-RR, and MC-YR. A five-segment oligonucleotide library underwent 12 rounds of Capture-SELEX to identify aptamers with pan-specificity for MCs. The lead aptamer, designated as MCs-12, exhibited high-affinity binding (Kd = 19.47 ±5.35 nM) to all three conformers of MCs, as confirmed through colloidal gold spectrophotometry. Circular dichroism analysis, molecular docking studies, and dynamics simulations revealed potential binding interactions characterized by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic effects. A dual-colorimetric biosensor utilizing the MCs-12 aptamer achieved dual-range linearity (0.25–10.00 ng/mL and 10.00–3,000.00 ng/mL), with limits of detection (LOD) at 0.08 ng/mL and 0.14 ng/mL respectively. Application of this biosensor to lake water samples resulted in recoveries ranging from 94.24% to 114.20%, demonstrating robustness within complex matrices. The MCs-12 aptamer represents a promising biorecognition element for the surveillance of microcystins due to its stability and specificity advantages over traditional antibodies. Furthermore, the dual-colorimetric platform effectively bridges the gap between laboratory-grade sensitivity and field-deployable simplicity—facilitating cost-effective monitoring of microcystin contamination in environmental and food samples. This work advances the field of aptamer-based biosensing for detecting aquatic toxins.","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144177245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Signal-on Photoelectrochemical Aptasensor for Ultrasensitive Zearalenone Detection via Cation Exchange Reaction Amplification in COF-367 NSs/CdS QDs/Ag2S Heterojunction","authors":"Xiangyu Ma, Kexing Zhu, Yujiang Wang, Yanming Yang, Yanchao Dou, Zizhe Zheng, Xiufang Zhu, Liming Guo, Liangdong Feng, Lijing Zhang, Jiadong Zhang, Nan Hao, Yi Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.344257","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Background</h3>Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin closely related to our health. It is of great significance to detect ZEN quickly and accurately in agricultural production. This study presents a novel signal-on photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor for ultrasensitive detection of ZEN by integrating COF-367 nanosheets (NSs), CdS quantum dots (QDs), and Ag₂S heterojunctions with cation exchange reaction (CER)-based signal amplification. The detection of ZEN was based on signal enhancement of COF-367 NSs/CdS QDs /Ag₂S heterojunction and CER without any biological assembly, solving the problem of low abundance and false positives of signals.<h3>Results</h3>In this work, the COF-367 NSs/CdS QDs composite was synthesized via in-situ growth, demonstrating a 10-fold enhancement in photocurrent. The sensing strategy employs a hairpin aptamer structure stabilized by Ag⁺ ions. In the presence of ZEN, the hairpin structure unfolds, releasing Ag⁺ ions that trigger CER with COF-367 NSs/CdS QDs, forming the COF-367 NSs/CdS QDs/Ag₂S heterostructure, which exhibits a hundredfold enhancement in PEC performance compared to individual components due to improved charge separation efficiency and light-harvesting capabilities. The amount of ZEN directly correlates with the quantity of released Ag⁺ ions, thereby determining the proportion of Ag₂S in the composite. This multiplex release of Ag⁺ ions also significantly enhances detection sensitivity. The sensor exhibits a strong linear relationship between photocurrent and the logarithmic concentration of ZEN over a wide range (5 pM to 100 nM), with an exceptionally low detection limit of 1.1 pM (S/N = 3).<h3>Significance and novelty</h3>This strategy provides a highly sensitive, straightforward, versatile, and cost-effective method for trace analysis, eliminating the need for complex biological assembly. The results highlight the potential of this approach as a universal platform for high-performance PEC sensing and its applicability in rapid detection kits. This sensing strategy achieves multiple enhancements in photoelectrochemical signals without requiring complex assembly at sensing interface.","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144177217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemometrically assisted nanosensor for methotrexate determination in the presence of its molecular analog folic acid","authors":"Milagros Montemurro, Damián A. Uriarte, Sebastián E. Collins, Héctor C. Goicoechea, María J. Culzoni","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344259","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.344259","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Background</h3>Methotrexate (MTX) is an antineoplastic drug used in high doses to treat different types of cancer. Its mechanism of action relies on the structural similarities to folic acid (FA), interfering in the metabolic pathway of FA. Due to the narrow therapeutic window and high cytotoxicity, MTX therapeutic drug monitoring is mandatory in high-dose administration schemes.<h3>Results</h3>A new nanosensor (NS) based on luminescent silver nanoclusters (AgNC) and metallic ions was developed to selectively determine MTX in samples containing its molecular analog FA. Notably, changes in the AgNC fluorescence signal are induced in the presence of MTX and FA, and this phenomenon was exploited to develop a sensing platform for quantitating non-fluorescent MTX in the presence of its FA. The selectivity and sensitivity of the NS were improved by including Al³⁺ and Mg²⁺, and their concentrations were optimized by design-of-experiment and response surface methodology tools. Analysis of excitation-emission fluorescence matrices by Multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares allowed exploiting the advantages of the analyte-induced fluorescence changes since it can cope with deviations from multilinearity occurring upon NS interaction with MTX. The sensing strategy reached limits of detection and quantitation of 0.3 μmol L^–1 and 0.9 μmol L^–1, respectively.<h3>Significance</h3>These findings support the method's applicability for quantitating MTX at clinically relevant concentrations in the presence of its molecular analog, without requiring exhaustive sample pretreatment. The developed sensing platform represents a simple, selective, sensitive, and cost-effective approach for quantitating non-fluorescent MTX in the presence of FA.","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144164796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Turn-on fluorometric and colorimetric dual-mode assay based on the in situ formation of silicon nanoparticles for the determination of β-galactosidase","authors":"Sikai Wang ,&nbsp;Weiping Liu ,&nbsp;Lei Wang ,&nbsp;Lin Lv ,&nbsp;Yuanyuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yan Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>β-Galactosidase (β-Gal) is widely acknowledged as a crucial biomarker for primary ovarian cancer. Therefore, precise analysis of β-Gal plays a significant role in the early diagnosis of primary ovarian cancer. In contrast to organic molecule probes, silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) have garnered significant attention owing to their outstanding photoluminescence stability and good biocompatibility. Nevertheless, most nanomaterials synthesized under stringent conditions generally produce a single signal that is susceptible to various external influences. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop multi-mode sensing techniques based on Si NPs synthesized under mild conditions for the measurement of β-Gal.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, we developed an innovative and straightforward turn-on fluorometric and colorimetric dual-mode sensing method using silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) for the detection of β-Gal activity. Such Si NPs, exhibiting a brown-red color and yellow fluorescence, can be readily synthesized under mild conditions by mixing 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl-dimethoxymethylsilane and <em>p</em>-aminophenol (AP), both of which are non-fluorescent. By substituting AP with 4-aminophenyl-β-<span>d</span>-galactopyranoside, a substrate that can be hydrolyzed to AP by β-Gal, a sensing platform for detecting β-Gal activity can be constructed. The sensing system is capable of detecting β-Gal within the concentration ranges of 0.1–90 U/L for the fluorometric assay and 0.25–50 U/L as well as 50–100 U/L for the colorimetric assay, respectively. The limits of detection were determined to be 0.052 and 0.171 U/L, accordingly.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This work introduces, for the first time, a straightforward and convenient dual-mode turn-on fluorometric and colorimetric method utilizing novel Si NPs to determine β-Gal activity. The developed sensing assay was effectively utilized to measure β-Gal levels in human serum and to screen for β-Gal inhibitors, demonstrating its practicality and promising potential in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and pharmaceutical development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1365 ","pages":"Article 344260"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144164798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Whispering-gallery mode-based optical biosensing: A review on development and applications in ultrasensitive biological detection and bioimaging","authors":"Ruiqi Ming, Jiyang Ma, Ruoyu Zhang, Lili Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344249","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2025.344249","url":null,"abstract":"Biological detection and bioimaging based on specific optical signal changes have succeeded in recent decades. Likewise, a plethora of strategies have emerged to enhance detection sensitivity. Notably, whispering gallery mode (WGM)-based optical biosensing has attracted significant attention due to its high sensitivity and label-free nature. In this review, we present the characterization parameters of WGM resonators in detail and elucidate their relationship with ultrasensitive biological detection and bioimaging. Then, we present emerging design principles and functionalization strategies of WGM resonators. Finally, we thoroughly describe the recent advances of WGM-based optical biosensing technology in different biosensing applications. Thus, we aim to offer fresh insights and stimulate interest among researchers from various domains toward developing and utilizing WGM resonators for biosensing purposes.","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative analysis of H2O2-related biomarkers using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy technology based on TMB-Au@PB nanoparticles","authors":"Yanglan Zhao ,&nbsp;Han Xia ,&nbsp;Yuqing Li ,&nbsp;Shuying Mao ,&nbsp;Conghui Zhou ,&nbsp;Jizhong Yan ,&nbsp;Shengqiang Tong ,&nbsp;Qiang Wang ,&nbsp;Hui Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a pivotal component of reactive oxygen species, is intricately intertwined with numerous pathological and physiological processes within organisms. In the disease diagnosis domain, the precise detection of H₂O₂ and its associated biomarkers, which play crucial roles in discerning disease states, is of paramount importance. However, current methods often suffer from limited sensitivity and reliability. There is an urgent need for a reliable, highly accurate method to detect these substances, aiming to enhance diagnostic precision and enable early disease intervention.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A novel Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrate was developed by coating Prussian blue (PB) on gold nanoparticles (Au@PB NPs) for the detection of H₂O₂ and biomarkers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholesterol, and uric acid. The PB Raman signal serves as an ideal and non-interfering internal standard to correct the Raman intensity fluctuations of analytes for accurate quantification. The Au@PB NPs acted as a peroxidase-mimicking enzyme, catalyzing the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H₂O₂. The method achieved a detection limit of 0.19 × 10⁻¹² M for H₂O_2, with a linear range of 10⁻¹² to 10⁻² M. Linear detection ranges for ALT, cholesterol and uric acid were 0.5–100 U/L, 10–500 μM, and 5–600 μM, respectively. The specificity was assessed through interference and cross-reactivity experiments. The results showed negligible interference, stable Raman signals, and a relative error of less than 3 %. Clinical serum samples validation exhibited a high degree of consistency, ranging from 92.49 % to 105.92 %, with an average discrepancy of less than 5 %, demonstrating the method's precision and reliability.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study presents a highly sensitive and accurate method for detecting H₂O₂ and key biomarkers, offering significant potential for early diagnosis of liver and kidney damage. The approach provides a robust tool for clinical applications, enabling precise monitoring of disease-related biochemical alterations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1365 ","pages":"Article 344258"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144153902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced ELISA detection by target protein enrichment with MIP: A new strategy for ultra-sensitive protein detection","authors":"Yafei Wang ,&nbsp;Haitao Wang ,&nbsp;Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Wei Li ,&nbsp;Sijia Gao ,&nbsp;Jiyan Qiao ,&nbsp;Lei Zou ,&nbsp;Zhuo Zhao ,&nbsp;Ying Guan ,&nbsp;Yongjun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Ultra-sensitive detection of biomarkers is critical for disease diagnosis and other applications. Immunoassays, particularly enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), are commonly used for protein biomarker detection but often suffer from insufficient sensitivity at low concentrations. Enhancing the detection capacity of ELISA for early diagnosis is therefore essential.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Herein, a simple and cost-effective strategy was developed to enhance ELISA performance by pre-enriching target proteins using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). MIPs, synthesized with high absorption capacity and specificity, were prepared using TrF (Transferrin) as the template and polypeptide as crosslinker. Target protein was pre-enriched through large-volume adsorption followed by small-volume elution. This pre-enrichment process resulted in an 8.25-fold increase in protein concentration, significantly improving ELISA sensitivity and reducing the limit of detection (LOD) by nearly an order of magnitude. The enhanced detection performance was validated in terms of accuracy, precision, and linearity.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This method, which combines MIP-based protein enrichment with ELISA detection, offers a promising and cost-effective solution for enhancing ELISA performance. It holds great potential as a widely applicable strategy for the sensitive detection of biomarkers in disease diagnostics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1365 ","pages":"Article 344242"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144164797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel hydrazide-based fluorescent chemosensor and its application to recognize Cu2+ and glyphosate in environmental and biological systems","authors":"Dong Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Pang ,&nbsp;Xinfu Zhu ,&nbsp;Yi Wang ,&nbsp;Meiqing Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Although copper ions (Cu²⁺) and glyphosate (GLY) tend to exist in the environment or living organisms at low doses, they gradually accumulate with exposure time and may eventually cause irreversible damage to living organisms. The existing detection methods are effective, but most of them lack the ability to detect multiple pollutants simultaneously or suffer from low sensitivity and poor selectivity. Therefore, it is important to develop a sensor that can efficiently and sensitively detect copper ions and glyphosate, but also has the potential for practical applications.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, a novel hydrazide-based DHBC capable of sequentially detecting Cu²⁺ and glyphosate (GLY) was developed. The DHBC forms a complex with Cu²⁺, causing fluorescence quenching. Upon exposure to GLY, functional groups such as carboxyl, phosphate, and amino groups coordinate with Cu²⁺, displacing DHBC and restoring fluorescence intensity. The mechanism has been validated by various characterization methods such as HRMS and Job curves, DFT calculation, etc. The DHBC has excellent detection performance, including high selectivity, strong anti-interference, fast response (less than 1 min), and high sensitivity (Cu²⁺: 0.09 μM, GLY: 0.05 μM). The quantitative analysis of Cu²⁺/GLY in cycling experiments and actual samples demonstrated the great potential of DHBC for practical applications. The DHBC successfully imaged Cu²⁺/GLY in live models such as HeLa cells and zebrafish, demonstrating its broad applicability and stability in a wide range of biological models.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The high accuracy of DHBC in environmental pollution monitoring and its stable performance in biological modeling make it an important tool for assessing the impact of pollutants on ecosystems and human health. In addition, the wide applicability and real-time imaging capability of DHBC provide reliable technical support for environmental science, toxicology, and health risk assessment and have important prospects for scientific research and practical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1365 ","pages":"Article 344245"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144130678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A direct, real-time, size-resolved analytical strategy to follow drug loading and release from biocompatible gold nanoparticles","authors":"Valentina Marassi ,&nbsp;Junjie Wang ,&nbsp;Stefano Giordani ,&nbsp;Anna Placci ,&nbsp;Barbara Roda ,&nbsp;Pierluigi Reschiglian ,&nbsp;Andrea Zattoni","doi":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344246","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aca.2025.344246","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Analytical methods for the characterization of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems often rely on the quantification of unbound drug to provide information on drug loading and delivery, but fail to account for system complexity, address the state of the releasing system, or simulate the physiological environment. There is a clear need for new analytical methods capable of following the entire process of drug loading, stability and release under physiological conditions, based on multi-parametric analytical platforms. Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) can be used to size sort and isolate nanoparticles for further analysis or characterization by online, uncorrelated techniques.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We propose AF4 coupled with online multiple detectors to investigate the model drug delivery system consisting of albumin (BSA)-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) loaded with curcumin (CUR). A maximum loading efficiency of 88.9% is achieved by optimizing various experimental parameters. The absorbance ratio of nanocarriers at 401 nm and 530 nm was successfully proposed as an index for evaluating drug loading (full load was 0.77±0.01) and release from the carrier surface. At 37 °C, Au-BSA-CUR exhibits rapid drug release, achieving 34.8% total release. This process is accompanied by swift degradation and efficient diffusion of the drug into the surrounding reservoir (∼30%). The appearance of new absorbance peaks in fractograms (curcumin aggregation) at lower temperatures (20 or 30 °C) indicates the special properties of hydrophobic drugs, which are monitored by the AF4 platform for the first time.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The tailored strategy employed in our investigation provided detailed, real-time, in situ analysis, making it a powerful tool for designing and optimizing drug delivery systems, providing insight into both loading and release mechanisms, assessing nanoparticle stability, and tolerating saline media. These results suggest that AF4-DAD-MALS is a more reliable and insightful technique for studying the stability, loading efficiency, and release dynamics of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":240,"journal":{"name":"Analytica Chimica Acta","volume":"1365 ","pages":"Article 344246"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144130616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}