Microchemical Journal最新文献

{"title":"A Novel ATPS-HPLC(GC) method for the rapid Quantification of dehydroacetic acid in food","authors":"Wanxiang Yu,&nbsp;Ye Liu,&nbsp;FuBao Qiu,&nbsp;Yuyan Chen,&nbsp;Yingsi Huang,&nbsp;Xiaoming Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dehydroacetic acid (DHA) is a commonly used preservative widely applied in food products. Currently, the quantitative analysis process for DHA remains cumbersome, involving multiple toxic organic reagents. To address these issues, this study leveraged the low-toxicity, environmentally friendly, and rapid characteristics of aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) to develop a pretreatment method suitable for the extraction and purification of DHA. This method is compatible with both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) techniques. For HPLC, acidic chromatographic conditions were developed to mitigate issues such as peak tailing and retention time drift, improving peak shapes and stabilizing retention times. For GC, appropriate chromatographic conditions were established for accurate quantitative analysis of DHA. The study focused on screening appropriate ATPS types and optimizing the composition ratios of their constituent components to achieve optimal extraction and purification efficiency for DHA. Method validation and sample analysis were conducted for both ATPS-HPLC and ATPS-GC approaches. Under the ATPS conditions composed of 5.00 mL water, 2.00 mL n-propanol, and 7.00 g sodium dihydrogen phosphate, results demonstrated that the ATPS-HPLC (GC) method is accurate, reliable, rapid, and environmentally friendly, with detection limits of 2.00 × 10⁻⁴ g/kg (6.00 × 10⁻⁴ g/kg), average recoveries of 93.7–104 % (98.3–107 %), and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.7–5.2 % (1.9–6.8 %).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113956"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070513","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":"Electrochemical sensing of Ni2+ on Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes (SPCEs) by exploiting the chelating and sequestering abilities of the natural polyphenolic compound morin","authors":"Chiara Abate,&nbsp;Alessandro Lo Presti,&nbsp;Ottavia Giuffrè,&nbsp;Claudia Foti","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113958","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113958","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The research aimed to develop an alternative strategy for the selective detection of Ni²⁺ in aqueous solution, exploring the chelating and sequestering properties of a natural polyphenolic ligand, morin (MRN, L⁵⁻). To this end, the formation constant values of Ni²⁺-MRN species (in NaCl aqueous solutions, at I/mol L⁻¹ = 0.15 and T/K = 298.15) were determined to evaluate the sequestering abilities of MRN toward Ni²⁺ under different pH conditions (2.0 ≤ pH ≤ 9.0). In this pH range, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) experiments were conducted on MRN, without and in the presence of Ni²⁺. In both cases, the peak anodic current (i_pa) of MRN was higher at pH 7.3. Therefore, the binding ability of the ligand was exploited to electrochemically detect Ni²⁺ by performing titrations of MRN solutions with Ni²⁺ in Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer (pH 7.3) using Different Pulse Voltammetry (DPV). The linear concentration range was found to be: 0.5 ≤ [Ni²⁺]/nmol L⁻¹ ≤ 9.3, with Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantification (LOQ) values of 0.21 nmol L⁻¹ and 0.71 nmol L⁻¹, respectively. The stability, repeatability, reproducibility and selectivity of the system Ni²⁺-MRN were also defined. For the study of selectivity, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺, up to a 100-fold concentration, were taken into account.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113958"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069801","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":"An electrochemical sensor based on immobilized cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) enzymes and Pd@CuO modified covalent organic framework for specific detection of homocysteine","authors":"Xiuzhen Li ,&nbsp;Yuanting Ni ,&nbsp;Chenxi Liu ,&nbsp;Shaohua Xu ,&nbsp;Wei Shu ,&nbsp;Hong Liang ,&nbsp;Ming Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113950","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113950","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Homocysteine (Hcy) has been recognized as an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Many electrochemical detection methods have been developed for analyzing Hcy, however, the specificity of these methods is based on the interaction between the sulfhydryl groups in Hcy and the metallic materials, and thus the specificity of such detection is not satisfactory.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, an electrochemical sensor based on COFs and Pd@CuO was developed for the specific detection of Hcy. Firstly, COFs material was used as an immobilized carrier for cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), and the immobilized CBS as a recognition unit was able to catalyze the production of H₂S from the substrates (Hcy and Cys) in a specific manner. Secondly, the Pd@CuO composite material has excellent conductivity and can catalyze H₂S as a source of electrochemical signal generation. The electrochemical sensor constructed based on the above principles has a good electrochemical response to Hcy within the range of 5 μM to 100 μM, and the limit of detection can reach 0.11 μM (S/N = 3). In addition, the constructed sensor has good reproducibility, stability and specificity, and has good recoveries in the detection of real plasma samples, which provides a potential application for the diagnosis of homocysteinemia.</div></div><div><h3>Significance and Novelty</h3><div>The electrochemical sensor significantly increases the specificity of detection by utilizing immobilized Hcy specific catalytic enzymes CBS. In addition, Pd modified CuO@COFs electrode greatly increases the conductivity of the electrode, thereby increasing the sensitivity of detection. These characteristics make the electrochemical sensor have good application prospects for detecting the Hcy in clinic in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113950"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070512","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":"Application of modified ASAP-MS technique for direct analysis of plant microsamples and its potential for single pollen grain chemical characterization","authors":"Petra Krejčí ,&nbsp;Jana Balarynová ,&nbsp;Jana Nádvorníková ,&nbsp;Lukáš Kučera ,&nbsp;Matěj Tesárek ,&nbsp;Petr Smýkal ,&nbsp;Petr Bednář","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113949","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113949","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Direct chemical analysis of plant material in microscale is highly requested in modern science and practice but reliable procedures covering current needs are not fully developed yet. Analytical procedures require advanced microscopic control of sample treatment, consequent transfer to analysis and highly sensitive micro-analytical techniques and methods that are not established in analytical laboratories. Obviously, development of complex procedures based on suitable combination of novel micromanipulation procedures with direct mass spectrometry is highly requested in plant metabolomics and single cell analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Atmospheric solids analysis probe mass spectrometry (ASAP-MS) using modified glass capillaries was used as a novel tool for the direct analysis of plant microsamples. A small hole was cross-drilled into standard soda glass capillary tube, solid sample was inserted into the capillary, and it was placed into the ion source for ASAP-MS analysis. This approach allows direct, fast and sensitive sterol profiling in plant microsamples. Application of cyclic ion mobility enabled separation of selected phenolic compounds and consequently their reliable identification in pea seed coat fragments. A combination of the modified ASAP-MS technique and electronically driven micromanipulation sampling under microscopic control allowed analysis of separated pollen grains. Biomarkers of pollen species were identified and chemical differences among pinophyta and magnoliophyta were explored. Normalized intensities of identified fatty acids, fatty alcohols and their esters, sterol lipids, phytosterols and esters of fatty acids with phytosterols and terpenoids were significantly higher in magnoliophyta.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Developed procedure allowed analysis of fatty compounds in single pollen grains. ASAP-MS provided new information about chemical composition of studied pollen species in context with plant phylogeny. Obtained data contribute to understanding of chemical stability and properties of seed and pollen surface structures. Combination of electronically driven sample micromanipulation with ASAP-MS proved to be suitable procedure for micro-metabolomic studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113949"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069793","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":"Residue analysis method and dissipation dynamics of pyriclobenzuron in paddy fields studied by HPLC-MS using the QuEChERS method","authors":"Xiaoxue Gu ,&nbsp;Hailong Chang ,&nbsp;Baotong Li ,&nbsp;Wei Lin ,&nbsp;Dayong Peng ,&nbsp;Yuqi Li","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pyriclobenzuron is a newly developed molluscicide designed to manage <em>pomacea canaliculata</em>, yet its environmental behavior remains unexplored. This study developed and validated a residue detection method using HPLC-MS in conjunction with an optimized QuEChERS pre-treatment, enabling the analysis of pyriclobenzuron dissipation dynamics and final residue levels in a rice field environment. The method demonstrates excellent linearity (R² ≥ 0.99) over the concentration range of 0.005–5 mg/L. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were determined to be 0.00052–0.00294 mg/kg and 0.00132–0.00945 mg/kg, respectively. Intraday and inter-day recovery rates ranged from 71.76 % to 95.19 %, with RSDr values between 0.83 % and 5.42 % and RSDR values from 1.04 % to 5.10 %, confirming the method’s precision and reliability. The dissipation kinetics of pyriclobenzuron in paddy water, rice plants, and paddy soil followed a first-order model, with half-lives (t_0.5) of 12.98–15.97 days in soil and 11.00–12.20 days in rice plants, indicating rapid degradation. Final residue analysis revealed that, at harvest, residues were primarily concentrated within the rice plants, while levels in brown rice remained below the quantification limit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113965"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144105309","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":"Microwave-assisted sustainable extraction of polyphenols from Mentha arvensis using choline chloride-glycerol-deep eutectic solvent with categorical boosting evaluation","authors":"Zubera Naseem ,&nbsp;Muhammad Bilal Qadir ,&nbsp;Abdulaziz Bentalib ,&nbsp;Zubair Khaliq ,&nbsp;Fayyaz Ahmad ,&nbsp;Muhammad Zahid ,&nbsp;Salman Noshear Arshad ,&nbsp;Abdul Rehman Akbar ,&nbsp;Ramsha Afzal","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustainable deep eutectic solvent (DES) demonstrates an excellent aptitude for extracting polyphenols from <em>Mentha arvensis</em> with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The categorical boosting (CatBoost) optimized phytochemical content along with antioxidant activity at irradiation time (2–6 min), microwave power (160–320 W), and biomass quantity (1–2.0 g/10 mL) with DES. The results showed total phenolic content (TPC) 117 ± 3.5 mg GAE/g, total flavonoid content (TFC) 85 ± 3.0 mg QE/g, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical inhibition 95 ± 4.0 % after 4 min at 240 W with 1.5 g biomass. The average relative errors from CatBoost demonstrated the best performance for training data points at 0.391 % for TPC, 0.521 % for TFC, and 0.201 % for DPPH. The prediction of TPC yielded an average relative error of 0.453 %, while TFC and DPPH achieved relative errors of 0.658 % and 0.381 %, respectively, through testing data analysis. The R² of 1.0 for the train, test, and complete TPC, TFC, and DPPH data showed that CatBoost predicted the results with maximum accuracy. The partial dependence and feature importance analyses highlighted the significant influence of factors in optimizing the extraction process. Permutation and model feature importance analyses revealed that time contributed the most to TPC (43.6 % and 37.2 %), microwave power had the highest influence on TFC (40.2 % and 43.9 %), and biomass was the primary contributor to DPPH (50.8 % and 50.5 %), respectively. The significant antibacterial (<em>S. aureus</em> = 23 ± 1.7 mm and <em>E. coli</em> = 21 ± 1.4 mm) and antifungal potential (<em>F. solani</em> = 20.5 ± 1.7 <!--> <!-->mm, <em>A. niger</em> = 25.5 ± 1.6 mm), were observed of optimized DES extracts. The DES provides an optimal alternative to conventional organic solvents due to its superior extraction efficiency and sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113940"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948770","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 sensitive scandium-plumbagin complex: Characterization and fluorescence spectrophotometric application for scandium determination in ceramic samples","authors":"Do Tam Nhan ,&nbsp;Le Van Tan ,&nbsp;Le Thi Thanh Tran ,&nbsp;Tuong Thi Thu Huong ,&nbsp;Le Thanh Tho ,&nbsp;Pham Van Tat","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scandium (Sc), a rare earth element, has increasingly been used in various fields such as aerospace, electronics and advanced materials. Accurate and highly sensitive Sc analysis is very important in practice. However, existing analytical methods are often limited in sensitivity, selectivity or require complex equipment. In this paper, a new complex of Sc(III) and plumbagin was studied. The optimal conditions were established: λ_ex = 500 nm and λ_em = 600 nm, optimal pH from 5.5 to 6.5, acetonitrile:water ratio of 1:3 (V/V), and most of the metal ions were unaffected and stable at room temperature. Based on UV–Vis, fluorescence, FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, ESI-MS, XPS, and quantum calculations, it was confirmed that the complex had a ratio of 1:2 (Sc:PLB) with a stability constant of 5.06 × 10⁶ M⁻²; on that basis, the complex structure was proposed. For development and validation, the values of method detection limit (MDL), limit of quantification (LOQ), relative standard deviation (RSD), recovery, and repeatability (RSD_R) were determined as 0.06 ppm, 0.18 ppm, 0.34 %, 99.4 % − 100.5 %, and 0.52–1.11 %, respectively. Those values confirmed that it can be applied for analytical purposes. The proposed method has high selectivity and sensitivity, requires simple equipment, and simplicity, was successfully applied to analyze Sc in ancient glacial ceramics, providing valuable insights into their provenance and manufacturing techniques. The analytical results were consistent when compared with those obtained by neutron activation analysis (NAA), affirming the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method. This research provides a promising and practical method for Sc analysis, contributing to advances in analytical chemistry and related fields.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113914"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070065","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 low-cost multi-layer microfluidic platform for on-site viability assessment of stem cells at single-cell resolution","authors":"Wenjie Xiao ,&nbsp;Jiahao Guo ,&nbsp;Xusheng Zhao,&nbsp;Jiacheng Huang,&nbsp;Guojun Jiang,&nbsp;Liming Ouyang,&nbsp;Zhen Gu,&nbsp;Lixin Zhang,&nbsp;Huifeng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113948","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The detection of stem cell activity is crucial for regenerative medicine and cell therapy. However, conventional methods for assessing cell viability are often time-consuming, costly, and result in the non-reusability of cells. In response to these challenges, we developed a low cost and label-free method for detection of cell viability with single-cell resolution, which is implemented by an integrated multi-layer microfluidic system (MLMS) enabling both cell culture and impedance sensing in real time. MLMS integrates a live cell-specific adhesion mechanism with single-cell microfluidic impedance detection. By the selective capture of living cells by fibronectin, live and dead cells can be counted separately, thereby allowing for accurate viability assessment. Fluorescent polystyrene microbeads were counted using both image recognition and impedance detection, demonstrating the high counting accuracy of MLMS. The detection accuracy of chips with micropores of various diameters was assessed using polystyrene (PS) beads of varying sizes. The results show that the chip with 60 μm micropores exhibits superior resolution and enables comprehensive cell detection. Furthermore, mixtures containing different ratios of live and dead cells were analyzed to assess cell viability using the MLMS. The obtained results were very close to the expected values. This work introduces a innovative low-cost, label-free, single-cell resolution solution for cell viability detection. Thereby, it hold promising application prospects in the monitoring and control of cell morphology and quantity during the stem cell culture process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113948"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070520","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 fluorescence and colorimetric dual-mode biosensor based on the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles and magnetic upconversion nanoparticles for the detection of microRNAs","authors":"Wu Chen ,&nbsp;Mengfan Guo ,&nbsp;Zeyu Chen ,&nbsp;Ying Sun ,&nbsp;Yudian Huang ,&nbsp;Yushan Chen ,&nbsp;Yanyan Ma ,&nbsp;Juan Sun ,&nbsp;Bin Qiu ,&nbsp;Hui Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113943","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113943","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The overexpression of microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) is closely associated with gastric cancer (GC) and may be used as a biomarker to diagnose GC early. Here, a colorimetry and fluorescence dual-mode biosensor for the detection of miRNA-21 was developed from polydopamine-coated magnetic upconversion nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@UCNP@PDA) and aptamer-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNP-apt). The strong adsorption of single-stranded DNA by PDA results in close proximity between the energy donors (UCNPs) and acceptors (AuNPs), resulting in luminescence quenching of the UCNPs. The miRNA-21 can hybridize with the apt-conjugated AuNPs, and the AuNPs move away from the UCNPs, which results in the luminescence recovery of the UCNPs and the catalytic activity of the AuNPs. After H₂O₂ and tetrapaminophenylethylene were added, the yellow solution turned green and gradually deepened with increasing miRNA-21 concentration. Under optimal conditions, the detection limits of miRNA-21 by fluorescence and colorimetry assays are 8.90 pM and 185 pM, respectively. In addition, the developed approach was utilized to measure miRNA-21 in serum samples, and the recovery rates ranged from 105.4-107.1% and 98.5–109.3%, respectively. The above results indicate great promise for the early diagnosis of GC because of its high sensitivity and selectivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113943"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069798","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":"Low-cost and easy-to-use: A portable photometer for simple and comprehensive analysis of critical water quality parameters","authors":"Elisa Jekel Könnel ,&nbsp;Sarah Di Nonno ,&nbsp;Roland Ulber","doi":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113946","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.microc.2025.113946","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Access to clean water remains a global challenge, requiring frequent and reliable assessments of water quality. Key parameters, including phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, iron, and copper, significantly influence aquatic ecosystems and human health. Traditional laboratory-based spectroscopy techniques provide precise measurements but are resource-intensive and impractical for routine field applications. In contrast, portable photometric devices offer a cost-effective, user-friendly solution for on-site water analysis.</div><div>This study presents a portable, microcontroller-based low-cost photometer designed for field applications, enabling absorbance, fluorescence, and turbidity measurements. Field tests were conducted with simplified and easy-to-use assays to measure phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, iron, and copper concentrations in water samples using colour reaction methods. Results were validated against laboratory UV–vis-spectrophotometry and ion chromatography, showing strong correlation and comparable accuracy. The developed photometer showed excellent performance with high linearity. The detection limits for iron, copper, phosphate, ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, and sulphate were 0.020 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, 0.041 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, 0.016 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, 0.002 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, 0.623 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, 0.006 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, and 1.560 <!--> <!-->mg<!--> <!-->L⁻¹, respectively. Accuracy, based on the recovery percentage of control samples, ranged from 95 ± 3 % to 107 ± 3 % (n = 3). Results from real water samples showed good agreement with those obtained via ion chromatography. These results show that the portable photometer performs comparably to other portable LED-based optical systems. Additionally, they enhance user understanding of environmental issues and improve accessibility. This study highlights the potential of portable photometers for reliable, low-cost water quality monitoring, supporting applications in citizen science, education, and decentralized environmental management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":391,"journal":{"name":"Microchemical Journal","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 113946"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144070515","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}