186 research outputs found
A simple method for patterning poly(dimethylsiloxane) barriers in paper using contact-printing with low-cost rubber stamps
No full textThis paper presents a simple and low-cost method for patterning poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) barriers in porous support such as paper for the construction of flexible microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs). The fabrication method consisted of contact-printing a solution of PDMS and hexane (10:1.5 w/w) onto chromatographic paper using custom-designed rubber stamps containing the patterns of μPADs. After penetrating the paper (∼30 s), the PDMS is cured to form hydrophobic barriers. Under optimized conditions, hydrophobic barriers and hydrophilic channels with dimensions down to 949±88 μm and 771±90 μm (n=5), respectively, were obtained. This resolution is well-suitable for most applications in analytical chemistry. Chemical compatibility studies revealed that the PDMS barriers were able to contain some organic solvents, including acetonitrile and methanol, and aqueous solutions of some surfactants. This find is particularly interesting given that acetonitrile and methanol are the most used solvents in chromatographic separations, non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis and electroanalysis, as well as aqueous solutions of surfactants are suitable mediums for cell lyses assays. The utility of the technique was evaluated in the fabrication of paper-based electrochemical devices (PEDs) with pencil-drawn electrodes for experiments in static cyclic voltammetry and flow injection analysis (FIA) with amperometric detection, in both aqueous and organic mediums
Evandro Affonso Ferreira: vidas desengraçadas e o arquivo debilitado
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão. Programa de Pós-graduação em LiteraturaEsta dissertação investiga procedimentos da escritura de Evandro Affonso Ferreira, autor brasileiro contemporâneo com cinco livros publicados até o momento. Estes procedimentos são estudados a partir de como suas personagens se movem. O trabalho se divide em duas partes: a primeira é um jogo entre uma galeria (possível e falhada) de estúpidos e suas "vidas infames", acerca da experiência e da existência precárias dessas personagens. O jogo se dá num contágio com as artes visuais (Marcelo Coutinho, Elida Tessler e León Ferrari) e com alguns outros textos ficcionais de autores como Gusmán, Kafka, Melville, Walser etc. A segunda é como o autor trabalha com seus textos, seus livros e o léxico que usa - as palavras sonoras -, como se tudo isso formasse um só livro, livre numa biblioteca de babel da língua, da imaginação, da memória, da literatura. O livro como objeto que compõe a trajetória de um autor-leitor, a sua coleção babélica. Para isso faço uso de teóricos como Agamben, Benjamin, Blanchot, Derrida, Deleuze, Foucault entre outros. This dissertation investigates writing procedures by Evandro Affonso Ferreira, a contemporary Brazilian author with five books published so far. These procedures are studied according to the movement of the characters. The work is divided in two parts: the first one is a game for a galery (possible and failed) of stupids and its "infamous lives" regarding the precarious experience and existence of these characters. The game happens in an involvement with the visual arts (Marcelo Coutinho, Elida Tessler and León Ferrari) and with some other fictional texts from authors like Gusmán, Kafka, Melville, Walser etc. The second one is how the author works with his texts, books and the lexicon he uses - the sonorous words -, as all this would form a single (an unique) book, free in a Babel library of the language, of the imagination, of the memory, of the literature. The book as an object that compounds the trajectory of an author-reader, his Babelic collection. For this I use the theories of Agamben, Benjamin, Blanchot, Derrida, Deleuze, Foucault and others
Rapid Prototyping of Sensors and Conductive Elements by Day-to-Day Writing Tools and Emerging Manufacturing Technologies
No full textThe growing demand for low cost and easy to use analytical devices requires the development of reliable and rapid deposition strategies suitable for changing easily planned designs and applicable to a wide range of materials for assembling conductive tracks and sensitive elements. Further important challenges to be pursued are the possibility of using readily available instrumentation and reducing power consumption and hazardous chemical waste. This review provides an overview of the use of portable day-to-day writing tools, such as pencils and pens, for the rapid and on-demand deposition of conductive patterns on different substrates, with particular emphasis on the assembly of "Do It Yourself" sensors. Moreover, layer-by-layer deposition of simple or even complex three dimensional (3D) circuits, resorting to pressure driven extrusion of conductive filaments is considered. Future perspectives and potentiality of these emerging technologies for assembling sensors are also explored. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Simple pencil-drawn paper-based devices for one-spot electrochemical detection of electroactive species in oil samples
No full textWe propose here simple electrochemical cells assembled with electrodes pencil drawn on paper for conducting one-spot tests enabling olive oil to be easily distinguished from other vegetable oils. They consist of small circular pads of hydrophilic paper defined by hydrophobic barriers, these last printed by using custom-designed rubber stamps, where working, reference, and counterelectrodes are drawn by pencil leads. These cells were first wetted with a small volume of aqueous electrolyte, avoiding coating of the upper surface of electrodes. A controlled volume of edible oil samples was then applied on top of the moist cell. The results found proved that these devices can be adopted as effective platforms suitable for the detection of electroactive compounds present in edible oils. In fact, they allow voltammetric profiles to be recorded not only for the oxidation of water soluble species (ortho-diphenols, as well as some monophenols and polyphenols) present in olive oils, but also for electroactive hydrophobic components (e.g., α-tocopherol) present in sunflower oils, which were chosen as model of seed oils. The whole of collected findings pointed out that simple one-spot tests performed by these devices enable olive oils to be easily distinguished from other edible oils on the basis of their clearly different voltammetric profiles. A satisfactory interdevice reproducibility (±13%) was estimated by applying strictly similar extra virgin olive oil samples onto seven different cells carefully prepared by the same procedure. An operating mechanism able to account for the detection of also electroactive hydrophobic compounds present in oils is propose
Generation of Oil Droplets in a Non-Newtonian Liquid Using a Microfluidic T-Junction
No full textWe have compared the formation of oil drops in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in a T-junction microfluidic device. As Newtonian fluids, we used aqueous solutions of glycerol, while as non-Newtonian fluids we prepared aqueous solutions of xanthan, a stiff rod-like polysaccharide, which exhibit strong shear-thinning effects. In the squeezing regime, the formation of oil droplets in glycerol solutions is found to scale with the ratio of the dispersed flow rate to the continuous one and with the capillary number associated to the continuous phase. Switching to xanthan solutions does not seem to significantly alter the droplet formation process. Any quantitative difference with respect to the Newtonian liquid can be accounted for by a suitable choice of the capillary number, corresponding to an effective xanthan viscosity that depends on the flow rates. We have deduced ample variations in the viscosity, on the order of 10 and more, during normal operation conditions of the T-junction. This allowed estimating the actual shear rates experienced by the xanthan solutions, which go from tens to hundreds of s^(−1)
Rapid and sensitive measurements of nitrate ester explosives using microchip electrophoresis with electrochemical detection
No full textThis article describes an effective microchip protocol based on electrophoretic-separation and electrochemical detection for highly sensitive and rapid measurements of nitrate ester explosives, including ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGDN), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), propylene glycol dinitrate (PGDN) and glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin, NG). Factors influencing the separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. Under the optimal separation conditions obtained using a 15 mM borate buffer (pH 9.2) containing 20 mM SDS, and applying a separation voltage of 1500 V, the four nitrate ester explosives were separated within less than 3 min. The glassy-carbon amperometric detector (operated at -0.9 V vs. Ag/AgCl) offers convenient cathodic detection down to the picogram level, with detection limits of 0.5 ppm and 0.3 ppm for PGDN and for NG, respectively, along with good repeatability (RSD of 1.8-2.3%; n = 6) and linearity (over the 10-60 ppm range). Such effective microchip operation offers great promise for field screening of nitrate ester explosives and for supporting various counter-terrorism surveillance activities.US National Consortium for MASINT Research (NCMR)CNPq/CAPES (Brazil)Progetto D4 (European Social Fund, Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia and Italian Ministry of Welfare
Digitally Controlled Procedure for Assembling Fully Drawn Paper-Based Electroanalytical Platforms
No full textNew technologies for the fabrication of microluidic devices with electrochemical detection
No full textEste trabalho de doutorado apresenta o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias para fabricação de microsistemas analíticos e detecção eletroquímica. Primeiramente, a poliuretana elastomérica, derivada de uma fonte renovável, o óleo de mamona, foi utilizada como um novo e alternativo material para fabricação de microdispositivos. Foram avaliadas as características físicas dos microcanais formados por moldagem, a compatibilidade química com solventes e eletrólitos, as características de superfície através dos ângulos de contato, o EOF em diferentes pHs e a performance analítica em experimentos de eletroforese com detecção eletroquímica. A segunda parte do trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento de um método para a determinação simultânea de azo-corantes comumente usados na indústria alimentícia. Amaranto, amarelo crepúsculo FCF, amarelo sólido AB, ponceu 4R e vermelho 2G, foram separados e quantificados através de eletroforese em microdispositivos com detecção eletroquímica. Foram estudados e otimizados vários parâmetros que influenciaram a separação eletroforética e detecção eletroquímica, em experimentos realizados usando microdispositivos de vidro e eletrodo de trabalho de carbono vítreo. Finalmente, a terceira parte desse trabalho apresenta o uso das propriedades magnéticas e eletrocatalíticas de nanofios de níquel no desenvolvimento de um detector adaptativo magneticamente modulável para eletroforese em microdispositivos.The development of microfluidic analytical systems has witnessed an explosive growth during the last 15 years. Particular attention has been given to microchip electrophoresis because of their fast and efficient separation capabilities. Electrochemistry detection offers considerable promise for such microfluidic systems, with features that include remarkable sensitivity, inherent miniaturization and portability, low cost, and high compatibility with microfabrication technologies. This thesis shows the development of new fabrication technologies for miniaturized analytical systems with electrochemical detection and it is presented in four chapters, Chapter I shows an introductory view of the main aspects related to miniaturization of analytical systems and amperometric detection configurations commonly coupled to microchip electrophoresis. In Chapter II, the use of elastomeric polyurethane (PU), derived from castor oil (CO) biosource, as a new material for fabrication of microfluidic devices by rapid prototyping is presented. Including the irreversible sealing step, PU microchips were fabricated in less than 1 h by casting PU resin directly on the positive high-relief molds fabricated by standard photolithography and nickel electrodeposition. Physical characterization of microchannels was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and profilometry. Polymer surface was characterized using contact angle measurements and the results showed that the hydrophilicity of the PU surface increases after oxygen plasma treatment. The polymer surface demonstrated the capability of generating an electroosmotic flow (EOF) of 2.6 × 10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1 at pH 7 in the cathode direction, which was characterized by current monitoring method at different pH values. The compatibility of PU with a wide range of solvents and electrolytes was tested by determining its degree of swelling over a 24 h period of contact. The performance of microfluidic systems fabricated using this new material was evaluated by fabricating miniaturized capillary electrophoresis systems. We used catecholamines as model analytes that were separated in aqueous solutions and detected with end-channel amperometric detection. In Chapter III, a method based on microchip electrophoresis with electrochemical detection has been developed for the simultaneous determination of Yellow AB, Red 2G, Sunset Yellow, Ponceu 4R, and Amaranth which are azo-dyes frequently added to foodstuffs. Factors affecting both separation and detection processes were examined and optimized, with best performance achieved by using a 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 11) as running buffer and applying a voltage of 2500 V both in the separation and in the electrokinetic injection (duration 4 s). Under these optimal conditions, the target dye analytes could be separated and detected within 300 s by applying a detection potential of -1,0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) to the glassy carbon (GC) working electrode. The recorded peaks were characterized by a good repeatability (RSD = 1,8 - 3,2%), high sensitivity, and a wide linear range. Detection limits of 3.8, 3.4, 3.6, 9.1, 15.1 ?M were obtained for Yellow AB, Red 2G, Sunset Yellow, Ponceu 4R, and Amaranth, respectively. Fast, sensitive, and selective response makes the new microchip protocol very attractive for the quantitative analysis of commercial soft drinks and candies Finally, in Chapter IV, we demonstrate for the first time the use of adaptive functional nickel nanowires for switching on demand operation of microfluidic devices. Controlled reversible magnetic positioning and orientation of these nanowires at the microchannel outlet offers modulation of the detection and separation processes, respectively. The former facilitates switching between active and passive detection states to allow the microchip to be periodically activated to perform a measurement and reset it to the passive (\"off\") state between measurements. Fine magnetic tuning of the separation process (post channel broadening of the analyte zone) is achieved by reversibly modulating the nanowire orientation (i.e., detector alignment) at the channel outlet. The concept can be extended to other microchip functions and stimuli-responsive materials and holds great promise for regulating the operation of microfluidic devices in reaction to specific needs or unforeseen scenarios
Hand drawing of pencil electrodes on paper platforms for contactless conductivity detection of inorganic cations in human tear samples using electrophoresis chips
No full textThis paper describes for the first time the fabrication of pencil drawn electrodes (PDE) on paper platforms for capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection ((CD)-D-4) on electrophoresis microchips. PDE-(CD)-D-4 devices were attached on PMMA electrophoresis chips and used for detection of K+ and Na+ in human tear samples. PDE-(CD)-D-4 devices were produced on office paper and chromatographic paper platforms and their performance were thoroughly investigated using a model mixture containing K+, Na+, and Li+. In comparison with chromatographic paper, PDE-(CD)-D-4 fabricated on office paper has exhibited better performance due to its higher electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the detector response was similar to that recorded with electrodes prepared with copper adhesive tape. The fabrication of PDE-(CD)-D-4 on office paper has offered great advantages including extremely low cost (< $ 0.004 per unit), reduced fabrication time (< 5 min), and minimal instrumentation (pencil and paper). The proposed electrodes demonstrated excellent analytical performance with good reproducibility. For an inter-PDE comparison (n = 7), the RSD values for migration time, peak area, and separation efficiency were lower than 2.5, 10.5, and 14%, respectively. The LOD's achieved for K+, Na+, and Li+ were 4.9, 6.8, and 9.0 M, respectively. The clinical feasibility of the proposed approach was successfully demonstrated with the quantitative analysis of K+ and Na+ in tear samples. The concentration levels found for K+ and Na+ were, respectively, 20.8 +/- 0.1 mM and 101.2 +/- 0.1 mM for sample #1, and 20.4 +/- 0.1 mM and 111.4 +/- 0.1 mM for sample #
Determination of total polyphenol using flow injection analysis.
No full textIn this dissertation, three flow injection analysis methods for total polyphenol
determination in tea and acacia s tannins commercial extracts were developed. The first method is based on the reaction between the polyphenol compounds and the metavanadate anion (VO3 -), yielding a colored product with strong absorption at 585 nm. In the flow injection system with merging zones employed, 500 µL of the sample solutions and 500 µL of 0.10 mol L-1 ammonium metavanadate solution were injected into the individual carrier solutions (deionised water). With the reaction development in a 150 cm coil reactor, the chromogenic product formed was monitored spectrophotometrically at 585 nm.
The analytical curve was linear in the tannic acid concentrations ranging from 35.7 and 544
mgL-1 (2.1 x 10-5 and 3.2 x 10-4 mol L-1), with a detection limit of 12.9 mg L-1 (7.6x10-6 mol L-1). An analytical sampling of 70 determinations per hour was obtained with relative standard
deviations smaller than 0.8 % for tannic acid solutions containing 81.7 and 493 mg L-1 (4.8 x
10-5 and 2.8 x 10-4 mol L-1). Because the recoveries from tea samples varied between 87.3
and 94.2%, the standard multiple additions method was used for total polyphenol determination in these samples. In the second proposed method the same reagent was employed in the determination of the polyphenol compounds. In this case, a single-line flow injection system coupled with a solid phase reactor containing silver metavanadate (AgVO3) immobilized in polyesther resin was employed. In this system, volumes of 500 µL of the sample solutions injected into the carrier solution were converted in the chromogenic product in the solid phase reactor with 10 cm of length containing particles with size ranging from 250 and 300 µm of AgVO3 immobilized in polyesther. The analytical curve was linear in the tannic acid concentrations ranging from 88.5 and 2041 mg L-1 (5.2 x 10-5 e 1.2 x 10-3 mol L-1), with a detection limit of 10.0 mg L-1 (5.9 x 10-6 mol L-1). An analytical sampling of 35 determinations per hour was obtained with relative standard deviations smaller than 1.1 % for tannic acid solutions containing 175 and 1350 mg L-1 (1.0 x 10-4 and 7.9 x 10-4 mol L-1). Since the recoveries from acacia s tannin extracts of samples varied between 98.5 and 104%, the total
polyphenol analysis were made directly by the use of an analytical curve. In the third developed method, a flow injection analysis system was employed for turbidimetric determination of total polyphenols, using copper(II) íons in a acetate medium as the precipitin reagent. In this system, 350 µL of reagent solution (0.10 mol L-1 copper(II)) and 350 µL of the sample solutions were injected simultaneously into a merging zones system. After a previous mixing at a 50 cm coil reactor, they receive an 0.10 mol L-1 ammonium acetate solution by confluence. The precipitate formed at a 100 cm coil reactor, was monitored turbidimetrically at 500 nm. A 10-2 mol L-1 HNO3 solution flowing intermittently at 3.5 mL min-1 was used to wash the flow system during the sampling. The determination of polyphenol compounds in tea samples in the concentration range from 18.0 to 725 mg L-1 (1.1 x 10-5 e 4.3 x 10-4 mol L-1) with a detection limit of 6.49 mg L-1 (3.8 x 10-6 mol L-1) for standard solutions of tannic acid was obtained. The analytical sampling was 90 determinations per hour with relative standard deviations smaller than 0.9 % for tannic acid solutions containing 109 and 357 mg L-1 (6.4 x 10-5 and 2.1 x 10-4 mo L-1) (n = 10). Because the recoveries from tea samples varied between 91.4 and 111%, the standard multiple additions method was used for total polyphenol determination in these samples. The results of the sample analysis obtained with the proposed methods were compared with those obtained employing the AOAC official method with relative errors smaller than 6.4%.Financiadora de Estudos e ProjetosDescrevem-se neste trabalho três métodos de análises por injeção em fluxo para determinação de polifenóis totais em amostras de chás e extratos comerciais tanínicos de acácia. O primeiro método baseia-se na reação de oxidação entre os compostos polifenólicos e o ânion metavanadato (VO3 -), originando como produto um cromóforo com forte absorção em 585 nm. No sistema em fluxo com zonas coalescentes empregado, volumes de 500 µL de soluções das amostras e 500 µL de solução de metavanadato de amônio (NH4VO3) 0,10 mol L-1 foram injetados em soluções transportadoras (água deionizada) individuais, percorrendo distâncias iguais até se encontrarem em um ponto de confluência. Com o desenvolvimento da reação em um reator helicoidal de 150 cm, o cromóforo formado foi então monitorado espectrofotometricamente naquele comprimento de onda. A curva analítica foi linear no intervalo de concentrações de ácido tânico entre 35,7 e 544 mg L-1 (2,1 x 10-5 e 3,2 x 10-4 mol L-1), com um limite de detecção de 12,9 mg L-1 (7,6 x 10-6 mol L-1). A freqüência de amostragem foi de 70 determinações por hora com desvios padrões relativos menores que 0,8% para soluções de ácido tânico de 81,7 e 493 mg L-1 (4,8 x 10-5 e 2,8 x 10-4 mol L-1) (n = 10). Como as recuperações em amostras de chás variaram entre 87,3 e 94,2%, empregou-se o método de adição múltipla de padrões para determinação de polifenóis totais nessas amostras. No segundo método proposto empregou-se o mesmo reagente para
determinação de polifenóis em amostras de extratos de acácia. A reação química envolvida
no segundo método proposto também tem como base a oxidação dos compostos polifenólicos com o ânion metavanadato (VO3 -). Nesse caso, empregou-se um sistema em fluxo de linha única com um reator em fase sólida acoplado contendo metavanadato de prata (AgVO3) imobilizado em resina de polié ster. Nesse sistema, os volumes de 500 µL das soluções das amostras injetadas no fluxo transportador (água deionizada), ao passarem
pelo reator em fase sólida com comprimento de 10 cm contendo partículas com tamanhos entre 250 e 300 µm, são convertidas no cromóforo monitorado em 585 nm. A curva analítica foi linear na faixa de concentrações de ácido tânico de 88,5 a 2041 mg L-1 (5,2 x 10-5 e 1,2 x 10-3 mol L-1), com limite de detecção de 10,0 mg L-1 (5,9 x 10-6 mol L-1) e desvios padrões relativos menores que 1,1% (n = 11) para soluções de referência de ácido tânico de 175 e 1350 mg L-1 (1,0 x 10-4 e 7,9 x 10-4 mol L-1). A freqüência de amostragem foi de 35
determinações por hora com recuperações em amostras de extratos tanínicos de acácia entre 98,5 e 104%. A análise de polifenóis totais nessas amostras foi feito diretamente empregando-se uma curva analítica. No terceiro método desenvolvido, um sistema de análises por injeção em fluxo foi empregado para determinação turbidimétrica de polifenóis totais utilizando como reagente precipitante íons Cu2+ em meio de acetato. Nesse sistema, solução do reagente Cu2+ 0,10 mol L-1 e da amostra são injetados simultaneamente em zonas coalescentes em volumes de 350 µL. Após uma prévia mistura em um reator helicoidal de 50 cm, recebem por confluência solução de acetato de amônio 0,10 mol L-1. O precipitado formado em um
reator helicoidal de 100 cm foi monitorado turbidimétricamente em 500 nm. Adaptou-se um
fluxo intermitente de HNO3 10-2 mol L-1 que efetuasse a limpeza do sistema durante a
amostragem. O método foi aplicado em análise de amostras de chás, apresentando uma curva analítica linear no intervalo de concentrações de ácido tânico de 18,0 a 725 mg L-1 (1,1 x 10-5 e 4,3 x 10-4 mol L-1), limite de detecção de 6,49 mg L-1 (3,81 x 10-6 mol L-1) e freqüência de amostragem de 90 determinações por hora. Os desvios padrões relativos foram menores que 0,9% para soluções de ácido tânico de 109 e 357 mg L-1 (6,4 x 10-5 e 2,1 x 10-4 mo L-1) (n = 10). As recuperações nas amostras de chás variaram entre 91,4 e 111%. Sendo assim, empregou-se o método de adição múltipla de padrões para determinação de
polifenóis totais em amostras de chás. Os resultados das análises de amostras obtidos empregando-se os três métodos desenvolvidos foram comparados com aqueles obtidos empregando o método oficial da AOAC, com erros relativos menores que 6,4%
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