Publications

Abstract An electrochemical method for the detection of enzymatically created anions is described that uses a thin-film electrode with decamethylferrocene as an electroactive redox probe. The enzymatic oxidation of glucose with enzyme glucose oxidase produces gluconic acid as a final product. The oxidation of decamethylferrocene dissolved in the thin-nitrobenzene film, that is spread on the working graphite electrode and submerged in the aqueous solution containing glucose and glucose oxidase, is followed by the up-take of gluconate anions from the aqueous phase to nitrobenzene. The peak currents of the square-wave voltammetric responses of that system are a linear function of the glucose concentration in the milimolar range from 0.1 mmol/L to 0.7 mmol/L (R-2 = 0.994).

Abstract A new sol-gel application for the development of SPME fibers is described. Phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS) were the sol-gel precursors used at different proportions, together with different water contents, catalyst and reaction time. It was observed that obtaining a good film quality was determinant for a good extracting fiber performance. The film thickness ranged 0.2-1 mu m and could not be increased by multi-coating processes. Apparently, a dense, non-porous microstructure was obtained. These coatings exhibited a strong hydrophobic character, as shown by the capability of extraction of long chain and apolar aromatic compounds, which, was comparable to that of the 100 mu m polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and 65 mu m carbowax-divinylbenzene (CW-DVB). The developed fiber has shown high thermal (350 degrees C) and organic solvent stability (ethanol, toluene and dichloromethane), thus bearing adequate characteristics to be associated to GC and potentialities that nay also envisage suitability for HPLC. The new fibers may be useful for the microextraction of non-polar compounds. although at trace levels and in simple matrixes only, due to the susceptibility to competition.

Abstract The ion transfer of acetylcholine (AcH+) ions across the unmodified and phospholipid-modified water 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) interface has been studied by means of square-wave and cyclic voltammetry, as well as by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After being transferred in the organic phase, the AcH+ ions undergo chemical reactions with the phospholipids. The overall behavior of the experimental system studied in the presence of phospholipids has been compared with the theoretical results of an ECrev reaction. The kinetic parameters of the chemical interactions between AcH+ and the phospholipids have been determined from the voltammetric and impedance measurements. Additional characterization of those interactions has been made by using the surface tension measurements.

Abstract The build up and electrochemical characterization of interfacial composite nanostructures containing a cationic polyelectrolyte and negatively charged mercaptosuccinic acid stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNps) is reported. The nanostructures were formed at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions in which the organic phase is an immobilized 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether/PVC gel. The growth of the multilayer was verified with UV-vis spectra, and approximately a linear increase in UV-vis absorbance with increasing number of layers was observed. The interfacial capacitance of the multilayers was measured as a function of the potential and a theoretical model was developed to explain the results. The excellent agreement between theoretical and experimental capacitance curves allows us to conclude that nanocomposites behave similarly to polyelectrolyte multilayers, with the outmost layer determining the alternating sign of the outer surface charge density. Cyclic voltammograms were used to evaluate the transfer rate constant across the multilayers of a model drug, metoprolol, and the standard probe tetraethylammonium cation. The apparent rate constants were slightly larger than in other studies in the literature and decrease with the increasing number of layers.

Abstract Polyelectrolyte/gold nanoparticle multilayers composed Of poly(L-lysine) (pLys) and mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were built up using the electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly technique upon a gold electrode modified with a first layer of MSA. The assemblies were characterized using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, cyclic and square-wave voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Charge transport through the multilayer was studied experimentally as well as theoretically by using two different redox pairs [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) and [Ru(NH3)(6)](3+/2+). This paper reports a large sensitivity to the charge of the outermost layer for the permeability of these assemblies to the probe ions. With the former redox pair, dramatic changes in the impedance response were obtained for thin multilayers each time a new layer was deposited. In the latter case, the multilayer behaves as a conductor exhibiting a strikingly lower impedance response, the electric current being enhanced as more layers are added for Au NP terminated multilayers. These results are interpreted quite satisfactorily by means of a capillary membrane model that encompasses the wide variety of behaviors observed. It is concluded that nonlinear slow diffusion through defects (pinholes) in the multilayer is the governing mechanism for the [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) species, whereas electron transfer through the Au NPs is the dominant mechanism in the case of the [Ru(NH3)(6)](3+/2+) pair.

Abstract (Chemical Equation Presented) Shedding light on luciferase: Luciferyl coenzyme A (1) was synthesized and it was found that luciferase catalyzes light production from luciferyl coenzyme A and AMP. The results of this study open perspectives for new bioanalytical methods and are strong evidence for the evolutionary relationship between firefly luciferase and acyl-CoA synthetases. © 2005 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Abstract Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry are employed to characterize poly(styrenesulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) multilayers assembled onto cysteamine-modified gold surfaces. The influence of the supporting electrolyte and temperature on the impedance response is studied because of both its practical interest and the need to test further the capillary membrane model recently developed by Barreira et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 17973]. The results obtained are interpreted quite satisfactorily in terms of this model, thus providing additional support to its usefulness for the description of ionic transport through polyelectrolyte multilayers. It is observed that the nature of the supporting electrolyte affects the film resistance and the electrode coverage. The temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient is shown to follow the Arrhenius law, and the activation energy is estimated as 61 kJ/mol. Experiments with a large number of layers are also included to show that the impedance response of the multilayer then resembles that of a homogeneous membrane.

Abstract The standard enthalpy of formation and the enthalpy of sublimation of crystalline 2-hydroxyphenazine-diN-oxide, at T = 298.15 K, were determined from isoperibol static bomb combustion calorimetry and from Knudsen effusion experiments, as -76.7 +/- 4.2 kJ center dot mol(-1) and 197 5 kJ center dot mol(-1), respectively. The sum of these two quantities gives the standard enthalpy of formation in the gas-phase for this compound, Delta(f)H(m)degrees(g) = 120 6 KJ center dot mol(-1). This value was combined with the gas-phase standard enthalpy of formation for 2-hydroxyphenazine retrieved from a group estimative method yielding the mean (N-O) bond dissociation enthalpy, in the gas-phase, for 2-hydroxyphenazine-di-N-oxide. The result obtained with this strategy is < DHmdegrees (N - O)> = 263 +/- 4 KJ center dot mol(-1), which is in excellent agreement with the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p)// B3LYP/6-31G(d) computed value, 265 KJ center dot mol(-1).

Abstract The standard (p degrees = 0. 1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation, Delta(f)H degrees(m), for crystalline 1 -hydroxyisoquinoline, 5-hydroxyisoquinoline and 1,5-diidroxyisoquinoline, were derived from the standard molar enthalpies of combustion, in oxygen, at the temperature 298.15 K, measured by static bomb-combustion calorimetry. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation, Delta(cr)(g)H degrees(m), at T = 298.15 K, were determined by Calvet microcalorimetry. The results were as follows: [GRAPHICS] The derived standard molar enthalpies of formation, in the gaseous state, are analysed in terms of enthalpic increments and interpreted in terms of molecular structure.