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In ultra-low-temperature experiments at 4.7 K the luminescence of Eu(III) bound to different hydroxy- and methoxybenzoic acids and to humic substances (HS) was investigated. The benzoic acid derivatives were used as simple model compounds for common metal-binding structures in HS. The Eu(III) luminescence was directly excited by means of a pulsed dye laser, scanning through the D-5(0) -> F-7(0) transition of Eu(III) and subsequently, high-resolution total luminescence spectra (TLS) were recorded. Based on the thorough analysis of the high-resolution TLS conclusions were drawn with respect to the number of different complexes formed and to the symmetry of the complexes. The crystal-field strength parameter N-nu(B-2q) was dependent on the electrostatic forces induced by the ligands as well as on the symmetry of the complexes. The formation of thermodynamically stable complexes was found to be slow even for small model ligands such its 2-hydroxybenzoic acid. Comparison between the model compounds and HS clearly revealed that the carboxylate group is the dominant binding site in HS. Indices for the formation of chelates, e.g. similar to 2- hydroxybenzoic acid, were not found for HS.
Species-related luminescence-structure relationships in europium-exchanged mesoporous material
(2009)
Europium exchanged into a mesoporous material (Zeotile-1) was extensively characterized with respect to the Si/ Al ratio and surface silylation by using time-resolved emission spectroscopy. Qualitative as well as quantitative details of the europium species-related luminescence-structure relationships were obtained and discussed such as the decay associated spectra, local distortion and structure of the bonding environment, crystal-field strength, radiative relaxation rates, and the quantum efficiency. Thus, two europium species were found in the parent as well as in the silylated materials: one species located on the internal surface and the second inside the 2-2.5 nm pores. The species located on the internal surface is characterized by photoluminescence decay times of 105 mu s <tau < 125 mu s, an asymmetry value R of 0.6 < R < 0.8, and a quantum efficiency of 2%-2.5%. Upon silylation, the photoluminescence decay times, the asymmetry values, and the quantum efficiency were increased to 160 mu s <tau < 180 mu s, 1.7 < R < 2.1, and similar to 4%, respectively. Following silylation, the number of water molecules is reduced in the first coordination shell of the europium species located on the internal surface from eight to nine to about five. On the other hand, the europium species located inside the pores showed a much longer photoluminescence decay time (460 mu s <tau < 560 mu s) and a much higher asymmetry ratio (5 < R < 6.5). The related photoluminescence efficiency was 26%-30%. An average of one up to two water molecules in the first coordination shell of the europium species located inside the pores was estimated for both parent and silylated materials.
The adsorption of boron (boric acid) from aqueous solutions on alumina has been investigated at pH 8.0, I=0.1M NaClO4, T=22 +/- 3 degrees C, and under normal atmospheric conditions. The characterization of the adsorbed species was performed by Raman spectroscopy and the spectroscopic speciation was assisted by theoretical DFT calculations. Evaluation of the spectroscopic data points to the formation of inner-sphere surface complexes and indicates the formation of two different types of adsorbed boron species. The theoretical calculations corroborate the spectroscopic data and indicate that at low boron concentration the monodentate surface species dominates, whereas increased boron concentration favors the formation of a bidentate surface species. Assuming low coverage, the conditional formation constant for the monodentate surface species has been evaluated to be log=4.1 +/- 0.1.
In an area that contains high concentrations of natural organic matter, it is expected that it plays an important role on the behavior of rare earth elements (REE), like europium, and of trivalent actinides. Competitive interactions with H+, inorganic species, major cations, e.g. Ca(II) or Mg(II), could influence these metals transport and bioavailability. Competitive experiments between cations, which can bind differently to humic substances and Eu3+,will bring an improved understanding of the competitive mechanisms. The aim of this study is to acquire data for Eu(III)/Cu(II) and Eu(III)/Ca(II) competitive binding to a sedimentary originated humic acid (Gorleben, Germany). The NICA-Donnan parameters for Ca2+, Cu2+, and Eu3+ obtained from competitive binding experiments using Ca2+ or Cu2+ ion selective electrodes were used to model time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measurements. Eu3+ and Cu2+ are in direct competition for the same type of sites,whereas Ca2+ has an indirect influence through electrostatic binding.
Europium ions were introduced in SiO2 and MCM-41 via two different pathways: (1) grafting the europium complexes with two alkoxide structures, 3-(2-imidazolin-1-yl)-propyl-triethoxysilane (IPTES) and aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), and (2) functionalization of the SiO2 support with silicon 4- carboxylbutyltriethoxide followed by subsequent addition of the europium ions. The new materials were characterized using nitrogen adsorption isotherms at -196 degrees C, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, NMR, DR-UV-vis, steady-state emission and excitation, and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Spectral changes found in the time-resolved photoluminscence spectra strongly point to the distribution of europium ions on a range of environments in both SiO2 and MCM-41 supports. The average europium photoluminescence lifetimes decrease within the order: Eu3+-IPTES/SiO2 (550 mu s) > Eu3+-APTMS/SiO2 (425 mu s) > Eu3+-APTMS/MCM-41 (370 mu s) > Eu3+-IPTES/MCM-41 (320 mu s) > Eu3+-CABES/SiO2 (240 mu s). The photoluminescence quantum efficiency has the largest value, of 22%, for Eu3+-IPTES/SiO2, while the most reduced value, of 9%, was measured for Eu3+-CABES/SiO2.
The transport of bioactive compounds to the site of action is a great challenge. A promising approach to overcome application-related problems is the development of targeting colloidal transport systems, such as micelles which are equipped with uptake mediating moieties. Here, we investigated a set of novel lipopeptides which exhibit a surfactant-like structure due to attachment of two palmitoyl chains to the Nterminus of cationic or anionic amino acid sequences. We analyzed the association behavior of these lipopeptides by using 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF)-labeled derivatives as a fluorescent probe and different spectroscopic methods such as fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). The photophysical properties as well as the diffusion and rotational movements of the CF-labeled lipopeptides were exploited to determine the cmc and the size of the micelles consisting of lipopeptides. We could distinguish cationic and anionic lipopeptides by their association behavior and by studying the interactions with mouse brain capillary endothelial cells (b.end3). The cationic derivatives turned out to be very strong surfactants with a very low cmc in the micromolar range (0.5-14 mu M). The unique combination of micelle-forming property and cell-penetrating ability can pave the road for the development of a novel class of efficient drug carrier systems.
Fluorescence probes consisting of well-established fluorophores in combination with rigid molecular rods based on spirane-type structures were investigated with respect to their fluorescence properties under different solvent conditions. The attachment of the dyes was accomplished by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between alkynes and azides (click' reaction) and is a prime example for a novel class of sensor constructs. Especially, the attachment of two (different) fluorophores on opposite sides of the molecular rods paves the way to new sensor systems with less bulky (compared to the conventional DNA- or protein-based concepts), nevertheless rigid spacer constructs, e.g., for FRET-based sensing applications. A detailed photophysical characterization was performed in MeOH (and in basic H2O/MeOH mixtures) for i) rod constructs containing carboxyfluorescein, ii) rod constructs containing carboxyrhodamine, iii) rod constructs containing both carboxyfluorescein and carboxyrhodamine, and iv) rod constructs containing both pyrene and perylene parts. For each dye (pair), two rod lengths with different numbers of spirane units were synthesized and investigated. The rod constructs were characterized in ensemble as well as single-molecule fluorescence experiments with respect to i) specific roddye and ii) dyedye interactions. In addition to MeOH and MeOH/NaOH, the rod constructs were also investigated in micellar systems, which were chosen as a simplified model for membranes.
Eu(III) luminescence spectroscopy, both in the steady-state and the time-resolved mode, is an appropriate technique to study the properties of complexes between heavy metal ions and humic substances (HS), which play a key role in the distribution of metal species in the environment. Unfortunately, room temperature luminescence spectra of Eu(III) complexes with aromatic and aliphatic carboxylic acids - model compounds of HS binding sites - are too broad to fully exploit their potential analytical information content. It is shown that under cryogenic conditions fluorescence-line- narrowing (FLN) is achieved, and the highly resolved spectra provide detailed information on the complexes. Ten model ligands were investigated. Total luminescence spectra (TLS) were recorded, using the D-5(0) -> F-7(0) transition for excitation and the D-5(0) -> F-7(1) and D-5(0) -> F-7(2) transitions for emission. The energy of the excitation transition depends on the ligand involved and the structure and composition of the complex. For most ligands, discontinuities in the high-resolution TLS indicated that more species, i.e. distinct complex structures, coexisted in the sample. Selective excitation was performed to measure the species-associated luminescence decay times tau. The latter strongly depend on nearby OH oscillators from coordinating water molecules or ligand hydroxyl groups. Furthermore, the asymmetry ratios r, defined as the intensity ratio of the D-5(0) -> F-7(2) and D-5(0) -> F-7(1) transitions, were calculated and the variation of the excitation energy E-exc with the splitting of the F-7(1) triplet (Delta E) was determined. which yielded the crystal field strength parameter N-nu(B-2q), as well as the crystal field parameters B-20 and B-22. An in-depth analysis of the results is presented, providing detailed information on the number of coexisting complexes, their stoichiometry, the number of water molecules in the first coordination sphere and their geometry (symmetry point group).
Ammonium serves as key nitrogen source and metabolic intermediate, yet excess causes toxicity. Ammonium uptake is mediated by ammonium transporters, whose regulation is poorly understood. While transport can easily be characterized in heterologous systems, measuring transporter activity in vivo remains challenging. Here we developed a simple assay for monitoring activity in vivo by inserting circularly-permutated GFP into conformation-sensitive positions of two plant and one yeast ammonium transceptors (’AmTrac and ’MepTrac’). Addition of ammonium to yeast cells expressing the sensors triggered concentration dependent fluorescence intensity (FI) changes that strictly correlated with the activity of the transporter. Fluorescence-based activity sensors present a novel technology for monitoring the interaction of the transporters with their substrates, the activity of transporters and their regulation in vivo, which is particularly valuable in the context of analytes for which no radiotracers exist, as well as for cell-specific and subcellular transport processes that are otherwise difficult to track.
Terbium-exchanged ZSM-5, MOR and (H)BEA zeolites were silylated with phenyl-, vinyl- and hexadecyl trimethoxysilanes via a post-synthesis grafting. All samples were investigated by means of PXRD, FT-IR, TGA, physical adsorption, DR-UV-Vis and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. From the comparison of the photoluminescence decays of terbium-exchanged in parent (non-silylated) and silylated zeolites, it resulted that the silylation efficiency of the various alkoxysilanes is determined by the type of zeolite and follows the sequences: phenyl > vinyl > hexadecyl > parent for ZSM-5, hexadecyl a parts per thousand phenyl a parts per thousand vinyl > parent for MOR and hexadecyl > phenyl a parts per thousand vinyl > a parts per thousand parent for BEA zeolites, respectively.
Optical methods play an important role in process analytical technologies (PAT). Four examples of optical process and quality sensing (OPQS) are presented, which are based on three important experimental techniques: near- infrared absorption, luminescence quenching, and a novel method, photon density wave (PDW) spectroscopy. These are used to evaluate four process and quality parameters related to beer brewing and polyurethane (PU) foaming processes: the ethanol content and the oxygen (O-2) content in beer, the biomass in a bioreactor, and the cellular structures of PU foam produced in a pilot production plant
In the natural environment humic substances (HS) represent a major factor determining the speciation of metal ions, e.g., in the context of radionuclide migration. Here, due to their intrinsic sensitivity and selectivity, spectroscopic methods are often applied, requiring a fundamental understanding of the photophysical processes present in such HS-metal complexes. Complexes with different metal ions were studied using 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (2HB) as a model compound representing an important part of the chelating substructures in HS. In flash photolysis experiments under direct excitation of 2HB in the absence and the presence of different lanthanide ions, the generation and the decay of the 2HB triplet state, of the phenoxy radical, and of the solvated electron were monitored. Depending on the lanthanide ion different intracomplex processes were observed for these transient species including energy migration to and photoreduction of the lanthanide ion. The complexity of the intracomplex photophysical processes even for small molecules such as 2HB underlines the necessity to step-by-step approach the photochemical reactivity of HS by using suitable model compounds.
The formation of secondary Ln(III) solid phases (e.g., Nd-2(CO3)(3) and Sm-2(CO3)(3)) was studied as a function of the humic acid concentration in 0.1 mol/L NaClO4 aqueous solution in the neutral pH range (5-6.5). The solid phases under investigation were prepared by alkaline precipitation under 100% CO2 atmosphere and characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS), diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DR-UV-Vis), Raman spectroscopy, and solubility measurements. The spectroscopic data obtained indicated that Nd-2(CO3)(3) and Sm-2(CO3)(3) were stable and remained the solubility limiting solid phases even in the presence of increased humic acid concentration (0.5 g/L) in solution. Upon base addition in the Ln(III)-HA system, decomplexation of the previously formed Ln(III)-humate complexes and precipitation of two distinct phases occurred, the inorganic (Ln(2)(CO3)(3)) and the organic phase (HA), which was adsorbed on the particle surface of the former. Nevertheless, humic acid affected the particle size of the solid phases. Increasing humic acid concentration resulted in decreasing crystallite size of the Nd-2(CO3)(3) and increasing crystallite size of the Sm-2(CO3)(3) solid phase, and affected inversely the solubility of the solid phases. However, this impact on the solid phase properties was expected to be of minor relevance regarding the chemical behavior and migration of trivalent lanthanides and actinides in the geosphere.
The disease risk and age of onset of Huntington disease (HD) and nine other repeat disorders strongly depend on the expansion of CAG repeats encoding consecutive polyglutamines (polyQ) in the corresponding disease protein. PolyQ length-dependent misfolding and aggregation are the hallmarks of CAG pathologies. Despite intense effort, the overall structure of these aggregates remains poorly understood. Here, we used sensitive time-dependent fluorescent decay measurements to assess the architecture of mature fibrils of huntingtin (Htt) exon 1 implicated in HD pathology. Varying the position of the fluorescent labels in the Htt monomer with expanded 51Q (Htt51Q) and using structural models of putative fibril structures, we generated distance distributions between donors and acceptors covering all possible distances between the monomers or monomer dimensions within the polyQ amyloid fibril. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we systematically scanned all possible monomer conformations that fit the experimentally measured decay times. Monomers with four-stranded 51Q stretches organized into five-layered beta-sheets with alternating N termini of the monomers perpendicular to the fibril axis gave the best fit to our data. Alternatively, the core structure of the polyQ fibrils might also be a zipper layer with antiparallel four-stranded stretches as this structure showed the next best fit. All other remaining arrangements are clearly excluded by the data. Furthermore, the assessed dimensions of the polyQ stretch of each monomer provide structural evidence for the observed polyQ length threshold in HD pathology. Our approach can be used to validate the effect of pharmacological substances that inhibit or alter amyloid growth and structure.
The standard procedure in the lab for plasmid isolation usually involves a 2-mL, 16 h over-night cultivation in 15-mL bioreaction tubes in LB medium. This is time consuming, and not suitable for high-throughput applications. This study shows that it is possible to produce plasmid DNA (pDNA) in a 1.5-mL microcentrifuge tube with only 100 L cultivation volume in less than 7 h with a simple protocol. Compared with the standard LB cultivation for pDNA production reaching a final pDNA concentration range of 1.5-4 mu g mL(-1), a 6- to 10-fold increase in plasmid concentration (from 10 up to 25 mu g mL(-1) cultivation volume) is achieved using an optimized medium with an internal substrate delivery system (EnBase (R)). Different strains, plasmids, and the applicability of different inoculation tools (i.e. different starting ODs) were compared, demonstrating the robustness of the system. Additionally, dissolved oxygen was monitored in real time online, indicating that under optimized conditions oxygen limitation can be avoided. We developed a simple protocol with a significantly decreased procedure time, enabling simultaneous handling of more samples, while a consistent quality and a higher final pDNA concentration are ensured.
We report on a new three-color FRET system consisting of three fluorescent dyes, i.e., of a carbostyril (=quinolin-2(1H)-one)-derived donor D, a (bathophenanthroline)ruthenium complex as a relay chromophore A1, and a Cy dye as A2 (FRET=Forster resonance-energy-transfer) (cf. Fig. 1). With their widely matching spectroscopic properties (cf. Fig. 2), the combination of these dyes yielded excellent FRET efficiencies. Furthermore, fluorescence lifetime measurements revealed that the long fluorescence lifetime of the Ru complex was transferred to the Cy dye offering the possibility to measure the whole system in a time-resolved mode. The FRET system was established on double-stranded DNA (cf. Fig. 3) but it should also be generally applicable to other biomolecules.
Ultrasound (20 kHz, 29 W. cm(-2)) is employed to form three types of erbium oxide nanoparticles in the presence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a template material in water. The nanoparticles are (i) erbium carboxioxide nanoparticles deposited on the external walls of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and Er(2)O(3) in the bulk with (ii) hexagonal and (iii) spherical geometries. Each type of ultrasonically formed nanoparticle reveals Er(3+) photoluminescence from crystal lattice. The main advantage of the erbium carboxioxide nanoparticles on the carbon nanotubes is the electromagnetic emission in the visible region, which is new and not examined up to the present date. On the other hand, the photoluminescence of hexagonal erbium oxide nanoparticles is long-lived (mu s) and enables the higher energy transition ((4)S(3/2)-(4)I(15/2)), which is not observed for spherical nanoparticles. Our work is unique because it combines for the first time spectroscopy of Er(3+) electronic transitions in the host crystal lattices of nanoparticles with the geometry established by ultrasound in aqueous solution of carbon nanotubes employed as a template material. The work can be of great interest for "green" chemistry synthesis of photoluminescent nanoparticles in water.
In this work, the photophysical properties of two oxazine dyes (ATTO 610 and ATTO 680) covalently attached via a C6-amino linker to the 5'-end of short single-stranded as well as double-stranded DNA (ssDNA and dsDNA, respectively) of different lengths were investigated. The two oxazine dyes were chosen because of the excellent spectral overlap, the high extinction coefficients, and the high fluorescence quantum yield of ATTO 610, making them an attractive Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair for bioanalytical applications in the far-red spectral range. To identify possible molecular dye-DNA interactions that cause photophysical alterations, we performed a detailed spectroscopic study, including time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements. As an effect of the DNA conjugation, the absorption and fluorescence maxima of both dyes were bathochromically shifted and the fluorescence decay times were increased. Moreover, the absorption of conjugated ATTO 610 was spectrally broadened, and a dual fluorescence emission was observed. Steric interactions with ssDNA as well as dsDNA were found for both dyes. The dye-DNA interactions were strengthened from ssDNA to dsDNA conjugates, pointing toward interactions with specific dsDNA domains (such as the top of the double helix). Although these interactions partially blocked the dye-linker rotation, a free (unhindered) rotational mobility of at least one dye facilitated the appropriate alignment of the transition dipole moments in doubly labeled ATTO 610/ATTO 680-dsDNA conjugates for the performance of successful FRET. Considering the high linker flexibility for the determination of the donor-acceptor distances, good accordance between theoretical and experimental FRET parameters was obtained. The considerably large Forster distance of similar to 7 nm recommends the application of this FRET pair not only for the detection of binding reactions between nucleic acids in living cells but also for monitoring interactions of larger biomolecules such as proteins.
We report on a new three-color FRET system which we were able to verify in peptides as well as in synthetic DNA. All three chromophores could be introduced by a building block approach avoiding postsynthetic labeling. Additional features are robustness, matching spectroscopic properties, high-energy transfer, and sensitivity. The system was investigated in detail on a set of peptides as well as an array of tailored oligonucleotides. The detailed analysis of the experimental data and comparison with theoretical considerations were in excellent agreement. It is shown that in the case of polypeptides specific interaction with the fluorescence probes has to be considered. In contrast with DNA, the fluorescence probes did not show any indications of such interactions. The novel three-color FRET toolbox revealed the potential for applications studying fundamental processes of three interacting molecules in life science applications.
This article gives an overview of the current status of knowledge concerning the role of nanoparticles (inorganic and organic) in deep geological host rocks and the potential influence of these nanoparticles on radionuclide migration in far-field systems. The manuscript is not intended to be a full review paper or overview paper concerning nanoparticles, here the intention is to refer to recent publications but to highlight the progress made in the 6th framework project IP FUNMIG (Fundamental processes of radionuclide migration) and the open literature over the past 5 a concerning the process understanding of nanoparticle related issues in the three host rock formations investigated, namely: claystones, crystalline rocks and salt rock overburden. The results show inter alia that the inorganic nanoparticle concentration in deep groundwaters of advection dominated systems rarely exceeds 1 mg L (1) and is expected to be in the ng L (1) range in diffusion controlled systems. For organic nanoparticles DOC concentrations up to tens of milligrams in diffusion-controlled indurated clays with molecular sizes mostly <500 Da have been found. Fulvic acid type organics have been identified in crystalline environments and plastic Clay formations (Boom Clay) with molecular sizes <= 300 kDa. Additional sources of inorganic nanoparticles from the repository near-field (compacted bentonite) were identified and the initial erosion rates were determined. The results indicate under stagnant conditions similar to 38 mg cm (2) a (1) for bi-distilled water, similar to 20 mg cm (2) a (1) for glacial melt water (Grimsel groundwater) and very low rates similar to 0.02 mg cm (2) a (1) for 5 mM CaCl2 contact water. The low critical coagulation concentration (CCC) indicative for purely diffusion controlled coagulation of 1 mM L (1) Ca2+ found in bentonite nanoparticle stability analysis matches the low nanoparticle mobilization from compacted bentonite found in these systems.
Time-resolved emission data (fluorescence decay and fluorescence depolarization) of two three-color Forster resonance energy transfer (tc-FRET) systems consisting of a carbostyril donor (D), a ruthenium complex (Ru) as relay dye, and a Cy5 derivative (Cy) or, optionally, an anthraquinone quencher (Q) were carefully analyzed using advanced distribution analysis models. Thereby, it is possible to get information on the flexibility and mobility of the chromophores which are bound to double stranded (ds) DNA. Especially the distance distribution based on the analysis of the fluorescence depolarization is an attractive approach to complement data of fluorescence decay time analysis. The distance distributions extracted from the experimental data were in excellent agreement with those determined from accessible volume (AV) simulations. Moreover, the study showed that for tc-FRET systems the combination of dyes emitting on different time scales (e.g., nanoseconds vs microseconds) is highly beneficial in the distribution analysis of time-resolved luminescence data in cases where macromolecules such as DNA are involved. Here, the short lifetimes can yield information on the rotation of the dye molecule itself and the long lifetime can give insight in the overall dynamics of the macromolecule.
The formation of secondary Ln(III) solid phases (e.g. Nd(OH)CO3 and Sm(OH)CO3) has been studied as a function of the humic acid (HA) concentration in 0.1 M NaClO4 aqueous solution and their solubility has been investigated in the neutral pH range (6.5-8) under normal atmospheric conditions. Nd(III) and Sm(III) were selected as analogues for trivalent lanthanide and actinide ions. The solid phases under investigation have been prepared by alkaline precipitation and characterized by TGA, ATR-FTIR, XRD, TRLFS, DR-UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy, and solubility measurements. The spectroscopic data obtained indicate that Nd(OH)CO3 and Sm(OH)CO3 are stable and remain the solubility limiting solid phases even in the presence of increased HA concentration (0.5 g/L) in solution. Upon base addition in the Ln(III)-HA system decomplexation of the previously formed Ln(III)-humate complexes and precipitation of two distinct phases occurs, the inorganic (Ln(OH)CO3) and the organic phase (HA), which is adsorbed on the particle surface of the former. Nevertheless, HA affects the particle size of the solid phases. Increasing HA concentration results in decreasing crystallite size of the Nd(OH)CO3 and increasing crystallite size of the Sm(OH)CO3 solid phase, and affects inversely the solubility of the solid phases. However, this impact on the solid phase properties is expected to be of minor relevance regarding the chemical behavior and migration of trivalent lanthanides and actinides in the geosphere.
The well-known cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as a model carrier to study drug-carrier interactions with fluorescence probes (5-hexadecanoylaminofluorescein (HAF) and 2,10-bis-(3-aminopropyloxy)dibenzo[aj]perylene-8,16-dione (NIR 628) by applying ensemble as well as single molecule fluorescence techniques. The impact of the probes on the micelle parameters (critical micelle concentration, average aggregation number, hydrodynamic radius) was investigated under physiological conditions. In the presence of additional electrolytes, such as buffer, the critical micelle concentration decreased by a factor of about 10. In contrast, no influence of the probes on the critical micelle concentration and on average aggregation number was observed. The results show that HAF does not affect the characteristics of CTAB micelles. Analyzing fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data and time-resolved anisotropy decays in terms of the "two-step" in combination with the "wobbling-in-cone" model, it was proven that HAF and NIR 628 are differently associated with the micelles. Based on ensemble and single molecule fluorescence experiments, intra- and intermicellar energy transfer process between the two dyes were probed and characterized.
The applicability of equilibrium models for humic-bound transport of toxic or radioactive metals is affected by kinetic processes leading to an increasing inertness of metal-humic complexes. The chemical background is not yet understood. It is widely believed that bound metals undergo an in-diffusion process within the humic colloids, changing from weaker to stronger binding sites. This work is focussed on the competition effect of Al(III) on complexation of Tb(III) or Eu(III) as analogues of trivalent actinides. By using ion exchange and spectroscopic methods, their bound fractions were determined for solutions of Al and humic acid that had been pre-equilibrated for different periods of time. Whilst the amount of bound Al remained unchanged, its blocking effect was found to increase over a time frame of 2 days, which corresponds to the kinetics of the increase in complex inertness reported in most pertinent studies. Thus, the derived "diffusion theory'' turned out to be inapplicable, since it cannot explain an increase in competition for the "initial'' sites. A delayed degradation of polynuclear species (as found for Fe) does not occur. Consequently, the temporal changes must be based on structural rearrangements in the vicinity of bound Al, complicating the exchange or access. Time-dependent studies by laser fluorescence spectroscopy (steady-state and time-resolved) yielded evidence of substantial alterations, which were, however, immediately induced and did not show any significant trend on the time scale of interest, suggesting that the stabilisation process is based on comparatively moderate changes.
Point-of-care testing (POCT) systems which allow for a sensitive, quantitative detection of protein markers are extremely useful for the early detection and therapy progress monitoring of cancer. However, currently commercially available POCT devices are mainly limited to the qualitative detection of protein markers. In this study we demonstrate the successive miniaturization of a sensitive and fast assay for the quantitative detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) using a well established and clinically approved homogeneous time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay technology (TRACE (R)) on a commercial plate-reader system (KRYPTOR (R)). Regarding the initial requirements for the development of POCT devices we applied a 30-fold assay volume reduction (150 mu L to 5 mu L) to achieve a reasonable lab-on-a-chip volume and a 24-fold and 120-fold excitation pulse energy reduction to achieve reasonable pulse energies for low-cost miniature excitation sources. Due to highly efficient optimization of key POCT parameters our miniaturized PSA assay achieved a 30% increased sensitivity and a 2-fold improved limit of detection compared to the standard plate-reader method. Our results demonstrate the successful implementation of key parameters for a significant miniaturization and for cost reduction in the clinically approved KRYPTOR (R) platform for protein detection. The technological alterations required are easy-to-implement and can be immediately adapted for more than 30 diagnostic protein markers already available for the KRYPTOR (R) platform. These features strongly recommend our assay format to be utilized in innovative, sensitive, quantitative POCT of protein markers.
Formation of a Eu(III) borate solid species from a weak Eu(III) borate complex in aqueous solution
(2014)
In the presence of polyborates (detected by B-11-NMR) the formation of a weak Eu(III) borate complex (lg beta(11) similar to 2, estimated) was observed by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). This complex is a precursor for the formation of a solid Eu(III) borate species. The formation of this solid in solution was investigated by TRLFS as a function of the total boron concentration: the lower the total boron concentration, the slower is the solid formation. The solid Eu(III) borate was characterized by IR spectroscopy, powder XRD and solid-state TRLFS. The determination of the europium to boron ratio portends the existence of pentaborate units in the amorphous solid.
Synthetic routes to different oligospirothioketal (OSTK) Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) constructs are described and the photophysics of these constructs were explored in different solvents. The FRET efficiencies were determined from the experimental data and compared with theoretical values. The influence of the outstanding rigidity of the novel OSTK compounds on the FRET is discussed.
Oligospirothioketal (OSTK) rods are presented as an adjustable scaffold for optical membrane probes. The OSTK rods are readily incorporated into lipid bilayers due to their hydrophobic backbones. Because of their high length-over-diameter aspect ratio, only a minimal disturbance of the lipid bilayer is caused. OSTK rods show outstanding rigidity and allow defined labeling with fluorescent dyes, yielding full control of the orientation between the dye and OSTK skeleton. This. allows the construction of novel Forster resonance energy transfer probes with highly defined relative orientations of the transition dipole moments of the donor and acceptor dyes and makes the class of OSTK probes a power-fill, flexible toolbox for optical biosensing applications. Data on steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence experiments investigating the incorporation of coumarin- and [1,3]-dioxolo[4,5-f][1,3]benzo-dioxole-labeled OSTKs in large unilamellar vesicles are presented as a show case.
Encapsulation of diagnostic and therapeutic compounds in transporters improves their delivery to the point of need. An even more efficient treatment of diseases can be achieved using carriers with targeting or protecting moieties. In the present work, we investigated micellar and liposomal nanocarriers modified with fluorescein, peptides, and polymers that are covalently bound to fatty acids or phospholipids to ensure a self-driven incorporation into the micelles or liposomes. First, we characterized the photophysics of the fluorescent probes in the absence and in the presence of nanocarriers. Changes in the fluorescence decay time, quantum yield, and intensity of a fluorescein-labeled fatty acid (fluorescein-labeled palmitic acid [fPA]) and a fluorescein-labeled lipopeptide (P2fA2) were found. By exploiting these changes, we investigated a lipopeptide (P2A2 as an uptake-mediating unit) in combination with different nanocarriers (micelles and liposomes) and determined the corresponding association constant K-ass values, which were found to be very high. In addition, the mobility of fPA was exploited using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and fluorescence depolarization (FD) experiments to characterize the nanocarriers. Cellular uptake experiments with mouse brain endothelial cells provided information on the uptake behavior of liposomes modified by uptake-mediating P2A2 and revealed differences in the uptake behavior between pH-sensitive and pH-insensitive liposomes.
Nowadays, the encapsulation of therapeutic compounds in so-called carrier systems is a very smart method to achieve protection as well as an improvement of their temporal and spatial distribution. After the successful transport to the point of care, the delivery has to be released under controlled conditions. To monitor the triggered release from the carrier, we investigated different fluorescent probes regarding their response to the pH-induced collapse of pH-sensitive liposomes (pHSLip), which occurs when the environmental pH falls below a critical value. Depending on the probe, the fluorescence decay time as well as fluorescence anisotropy can be used equally as key parameters for monitoring the collapse. Especially the application of a fluorescein labeled fatty acid (fPA) enabled the monitoring of the pHSLips collapse and the pH of its microenvironment simultaneously without interference. Varying the pH in the range of 3 < pH < 9, anisotropy data revealed the critical pH value at which the collapse of the pHSLips occurs. Complementary methods, e.g., fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering, supported the analysis based on the decay time and anisotropy. Additional experiments with varying incubation times yielded information on the kinetics of the liposomal collapse.
The synthesis and photophysical properties of two new FRET pairs based on coumarin as a donor and DBD dye as an acceptor are described. The introduction of a bromo atom dramatically increases the two-photon excitation (2PE) cross section providing a 2PE-FRET system, which is also suitable for 2PE-FLIM.
Upconversion NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles co-doped with Gd3+ and Nd3+ for thermometry on the nanoscale
(2015)
In the present work, the upconversion luminescence properties of oleic acid capped NaYF4:Gd3+:Yb3+:Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) with pure β crystal phase and Nd3+ ions as an additional sensitizer were studied in the temperature range of 288 K < T < 328 K. The results of this study showed that the complex interplay of different mechanisms and effects, causing the special temperature behavior of the UCNP can be developed into thermometry on the nanoscale, e.g. to be applied in biological systems on a cellular level. The performance was improved by the use of Nd3+ as an additional dopant utilizing the cascade sensitization mechanism in tri-doped UCNP.
Upconversion NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles co-doped with Gd3+ and Nd3+ for thermometry on the nanoscale
(2015)
In the present work, the upconversion luminescence properties of oleic acid capped NaYF4:Gd3+:Yb3+:Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) with pure β crystal phase and Nd3+ ions as an additional sensitizer were studied in the temperature range of 288 K < T < 328 K. The results of this study showed that the complex interplay of different mechanisms and effects, causing the special temperature behavior of the UCNP can be developed into thermometry on the nanoscale, e.g. to be applied in biological systems on a cellular level. The performance was improved by the use of Nd3+ as an additional dopant utilizing the cascade sensitization mechanism in tri-doped UCNP.
NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles (UCNP) were synthesized under mild experimental conditions to obtain a pure cubic lattice. Upon annealing at different temperatures up to Tan = 700 °C phase transitions to the hexagonal phase and back to the cubic phase were induced. The UCNP materials obtained for different Tan were characterized with respect to the lattice phase using standard XRD and Raman spectroscopy as well as steady state and time resolved upconversion luminescence. The standard techniques showed that for the annealing temperature range 300 °C < Tan < 600 °C the hexagonal lattice phase was dominant. For Tan < 300 °C hardly any change in the lattice phase could be deduced, whereas for Tan > 600 °C a back transfer to the α-phase was observed. Complementarily, the luminescence upconversion properties of the annealed UCNP materials were characterized in steady state and time resolved luminescence measurements. Distinct differences in the upconversion luminescence intensity, the spectral intensity distribution and the luminescence decay kinetics were found for the cubic and hexagonal lattice phases, respectively, corroborating the results of the standard analytical techniques used. In laser power dependent measurements of the upconversion luminescence intensity it was found that the green (G1, G2) and red (R) emission of Er3+ showed different effects of Tan on the number of required photons reflecting the differences in the population routes of different energy levels involved. Furthermore, the intensity ratio of Gfull/R is highly effected by the laser power only when the β-phase is present, whereas the G1/G2 intensity ratio is only slightly effected regardless of the crystal phase. Moreover, based on different upconversion luminescence kinetics characteristics of the cubic and hexagonal phase time-resolved area normalized emission spectra (TRANES) proved to be a very sensitive tool to monitor the phase transition between cubic and hexagonal phases. Based on the TRANES analysis it was possible to resolve the lattice phase transition in more detail for 200 °C < Tan < 300 °C, which was not possible with the standard techniques.
NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles (UCNP) were synthesized under mild experimental conditions to obtain a pure cubic lattice. Upon annealing at different temperatures up to Tan = 700 °C phase transitions to the hexagonal phase and back to the cubic phase were induced. The UCNP materials obtained for different Tan were characterized with respect to the lattice phase using standard XRD and Raman spectroscopy as well as steady state and time resolved upconversion luminescence. The standard techniques showed that for the annealing temperature range 300 °C < Tan < 600 °C the hexagonal lattice phase was dominant. For Tan < 300 °C hardly any change in the lattice phase could be deduced, whereas for Tan > 600 °C a back transfer to the α-phase was observed. Complementarily, the luminescence upconversion properties of the annealed UCNP materials were characterized in steady state and time resolved luminescence measurements. Distinct differences in the upconversion luminescence intensity, the spectral intensity distribution and the luminescence decay kinetics were found for the cubic and hexagonal lattice phases, respectively, corroborating the results of the standard analytical techniques used. In laser power dependent measurements of the upconversion luminescence intensity it was found that the green (G1, G2) and red (R) emission of Er3+ showed different effects of Tan on the number of required photons reflecting the differences in the population routes of different energy levels involved. Furthermore, the intensity ratio of Gfull/R is highly effected by the laser power only when the β-phase is present, whereas the G1/G2 intensity ratio is only slightly effected regardless of the crystal phase. Moreover, based on different upconversion luminescence kinetics characteristics of the cubic and hexagonal phase time-resolved area normalized emission spectra (TRANES) proved to be a very sensitive tool to monitor the phase transition between cubic and hexagonal phases. Based on the TRANES analysis it was possible to resolve the lattice phase transition in more detail for 200 °C < Tan < 300 °C, which was not possible with the standard techniques.
NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles (UCNP) were synthesized under mild experimental conditions to obtain a pure cubic lattice. Upon annealing at different temperatures up to T-an = 700 degrees C phase transitions to the hexagonal phase and back to the cubic phase were induced. The UCNP materials obtained for different T-an were characterized with respect to the lattice phase using standard XRD and Raman spectroscopy as well as steady state and time resolved upconversion luminescence. The standard techniques showed that for the annealing temperature range 300 degrees C < T-an < 600 degrees C the hexagonal lattice phase was dominant. For T-an < 300 degrees C hardly any change in the lattice phase could be deduced, whereas for T-an > 600 degrees C a back transfer to the alpha-phase was observed. Complementarily, the luminescence upconversion properties of the annealed UCNP materials were characterized in steady state and time resolved luminescence measurements. Distinct differences in the upconversion luminescence intensity, the spectral intensity distribution and the luminescence decay kinetics were found for the cubic and hexagonal lattice phases, respectively, corroborating the results of the standard analytical techniques used. In laser power dependent measurements of the upconversion luminescence intensity it was found that the green (G1, G2) and red (R) emission of Er3+ showed different effects of T-an on the number of required photons reflecting the differences in the population routes of different energy levels involved. Furthermore, the intensity ratio of G(full)/R is highly effected by the laser power only when the beta-phase is present, whereas the G1/G2 intensity ratio is only slightly effected regardless of the crystal phase. Moreover, based on different upconversion luminescence kinetics characteristics of the cubic and hexagonal phase time-resolved area normalized emission spectra (TRANES) proved to be a very sensitive tool to monitor the phase transition between cubic and hexagonal phases. Based on the TRANES analysis it was possible to resolve the lattice phase transition in more detail for 200 degrees C < T-an < 300 degrees C, which was not possible with the standard techniques.
The synthesis and photophysical properties of two new FRET pairs based on coumarin as a donor and DBD dye as an acceptor are described. The introduction of a bromo atom dramatically increases the two-photon excitation (2PE) cross section providing a 2PE-FRET system, which is also suitable for 2PE-FLIM.
The temperature-dependent upconversion luminescence of NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles (UCNP) containing different contents of Gd3+ as additional dopant was characterized. The UCNP were synthesized in a hydrothermal synthesis and stabilized with citrate in order to transfer them to the water phase. Basic characterization was carried out using TEM and DLS to determine the average size of the UCNP. The XRD technique was used to investigate the crystal lattice of the UCNP. It was found that due to the presence of Gd3+, an alteration of the lattice phase from a to beta was induced which was also reflected in the observed upconversion luminescence properties of the UCNP. A detailed analysis of the upconversion luminescence spectraespecially at ultralow temperaturesrevealed the different effects of phonon coupling between the host lattice and the sensitizer (Yb3+) as well as the activator (Er3+). Furthermore, the upconversion luminescence intensity reached a maximum between 15 and 250 K depending on Gd3+ content. In comparison to the very complex temperature behavior of the upconversion luminescence in the temperature range <273 K, the luminescence intensity ratio of H-2(11/2)-> I-4(15/2) to S-4(3/2)-> I-4(15/2) (R = G1/G2) in a higher temperature range can be described by an Arrhenius-type equation.
Upconversion NaYF4:Yb:Er nanoparticles co-doped with Gd3+ and Nd3+ for thermometry on the nanoscale
(2015)
In the present work, the upconversion luminescence properties of oleic acid capped NaYF4:Gd3+:Yb3+:Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) with pure beta crystal phase and Nd3+ ions as an additional sensitizer were studied in the temperature range of 288 K < T < 328 K. The results of this study showed that the complex interplay of different mechanisms and effects, causing the special temperature behavior of the UCNP can be developed into thermometry on the nanoscale, e.g. to be applied in biological systems on a cellular level. The performance was improved by the use of Nd3+ as an additional dopant utilizing the cascade sensitization mechanism in tri-doped UCNP.
Rapid synthesis of sub-10 nm hexagonal NaYF4-based upconverting nanoparticles using Therminol® 66
(2018)
We report a simple one-pot method for the rapid preparation of sub-10nm pure hexagonal (-phase) NaYF4-based upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs). Using Therminol((R))66 as a co-solvent, monodisperse UCNPs could be obtained in unusually short reaction times. By varying the reaction time and reaction temperature, it was possible to control precisely the particle size and crystalline phase of the UCNPs. The upconversion (UC) luminescence properties of the nanocrystals were tuned by varying the concentrations of the dopants (Nd3+ and Yb3+ sensitizer ions and Er3+ activator ions). The size and phase-purity of the as-synthesized core and core-shell nanocrystals were assessed by using complementary transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, and small-angle X-ray scattering studies. In-depth photophysical evaluation of the UCNPs was pursued by using steady-state and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. An enhancement in the UC intensity was observed if the nanocrystals, doped with optimized concentrations of lanthanide sensitizer/activator ions, were further coated with an inert/active shell. This was attributed to the suppression of surface-related luminescence quenching effects.
High oxygen permeable [poly(TMSP)] nanofibers incorporating porphyrin macrocycle as luminescence indicators were prepared by electrospinning technique. The porphyrins involves were modified by i) introducing phenylacetylide substituents on the para position of the phenyl moieties and ii) varying the metal centers [Pt(II) or Pd(II)] of the meso-tetrakisphenylporphyrins. A set of nanofibers; (Pt-TPP)NF, (Pd-TPP)NF, (Pt-TPA)NF and (Pd-TPA)NF were obtained to study their structure-activity relationship toward oxygen. The lifetime-based technique was privileged to take advantage of their long-lived phosphorescent properties. A two-fold enhancement was observed for (Pt-TPA)NF and (Pd-TPA)NF compared to (Pt-TPP)NF and (Pd-TPP)NF demonstrating the positive effect of the phenylacetylide moieties on the lifetime. Also, Silver nanoparticles were included in nanofibers to investigate their influence on lifetime-based oxygen sensitivity, showing that the presence of AgNPs only affects (Pd-TPA)NF.
Gadolinium-doped ceria or gadolinium-stabilized ceria (GDC) is an important technical material due to its ability to conduct O2- ions, e.g., used in solid oxide fuel cells operated at intermediate temperature as an electrolyte, diffusion barrier, and electrode component. We have synthesized Ce1-xGdxO2-y:Eu3+ (0 <= x <= 0.4) nanoparticles (11-15 nm) using a scalable spray pyrolysis method, which allows the continuous large-scale technical production of such materials. Introducing Eu3+ ions in small amounts into ceria and GDC as spectroscopic probes can provide detailed information about the atomic structure and local environments and allows us to monitor small structural changes. This study presents a novel approach to structurally elucidate europium-doped Ce1-xGdxO2-y:Eu3+ nanoparticles by way of Eu3+ spectroscopy, processing the spectroscopic data with the multiway decomposition method parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis. In order to perform the deconvolution of spectra, data sets of excitation wavelength, emission wavelength, and time are required. Room temperature, time-resolved emission spectra recorded at lambda(ex) = 464 nm show that Gd3+ doping results in significantly altered emission spectra compared to pure ceria. The PARAFAC analysis for the pure ceria samples reveals a high-symmetry species (which can also be probed directly via the CeO2 charge transfer band) and a low-symmetry species. The GDC samples yield two low-symmetry spectra in the same experiment. High-resolution emission spectra recorded under cryogenic conditions after probing the D-5(0)-F-7(0) transition at lambda(ex) = 575-583 nm revealed additional variation in the low-symmetry Eu3+ sites in pure ceria and GDC. The total luminescence spectra of CeO2-y:Eu3+ showed Eu3+ ions located in at least three slightly different coordination environments with the same fundamental symmetry, whereas the overall hypsochromic shift and increased broadening of the D-5(0)-F-7(0) excitation in the GDC samples, as well as the broadened spectra after deconvolution point to less homogeneous environments. The data of the Gd3+-containing samples indicates that the average charge density around the Eu3+ ions in the lattice is decreased with increasing Gd3+ and oxygen vacancy concentration. For reference, the Judd-Ofelt parameters of all spectra were calculated. PARAFAC proves to be a powerful tool to analyze lanthanide spectra in crystalline solid materials, which are characterized by numerous Stark transitions and where measurements usually yield a superposition of different contributions to any given spectrum.
Co-doping of the MOF 3∞[Zn(2-methylimidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate)] (IFP-1 = Imidazolate Framework Potsdam-1) with luminescent Eu3+ and Tb3+ ions presents an approach to utilize the porosity of the MOF for the intercalation of luminescence centers and for tuning of the chromaticity to the emission of white light of the quality of a three color emitter. Organic based fluorescence processes of the MOF backbone as well as metal based luminescence of the dopants are combined to one homogenous single source emitter while retaining the MOF's porosity. The lanthanide ions Eu3+ and Tb3+ were doped in situ into IFP-1 upon formation of the MOF by intercalation into the micropores of the growing framework without a structure directing effect. Furthermore, the color point is temperature sensitive, so that a cold white light with a higher blue content is observed at 77 K and a warmer white light at room temperature (RT) due to the reduction of the organic emission at higher temperatures. The study further illustrates the dependence of the amount of luminescent ions on porosity and sorption properties of the MOF and proves the intercalation of luminescence centers into the pore system by low-temperature site selective photoluminescence spectroscopy, SEM and EDX. It also covers an investigation of the border of homogenous uptake within the MOF pores and the formation of secondary phases of lanthanide formates on the surface of the MOF. Crossing the border from a homogenous co-doping to a two-phase composite system can be beneficially used to adjust the character and warmth of the white light. This study also describes two-color emitters of the formula Ln@IFP-1a–d (Ln: Eu, Tb) by doping with just one lanthanide Eu3+ or Tb3+.
Co-doping of the MOF 3∞[Zn(2-methylimidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate)] (IFP-1 = Imidazolate Framework Potsdam-1) with luminescent Eu3+ and Tb3+ ions presents an approach to utilize the porosity of the MOF for the intercalation of luminescence centers and for tuning of the chromaticity to the emission of white light of the quality of a three color emitter. Organic based fluorescence processes of the MOF backbone as well as metal based luminescence of the dopants are combined to one homogenous single source emitter while retaining the MOF's porosity. The lanthanide ions Eu3+ and Tb3+ were doped in situ into IFP-1 upon formation of the MOF by intercalation into the micropores of the growing framework without a structure directing effect. Furthermore, the color point is temperature sensitive, so that a cold white light with a higher blue content is observed at 77 K and a warmer white light at room temperature (RT) due to the reduction of the organic emission at higher temperatures. The study further illustrates the dependence of the amount of luminescent ions on porosity and sorption properties of the MOF and proves the intercalation of luminescence centers into the pore system by low-temperature site selective photoluminescence spectroscopy, SEM and EDX. It also covers an investigation of the border of homogenous uptake within the MOF pores and the formation of secondary phases of lanthanide formates on the surface of the MOF. Crossing the border from a homogenous co-doping to a two-phase composite system can be beneficially used to adjust the character and warmth of the white light. This study also describes two-color emitters of the formula Ln@IFP-1a–d (Ln: Eu, Tb) by doping with just one lanthanide Eu3+ or Tb3+.
Transparent, ion-conducting, luminescent, and flexible ionogels based on the room temperature ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl) imide [Bmim][N(Tf)(2)], a PtEu2 chromophore, and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) have been prepared. The thermal stability of the PMMA significantly increases with IL incorporation. In particular, the onset weight loss observed at ca. 229 degrees C for pure PMMA increases to 305 degrees C with IL addition. The ionogel has a high ionic conductivity of 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 373 K and exhibits a strong emission in the red with a long average luminescence decay time of tau = 890 mu s. The resulting material is a new type of soft hybrid material featuring useful thermal, optical, and ion transport properties.
Lanthanide resonance energy transfer (LRET) was used to investigate the motion of dopant ions during the synthesis of core-shell-shell-nanocrystals (NCs) that are frequently used as frequency upconversion materials. Reaction conditions (temperature, solvent) as well as lattice composition and precursors were adapted from a typical hydrothermal synthesis approach used to obtain upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). Instead of adding the lanthanide ions Yb3+/Er3+ as the sensitizer/activator couple, Eu3+/Nd3+ as the donor/acceptor were added as the LRET pair to the outer shell (Eu-3) and the core (Nd-3). By tailoring the thickness of the insulation shell ("middle shell"), the expected distance between the donor and the acceptor was increased beyond 2 R-0, a distance for which no LRET is expected. The successful synthesis of core- shell-shell NCs with different thicknesses of the insulation layer was demonstrated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurement. The incorporation of the Eu3+ ions into the NaYF4 lattice was investigated by high-resolution time-resolved luminescence measurements. Two major Eu3+ species (bulk and surface) were found. This was supported by steady-state as well as time-resolved luminescence data. Based on the luminescence decay kinetics, the intermixing of lanthanides during synthesis of core- shell UCNPs was evaluated. The energy transfer between Eu3+ (donor) and Nd3+ (acceptor) ions was exploited to quantify the motion of the dopant ions. This investigation reveals the migration of Ln(3+) ions between different compatiments in core-shell NCs and affects the concept of using core-shell architectures to increase the efficiency of UCNPs. In order to obtain well-separated core and shell structures with different dopants, alternative concepts are needed.
Bright or dark immune complexes of anti-TAMRA antibodies for adapted fluorescence-based bioanalysis
(2015)
Fluorescence labels, for example fluorescein or rhodamin derivatives, are widely used in bioanalysis applications including lateral-flow assays, PCR, and fluorescence microscopy. Depending on the layout of the particular application, fluorescence quenching or enhancement may be desired as the detection principle. Especially for multiplexed applications or high-brightness requirements, a tunable fluorescence probe can be beneficial. The alterations in the photophysics of rhodamine derivatives upon binding to two different anti-TAMRA antibodies were investigated by absorption and fluorescence-spectroscopy techniques, especially determining the fluorescence decay time and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy. Two monoclonal anti-TAMRA antibodies were generated by the hybridoma technique. Although surface-plasmon-resonance measurements clearly proved the high affinity of both antibodies towards 5-TAMRA, the observed effects on the fluorescence of rhodamine derivatives were very different. Depending on the anti-TAMRA antibody either a strong fluorescence quenching (G71-DC7) or a distinct fluorescence enhancement (G71-BE11) upon formation of the immune complex was observed. Additional rhodamine derivatives were used to gain further information on the binding interaction. The data reveal that such haptens as 5-TAMRA could generate different paratopes with equal binding affinities but different binding interactions, which provide the opportunity to adapt bioanalysis methods including immunoassays for optimized detection principles for the same hapten depending on the specific requirements.
Different signal amplification strategies to improve the detection sensitivity of immunoassays have been applied which utilize enzymatic reactions, nanomaterials, or liposomes. The latter are very attractive materials for signal amplification because liposomes can be loaded with a large amount of signaling molecules, leading to a high sensitivity. In addition, liposomes can be used as a cell-like "bioscaffold" to directly test recognition schemes aiming at cell-related processes. This study demonstrates an easy and fast approach to link the novel hydrophobic optical probe based on [1,3]dioxolo[4,5-f]-[1,3]benzodioxole (DBD dye mm239) with tunable optical properties to hydrophilic recognition elements (e.g., antibodies) using liposomes for signal amplification and as carrier of the hydrophobic dye. The fluorescence properties of mm239 (e.g., long fluorescence lifetime, large Stokes shift, high photostability, and high quantum yield), its high hydrophobicity for efficient anchoring in liposomes, and a maleimide bioreactive group were applied in a unique combination to build a concept for the coupling of antibodies or other protein markers to liposomes (coupling to membranes can be envisaged). The concept further allowed us to avoid multiple dye labeling of the antibody. Here, anti-TAMRA-antibody (DC7-Ab) was attached to the liposomes. In proof-of-concept, steady-state as well as time-resolved fluorescence measurements (e.g., fluorescence depolarization) in combination with single molecule detection (fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, FCS) were used to analyze the binding interaction between DC7-Ab and liposomes as well as the binding of the antigen rhodamine 6G (R6G) to the antibody. Here, the Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between mm239 and R6G was monitored. In addition to ensemble FRET data, single-molecule FRET (PIE-FRET) experiments using pulsed interleaved excitation were used to characterize in detail the binding on a single-molecule level to avoid averaging out effects.
Immunochemical analytical methods are very successful in clinical diagnostics and are nowadays also emerging in the control of food as well as monitoring of environmental issues. Among the different immunoassays, luminescence based formats are characterized by their outstanding sensitivity making this format especially attractive for future applications. The need for multiparameter detection capabilities calls for a tool box of dye labels in order to transduce the biochemical reaction into an optically detectable signal. Here, in a multiparameter approach each analyte may be detected by a different dye with a unique emission color (covering the blue to red spectral range) or a unique luminescence decay kinetics. In the case of a competitive immunoassay format for each of the different dye labels an individual antibody would be needed. In the present paper a slightly modified approach is presented using a 7-aminocoumarin unit as the basic antigen against which highly specific antibodies were generated. Leaving the epitope region in the dyes unchanged but introducing a side group in positon 3 of the coumarin system allowed us to tune the optical properties of the coumarin dyes without the necessity of new antibody generation. Upon modification of the parent coumarin unit the full spectral range from blue to deep red was accessed. In the manuscript the photophysical characterization of the coumarin derivatives and their corresponding immunocomplexes with two highly specific antibodies is presented. The coumarin dyes and their immunocomplexes were characterized by steady-state and time-resolved absorption as well as emission spectroscopy. Moreover, fluorescence depolarization measurements were carried out to complement the data stressing the different binding modes of the two antibodies. The binding modes were evaluated using the photophysics of 7-aminocoumarins and how it was affected in the respective immunocomplexes, namely, the formation of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) as well as the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT). In contrast to other antibody-dye pairs reported a distinct fluorescence enhancement upon formation of the antibody-dye complex up to a factor of SO was found. Because of the easy emission color tuning by tailoring the coumarin substitution for the antigen binding in nonrelevant position 3 of the parent molecule, a dye tool box is on hand which can be used in the construction of competitive multiparameter fluorescence enhancement immunoassays (FenIA).
Here we report on photo-isomerization of azobenzene containing surfactants induced during irradiation with near-infrared (NIR) light in the presence of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) acting as mediator. The surfactant molecule consists of charged head group and hydrophobic tail with azobenzene group incorporated in alkyl chain. The azobenzene group can be reversible photo-isomerized between two states: trans- and cis- by irradiation with light of an appropriate wavelength. The trans-cis photo-isomerization is induced by UV light, while cis-trans isomerization proceeds either thermally in darkness, or can be accelerated by exposure to illumination with a longer wavelength typically in a blue/green range. We present the application of lanthanide doped UCNPs to successfully switch azobenzene containing surfactants from cis to trans conformation in bulk solution using NIR light. Using Tm-3(+) or Er-3(+) as activator ions, the UCNPs provide emissions in the spectral range of 450 nm < lambda(em) < 480 nm (for Tm-3(+), three and four photon induced emission) or 525 nm < lambda(em) < 545 nm (for Er-3(+), two photon induced emission), respectively. Especially for UCNPs containing Tm-3(+) a good overlap of the emissions with the absorption bands of the azobenzene is present. Under illumination of the surfactant solution with NIR light (lambda(ex) = 976 nm) in the presence of the Tm-3(+)-doped UCNPs, the relaxation time of cis-trans photo-isomerization was increased by almost 13 times compared to thermally induced isomerization. The influence of thermal heating due to the irradiation using NIR light was shown to be minor for solvents not absorbing in NIR spectral range (e.g. CHCl3) in contrast to water, which shows a distinct absorption in the NIR.
Quenching mechanism of uranyl(VI) by chloride and bromide in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions
(2021)
A major hindrance in utilizing uranyl(VI) luminescence as a standard analytical tool, for example, in environmental monitoring or nuclear industries, is quenching by other ions such as halide ions, which are present in many relevant matrices of uranyl(VI) speciation. Here, we demonstrate through a combination of time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, transient absorption spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry that coordinating solvent molecules play a crucial role in U(VI) halide luminescence quenching. We show that our previously suggested quenching mechanism based on an internal redox reaction of the 1:2-uranyl-halide-complex holds also true for bromide-induced quenching of uranyl(VI). By adopting specific organic solvents, we were able to suppress the separation of the oxidized halide ligand X-2(center dot-) and the formed uranyl(V) into fully solvated ions, thereby "reigniting" U(VI) luminescence. Time-dependent density functional theory calculations show that quenching occurs through the outer-sphere complex of U(VI) and halide in water, while the ligand-to-metal charge transfer is strongly reduced in acetonitrile.
Tuning of the excited-state properties and photovoltaic performance in PPV-based polymer blends
(2008)
Polymer solar cell devices with nanostructured blend layers have been fabricated using single- and dual- component polymer nanospheres. Starting from an electron-donating and an electron-accepting polyfluorene derivative, PFB and F8BT, dissolved in suitable organic solvents, dispersions of solid particles with mean diameters of ca. 50 nm, containing either the pure polymer components or a mixture of PFB and F8BT in each particle, were prepared with the miniemulsion process. Photovoltaic devices based on these particles have been studied with respect to the correlation between external quantum efficiency and layer composition. It is shown that the properties of devices containing a blend of single-component PFB and F8BT particles differ significantly from those of solar cells based on blend particles, even for the same layer composition. Various factors determining the quantum efficiency in both kinds of devices are identified and discussed, taking into account the spectroscopic properties of the particles. An external quantum efficiency of ca. 4% is measured for a device made from polymer blend nanoparticles containing PFB:F8BT at a weight ratio of 1:2 in each individual nanosphere. This is among the highest values reported so far for photovoltaic cells using this material combination
Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird an Hand dreier Beispiele der Einsatz von optischer Sensorik zur Produktcharakterisierung dargestellt, nämlich Untersuchungen zum O2-Gehalt in Fruchtsäften, zur Isotopiesignatur von CO2 in Mineralwässern und zu Lichtstreueigenschaften eines Sonnenschutzmittels. Inhalt: Bestimmung von O2 mit Lumineszenzsonden Isotopenselektive Bestimmung von CO2 mit TDLAS Optische Charakterisierung stark streuender Materialien mit Photonendichtewellen
The imagination of clearly separated core-shell structures is already outdated by the fact, that the nanoparticle core-shell structures remain in terms of efficiency behind their respective bulk material due to intermixing between core and shell dopant ions. In order to optimize the photoluminescence of core-shell UCNP the intermixing should be as small as possible and therefore, key parameters of this process need to be identified. In the present work the Ln(III) ion migration in the host lattices NaYF4 and NaGdF4 was monitored. These investigations have been performed by laser spectroscopy with help of lanthanide resonance energy transfer (LRET) between Eu(III) as donor and Pr(III) or Nd(III) as acceptor. The LRET is evaluated based on the Forster theory. The findings corroborate the literature and point out the migration of ions in the host lattices. Based on the introduced LRET model, the acceptor concentration in the surrounding of one donor depends clearly on the design of the applied core-shell-shell nanoparticles. In general, thinner intermediate insulating shells lead to higher acceptor concentration, stronger quenching of the Eu(III) donor and subsequently stronger sensitization of the Pr(III) or the Nd(III) acceptors. The choice of the host lattice as well as of the synthesis temperature are parameters to be considered for the intermixing process.
The retention of actinides in different oxidation states (An(X), X = III, IV, VI) by a calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) phase with a Ca/Si (C/S) ratio of 0.8 was investigated in the presence of gluconate (GLU). The actinides considered were Am(III), Th(IV), Pu(IV), and U(VI). Eu(III) was investigated as chemical analogue for Am(III) and Cm(III). In addition to the ternary systems An(X)/GLU/C-S-H, also binary systems An(X)/C-S-H, GLU/C-S-H, and An(X)/GLU were studied. Complementary analytical techniques were applied to address the different specific aspects of the binary and ternary systems. Time-resolved laser-induced luminescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) was applied in combination with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to identify retained species and to monitor species-selective sorption kinetics. ¹³C and ²⁹Si magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to determine the bulk structure and the composition of the C-S-H surface, respectively, in the absence and presence of GLU. The interaction of Th(IV) with GLU in different electrolytes was studied by capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS). The influence of GLU on An(X) retention was investigated for a large concentration range up to 10⁻² M. The results showed that GLU had little to no effect on the overall An(X) retention by C-S-H with C/S of 0.8, regardless of the oxidation state of the actinides. For Eu(III), the TRLFS investigations additionally implied the formation of a Eu(III)-bearing precipitate with dissolved constituents of the C-S-H phase, which becomes structurally altered by the presence of GLU. For U(VI) sorption on the C-S-H phase, only a small influence of GLU could be established in the luminescence spectroscopic investigations, and no precipitation of U(VI)-containing secondary phases could be identified.
The retention of actinides in different oxidation states (An(X), X = III, IV, VI) by a calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) phase with a Ca/Si (C/S) ratio of 0.8 was investigated in the presence of gluconate (GLU). The actinides considered were Am(III), Th(IV), Pu(IV), and U(VI). Eu(III) was investigated as chemical analogue for Am(III) and Cm(III). In addition to the ternary systems An(X)/GLU/C-S-H, also binary systems An(X)/C-S-H, GLU/C-S-H, and An(X)/GLU were studied. Complementary analytical techniques were applied to address the different specific aspects of the binary and ternary systems. Time-resolved laser-induced luminescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) was applied in combination with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) to identify retained species and to monitor species-selective sorption kinetics. ¹³C and ²⁹Si magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were applied to determine the bulk structure and the composition of the C-S-H surface, respectively, in the absence and presence of GLU. The interaction of Th(IV) with GLU in different electrolytes was studied by capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS). The influence of GLU on An(X) retention was investigated for a large concentration range up to 10⁻² M. The results showed that GLU had little to no effect on the overall An(X) retention by C-S-H with C/S of 0.8, regardless of the oxidation state of the actinides. For Eu(III), the TRLFS investigations additionally implied the formation of a Eu(III)-bearing precipitate with dissolved constituents of the C-S-H phase, which becomes structurally altered by the presence of GLU. For U(VI) sorption on the C-S-H phase, only a small influence of GLU could be established in the luminescence spectroscopic investigations, and no precipitation of U(VI)-containing secondary phases could be identified.
Lanthanide based ceria nanomaterials are important practical materials due to the redox properties that are useful in the avenues pertaining to technology and life sciences. Sub 10 nm spherical and highly monodisperse Ce1−xYbxO2−y (0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.22) nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition, annealed separately at 773 K and 1273 K for 2 hours and characterized. Elemental mapping for Yb3+ doped ceria nanoparticles shows homogeneous distribution of Yb3+ atoms in the ceria with low Yb3+ content annealed at 773 K and 1273 K for 2 hours. However, clusters are observed for 773 K annealed ceria samples with high concentration of Yb3+. These clusters are not detected in 1273 K annealed nanomaterials. Introducing small amounts of Yb3+ ions into the ceria lattice as spectroscopic probes can provide detailed information about the atomic structure and local environments allowing the monitoring of small structural changes, such as clustering. The emission spectra observed at room temperature and at 4 K have a manifold of bands that corresponds to the 2F5/2 → 2F7/2 transition of Yb3+ ions. Some small shifts are observed in the Stark splitting pattern depending on the sample and the annealing conditions. The deconvolution by PARAFAC analysis yielded luminescence decay kinetics as well as the associated luminescence spectra of three species for each of the low Yb3+ doped ceria samples annealed at 773 K and one species for the 1273 K annealed samples. However, the ceria samples with high concentration of Yb3+ annealed at the two temperatures showed only one species with lower decay times as compared to the low Yb3+ doped ceria samples.