Search

A rapid user-friendly paper-based test strip using zinc microparticles in conjugation with Griess reagent was developed for nitrite and nitrate detection. Test strips were fabricated using a simple and fast method of step-by-step immersion into reagents so that each strip contained a single detection pad for nitrite detection and another separate pad for nitrate detection. To reduce nitrate to nitrite, zinc microparticles suspended in ethanolic solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were uniformly immobilized on the paper strips that were previously impregnated in the Griess reagent and dried. The Griess reagent components were optimized to reach the highest color intensity. The optimized test strip was able to determine both nitrite and nitrate with respective detection limits of 0.43 and 9.43 mg/kg and a detection time of 60 s. The performance of the new test strips was evaluated for the simultaneous colorimetric detection of nitrite and nitrate in water and different food samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Plastics are ubiquitous in today's lifestyle, and their indiscriminate use has led to the accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and oceans. The waste accumulates and breaks into micro-particles that enter the food chain, causing severe threats to human health, wildlife, and the ecosystem. Environment-friendly and bio-based degradable materials offer a sustainable alternative to the vastly used synthetic materials. Here, a polylactic acid and carbon nanofiber-based membrane and a paper-based colorimetric sensor have been developed. The membrane had a surface area of 3.02 m 2 g -1 and a pore size of 18.77 nm. The pores were evenly distributed with a pore volume of 0.0137 cm 3 g -1 . The membrane was evaluated in accordance with OECD guidelines and was found to be safe for tested aquatic and terrestrial models. The activated PLA-CNF membrane was further used as a bio-based electrode for the electrochemical detection of nitrates (NO 3 - ) in water samples with a detection limit of 0.046 ppm and sensitivity of 1.69 × 10 -4 A ppm -1 , whereas the developed paper-based colorimetric sensor had a detection limit of 156 ppm for NO -2 , whereas the developed paper-based colorimetric sensor had a detection limit of 156 ppm for NO 3 - . This study presents an environment-friendly, low-carbon footprint disposable material for sensing applications as a sustainable alternative to plastics.

In this work, the design of a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for the quantification of nitrate in urine samples was described. Nitrate monitoring is highly relevant due to its association to some diseases and health conditions. The nitrate determination was achieved by combining the selectivity of the nitrate reductase enzymatic reaction with the colorimetric detection of nitrite by the well-known Griess reagent. For the optimization of the nitrate determination μPAD, several variables associated with the design and construction of the device were studied. Furthermore, the interference of the urine matrix was evaluated, and stability studies were performed, under different conditions. The developed μPAD enabled us to obtain a limit of detection of 0.04 mM, a limit of quantification of 0.14 mM and a dynamic concentration range of 0.14-1.0 mM. The designed μPAD proved to be stable for 24 h when stored at room temperature in air or vacuum atmosphere, and 60 days when stored in vacuum at -20 °C. The accuracy of the nitrate μPAD measurements was confirmed by analyzing four certified samples (prepared in synthetic urine) and performing recovery studies using urine samples.

In this paper, a batch system was applied to study the adsorption behavior of congo red (CR) on raw and modified clinoptilolites. Raw clinoptilolite (Raw-CL) was treated with Fe(NO3)3 in ethanol to obtain its iron-grafted form (Fe-CL). Adsorbents were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), zeta-potential measurement and N2 gas adsorption-desorption techniques. Effects of the experimental parameters (initial pH, dye concentration, temperature and adsorption time) were investigated to find optimum conditions that result in highest adsorption capacity for CR removal. The obtained results suggest that the solution pH appears to be a key factor of the CR adsorption process. The maximum dye adsorption was achieved with Fe-CL adsorbent at pH ∼6.3 and the corresponding adsorption capacity was found to be 36.7mg/g, which is higher than that of its raw counterpart (16.9mg/g). A significant decrease in CR removal was given by Fe-CL between pH 7 and 11 opposite to Raw-CL which has nearly constant qe in the same pH range. The Fe(3+)-grafting increased the zeta potential of raw clinoptilolite, leading to a higher adsorption capacity compared to that of unfunctionalized adsorbent. Also, temperature change was found to have a significant effect on the adsorption process., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The nitrate removal from groundwater was studied in laboratory columns packed with unprocessed paper as the sole substrate for microbial population. The results showed that the reactor with paper as carbon source started up fast, and temperature and hydraulic retention time (HRT) markedly affected the denitrification process. The denitrification rate at 25 degrees C was approximately 1.7 times higher than that at 14 degrees C. When the initial concentration was 45.2 mg x L(-1), 99.6% of nitrate (nitrite was not detected) could be removed after 8.6 h at 25 +/- 1 degrees C. The nitrogen removal rate was only 50% when HRT was 7.2 h. pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) had little effect on denitrification, and the nitrogen removal rate did not changed when pH value ranged between 6.0-9.0 and DO ranged between 0-6 mg x L(-1). Biofilm was formed on the paper and consumed the paper during the whole process. Using the combined paper reactor and activated carbon adsorption at 25 +/- 1 degrees C and HRT 9.0 h, the nitrate could be completely removed if its initial concentration was not higher than 33.9 mgN x L(-1) and the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the effluent was less than 11 mg x L(-1).