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Gas generation-based immunoassay is considered an attractive biosensing platform for the detection of biomarkers by incorporating the target recognition event with a catalyzed gas-generating reaction. Herein, an optical gas pressure sensor based on a silver/polydimethylsiloxane (Ag/PDMS) bilayer system was designed as a signal transducer to read the concentration of the detection target alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) quantitatively. In this proposed pressure-based assay, silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanospheres decorated with platinum (Pt) nanoparticles were coupled to detect antibodies by covalent linkage, and the captured antibodies were conjugated with magnetic beads via streptavidin-biotin interaction, simultaneously. When the AFP was loaded, the Pt-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposition reaction was triggered to induce a significant increase in the reflectance signal of the Ag/PDMS bilayer gas pressure sensor (BGPS) due to a "wrinkled–specular" transition of the Ag film's surface. Under optimal conditions, the pressure-based biosensor exhibited a broad linear detection range from 0.05 to 132 ng mL−1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.016 ng mL−1 for AFP, which satisfies the requirements for the clinical detection of AFP. Besides, the high specificity and detection accuracy of our Ag/PDMS BGPS also proved its feasibility for practical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative analyses of potential radionuclide contaminants in solid wastes (e.g. calcium fluoride sludge) generated by the nuclear industry are essential for clearance or reutilization of these wastes. In order to measure trace uranium isotopes in calcium fluoride sludge, a total sample dissolution method was developed utilizing lithium metaborate fusion and anion exchange chromatography combined with a triple quadrupole ICP-MS/MS instrument. The method was validated using calcium fluoride sludge spiked with known amounts of uranium isotopes. All measured results were in good agreement with the expected values, demonstrating the feasibility of the method for the determination of trace uranium isotopes. The minimum detectable activities of 234U, 235U and 238U were determined to be 0.15 mBq (0.65 pg), 0.67 μBq (8.38 pg) and 0.014 mBq (1.13 ng), respectively. A key finding was that the sensitivity of uranium (750 Mcps ppm−1) with He at a flow rate of 8.5 mL min−1 was 5 times that achieved by ICP-MS/MS without the collision gas. The investigation of the mechanism of He collision would provide a novel and optimal method to simultaneously improve the sensitivity and suppress interference for the analysis of ultra-low level heavy radionuclides (e.g., uranium, plutonium, and americium) combined with reaction gasses (e.g., CO2, O2, and NH3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list for the journal "Dalton Transactions: An International Journal of Inorganic Chemistry." It includes the titles and authors of various articles published in the journal, covering topics such as sulphur spectrum of trivalent lanthanoid oxysulphides, magnetic relaxation in manganese coordination compounds, CO2 absorption/desorption properties, and more. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry, a leading chemistry community. The papers in this journal cover a wide range of topics in inorganic chemistry, including battery technology, catalysis, materials science, and theoretical analysis of metal complexes. These papers provide valuable insights into scientific phenomena and offer potential applications in various fields. [Extracted from the article]

The separation of acetylene from carbon dioxide is challenging due to their almost identical molecular sizes and volatilities. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in general are strong candidates for the separation of gas mixtures owing to the presence of functional pore surfaces that can selectively capture specific target molecules. Herein, we report a stable and easily synthesized bismuth-based MOF, Bi–BTC, which can achieve the separation of acetylene and carbon dioxide. We performed a detailed analysis of the sorption properties of the Bi–MOF. Bi–BTC shows good adsorption capacities for C2H2 with a capacity of 53.8 cm3 g−1 at 298 K and 1.0 bar, and C2H2/CO2 selectivity of 5.14/7.69 at 298 K and 1.0/0.1 bar. IAST selectivity calculations indicate that Bi–BTC possesses good separation capacity, and dynamic breakthrough experiments were performed to prove the separation of C2H2 and CO2. Bi–MOFs as a group of relatively less studied types of MOFs have interesting adsorption characteristics, and this study on Bi-based MOF will enrich three-dimensional Bi–MOF adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The table of contents for the August 2016 issue of the journal "Analyst" by the Royal Society of Chemistry is presented, along with the issue's editorial board, advisory board, and information for authors.