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The conventional tissue biopsy method yields isolated snapshots of a narrow region. Therefore, it cannot facilitate comprehensive disease characterization and monitoring. Recently, the detection of tumor-derived components in body fluids─a practice known as liquid biopsy─has attracted increased attention from the biochemical research and clinical application viewpoints. In this vein, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been identified as one of the most powerful liquid-biopsy analysis techniques, owing to its high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, it affords high-capacity spectral multiplexing for simultaneous target detection and a unique ability to obtain intrinsic biomolecule-fingerprint spectra. This paper presents the fabrication of silver nanosnowflakes (SNSFs) using the polyol method and their subsequent dropping onto a hydrophobic filter paper. The SERS substrate, which comprises the SNSFs and hydrophobic filter paper, facilitates the simultaneous detection of creatinine and cortisol in human sweat using a hand-held Raman spectrometer. The proposed SERS system affords Raman spectrometry to be performed on small sample volumes (2 μL) to identify the normal and at-risk creatinine and cortisol groups.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a significant role in the pathophysiological process of many diseases, highlighting their values in medical diagnosis and disease monitoring. However, the current EV isolation methods are time-consuming, inconvenient to operate, and incompatible with downstream analyses. Here, we present a novel isolation method employing anionic polysaccharide-modified filter papers for the isolation of EVs (AppiEV) via electrostatic adsorption. A disc of glass fiber-based filter modified with sodium alginate was assembled into a spin column to function as the solid capture phase. In the acidic condition, EVs were induced to carry more positively charged ions, which enable the capture of EVs by the negatively charged filter paper. After a wash, the EVs were released from the spin column using an alkaline elution buffer, which induces the EVs to carry more negative charges. The EVs isolated by AppiEV from cell culture supernatants, plasma, and urine are similar to or even better than those isolated by ultracentrifugation in terms of EV size distribution, protein distribution, and nucleic acid contents. Due to the interference removal of the EV-free RNA and DNA attributed to the negatively charged capture medium, the eluate of AppiEV could be directly used for genetic analysis, including the stem-loop RT-PCR analysis of miR-21 and the allele-specific PCR analysis of mutation genes of EGFR p.L858R and EGFR p.T790M. We believe that AppiEV offers a simple and efficient approach for the isolation of high-quality EVs from various liquid specimens.

Conventional mass spectrometry (MS)-based analytical methods for small carbohydrate fragments (oligosaccharides, degree of polymerization 2–12) are time-consuming due to the need for offline sample pretreatment such as desalting. Herein, we report a new paper spray ionization method, named desalting paper spray (DPS), which employs a piece of triangular filter paper for both sample desalting and ionization. Unlike regular paper spray ionization (PSI) and nano electrospray ionization (nanoESI), DPS-MS allows fast and sensitive detection of oligosaccharides in biological samples having complex matrices (e.g., Tris, PBS, HEPES buffers or urine). When oligosaccharide sample is loaded onto the filter paper substrate (10 mm × 5 mm, height × base) made mostly of cellulose, oligosaccharides adsorb on the paper via hydrophilic interactions between oligosaccharides and cellulose. Salts and buffers can be washed away using an ACN/H(2)O (90/10 v/v) solution, While oligosaccharides can be eluted from the paper using a solution of ACN/H(2)O/formic acid (FA) (10/90/1 v/v/v) and directly spray-ionized from the tip of the paper. Various saccharides at trace levels (e.g., 50 fmol) in nonvolatile buffer can be quickly analyzed by DPS-MS (< 5 min per sample). DPS-MS is also applicable for direct detection of oligosaccharides from glycosyltransferase (GT) reactions, a challenging task which typically requires radioactive assay. Quantitative analysis of acceptor and product oligosaccharides shows increased product with increased GT enzymes used for the reaction, a result in line with radioactivity assay. This work suggests that DPS-MS has potential for rapid oligosaccharides analysis from biological samples.

Currently, filter paper assay (FPA) is used to measure the hydrolytic potential of cellulase enzyme mixtures that are used to hydrolyze a range of cellulosic substrates. However, some of the Whatma...

Compared with traditional filter paper, a high-purity cellulose membrane prepared via a green pathway was used to enhance detection performance for cadmium ions. In this work, a simple, rapid, and ...

This paper deals with the innovation of the Czech colorimetric biosensor Detehit designed for the simple, fast, and sensitive detection of nerve agents. The innovation is based on the use of an indicator consisting of a mixture of two triphenylmethane dyes, Guinea green B and a basic fuchsin, on a glass nanofiber filter paper carrier. The advantage of this solution is the blue–red color transition, which is much more visible than the white–yellow transition of other Detehit biosensors. The newly designed biosensor allows the users to visually detect (with the naked eye) the presence of the most significant paralytic substances (sarin, soman, cyclosarin, tabun, VX) in water at concentrations of at least 0.001 μg/mL. This biosensor design also enables one to detect these substances in air or on contaminated surfaces.

High-purity cellulose membranes prepared via a green pathway were used to attempt to enhance their performance of glucose detection compared with that of traditional filter paper. In this work, cellulose-based strips (CBS) for the low concentration of glucose detection have been designed based on a fast, sensitive, and easy enzyme colorimetric assay from porous and high-purity cellulose membranes (CM). Different from the traditional paper-based sensors that were made of commercially available filter paper, the cellulose-based membranes matrix was fabricated by a "green" route in that cellulose was dissolved in an aqueous NaOH/urea solution, and then modified by the sodium periodate oxidation method to immobilize the glucose oxidase (GOX) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) with Schiff-base reaction. The structure and properties of CM and CBS were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray mapping (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), etc. SEM images showed a porous, interpenetrating structure of CM, which benefited the enzyme immobilization and enzymatic reaction. When glucose solution was dropped onto the CBS, the color change from colorless to blue was only 5 min. The limit of detection (LOD) is 0.45 mM in the linear range of glucose from 1 to 11 mM. Moreover, the CBS had also been successfully used for glucose determination in real urine samples, and the color changes can be easily recorded by a simple camera to achieve the semiquantitative detection of glucose. This work provided a new design strategy for the cellulose-based functional materials which could be applied in biosensors, drug carriers, and biomedicine.

Ionic liquid (IL) has attracted wide attention as a pretreating solvent for efficient utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. However, IL is known to severely inactivate the cellulases. In this study, the relative activity of Paenibacillus sp. LLZ1 cellulases (PCs) was analyzed in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethylphosphate ([Emim]DEP) with respect to carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), filter paper (FP), and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). With increasing [Emim]DEP concentration, PCs were differentially inhibited depending on the substrate. Subsequently, the kinetic parameters Km and Vmax were analyzed. A significant increase in the Km indicated that [Emim]DEP exerted a negative impact on the affinity of the enzyme on the substrate MCC. Comparatively, the Vmax was influenced only slightly. Further study on the relative MCCase activity with different substrate content showed that PCs were less inhibited at higher substrate concentration. Finally, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel elec...

Cellulose in a filter paper is hydrolyzed by six dilute organic acids (0.01–1 wt %) under hydrothermal conditions (260 °C and 5 MPa) using a semibatch reactor. The rate of degradation increases with an increase in the concentration of the acid. The cellulose sample is completely degraded by the acids (1 wt %) in 60 min. While the yields of the different products are dependent on the nature of the organic acid used, cellulose is essentially converted to mono- and oligosaccharides, with glucose as the major product. The observed increase in the rate of degradation in the presence of formic or citric acid at 1 wt % allows for the degradation of the cellulose sample in a short time (20 min) and results in the highest yield of glucose (approximately 60%) observed in this study. The rate of conversion of the cellulose sample to glucose correlates directly with [H+].

An inexpensive, disposable and highly selective microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) is described for the determination of ammonia (molecular ammonia and ammonium cation) in wastewaters which implements for the first time a gas-diffusion separation step on a paper-based platform. Its hydrophilic reagent zones were defined by printing filter paper with a hydrophobic paper sizing agent using a conventional inkjet printer. The sample was introduced into the sodium hydroxide impregnated sample zone of the μPAD. This allowed the quantitative conversion of the ammonium ion to molecular ammonia which diffused across the hydrophobic microporous Teflon membrane of the device into an adjacent hydrophilic reagent zone containing the acid-base indicator 3-nitrophenol or bromothymol blue. The change in indicator color was measured using a desktop scanner for ammonia quantification. Under optimal conditions, the μPAD is characterized by a limit of detection of 0.8 and 1.8 mg N L(-1) and repeatability of 3.1 and 3.7% (n ≥ 10, 20 mg N L(-1)), expressed as relative standard deviation, in the case of 3-nitrophenol or bromothymol blue, respectively. This μPAD was used successfully for the determination of ammonia in sewage and soil water samples. The small dimensions, minimal reagent consumption, low cost, simplicity of operation, and possibility of using a portable scanner make the proposed μPAD suitable for on-site ammonia monitoring in contaminated environmental waters and domestic, agricultural and industrial wastewaters. The successful implementation of the gas-diffusion approach on a paper-based platform is expected to result in the development of other μPADs for volatile analytes.

We describe the construction and characterization of a novel membrane designed to allow proteins separated by gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to be detected as peptides by mass spectrometry in an efficient and comprehensive manner. The key attribute of the membrane is a bifunctional design that allows for the digestion of protein(s) and retention of the resulting peptides with minimal lateral diffusion. Silane chemistries are used to differentially treat the opposing surfaces of a glass filter paper to enable this unique capability.

It remains a great challenge for the simple and affordable production of membranes for oil/water separation. We prepare low-cost but highly efficient paper-based membranes for oil/water separation through hydrophobic modification to filter papers. The simple modification contains only two steps: a thin layer of aluminum oxide is first coated on the surface of the filter paper by atomic layer deposition, and silane molecules are subsequently coupled on the precoated aluminum oxide layer via their reaction with hydroxyl groups on the surface. Both the alumina layer and the silanization layer are very thin with a total thickness less than 10 nm. The modified filter paper is endowed with strong hydrophobicity and oleophilicity, therefore exhibits strongly retarded permeation to water and enhanced permeation to nonpolar oils. The modified filter paper is demonstrated to show excellent separation efficiencies greater than 90% in the separation of various types of oils and organic solvents from their mixtures wi...

Collection of biological fluids on clinical filter papers shows important advantages from a logistic point of view, although analysis of these specimens is far from straightforward. Concerning urine analysis, and particularly when direct trace elemental analysis by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) is aimed at, several problems arise, such as lack of sensitivity or different distribution of the analytes on the filter paper, rendering obtaining reliable quantitative results quite difficult. In this paper, a novel approach for urine collection is proposed, which circumvents many of these problems. This methodology consists on the use of precut filter paper discs where large amounts of sample can be retained upon a single deposition. This provides higher amounts of the target analytes and, thus, sufficient sensitivity, and allows addition of an adequate internal standard at the clinical lab prior to analysis, therefore making it suitable for a strategy based on unsupervised sample collection and ulterior analysis at referral centers. On the basis of this sampling methodology, an analytical method was developed for the direct determination of several elements in urine (Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Sb, Sn, Tl, Pb, and V) at the low μg L(-1) level by means of LA-ICPMS. The method developed provides good results in terms of accuracy and LODs (≤1 μg L(-1) for most of the analytes tested), with a precision in the range of 15%, fit-for-purpose for clinical control analysis.

We report the first demonstration of electrochemical detection for paper-based microfluidic devices. Photolithography was used to make microfluidic channels on filter paper, and screen-printing technology was used to fabricate electrodes on the paper-based microfluidic devices. Screen-printed electrodes on paper were characterized using cyclic voltammetry to demonstrate the basic electrochemical performance of the system. The utility of our devices was then demonstrated with the determination of glucose, lactate, and uric acid in biological samples using oxidase enzyme (glucose oxidase, lactate oxidase, and uricase, respectively) reactions. Oxidase enzyme reactions produce H2O2 while decomposing their respective substrates, and therefore a single electrode type is needed for detection of multiple species. Selectivity of the working electrode for H2O2 was improved using Prussian Blue as a redox mediator. The determination of glucose, lactate, and uric acid in control serum samples was performed using chronoamperometry at the optimal detection potential for H2O2 (0 V versus the on-chip Ag/AgCl reference electrode). Levels of glucose and lactate in control serum samples measured using the paper devices were 4.9 +/- 0.6 and 1.2 +/- 0.2 mM (level I control sample), and 16.3 +/- 0.7 and 3.2 +/- 0.3 mM (level II control sample), respectively, and were within error of the values measured using traditional tests. This study shows the successful integration of paper-based microfluidics and electrochemical detection as an easy-to-use, inexpensive, and portable alternative for point of care monitoring.

This paper describes the use of a modified x,y-plotter to generate hydrophilic channels by printing a solution of hydrophobic polymer (pol(dimethylsiloxane; PDMS) dissolved in hexanes onto filter paper. The PDMS penetrates the depth of the paper and forms a hydrophobic wall that aqueous solutions cannot cross. The minimum size of printed features is ∼1 mm; this resolution is adequate for the rapid prototyping of hand-held, visually read, diagnostic assays (and other microfluidic systems) based on paper. After curing the printed PDMS, the paper-based devices can be bent or folded to generate three-dimensional systems of channels. Capillary action pulls aqueous samples into the paper channels. Colorimetric assays for the presence of glucose and protein are demonstrated in the printed devices; spots of Bromothymol Blue distinguished samples with slightly basic pH (8.0) from samples with slightly acidic pH (6.5). The work also describes using printed devices that can be loaded using multipipets and printed fl...

Corncobs were subjected to nonisothermal reaction in aqueous conditions to reach temperatures in the range 202−216 °C. The liquors were assayed for composition to assess the conversion of xylan into oligosaccharides and reaction byproducts, whereas the spent solids from treatments were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis. Enzymatic assays were carried out according to an incomplete, factorial, centered design of experiments, in which the following independent variables were considered: liquor to solid ratio (in the range 6−16 g/g), enzyme to substrate ratio (in the range 6−28 filter paper units/g), and β-glucosidase activity/cellulase activity ratio (in the range 1−9 IU/FPU). The concentration/time data were fitted to an equation selected from the literature, and the model parameters were expressed as a function of the operational variables considered in the experimental design. Under selected conditions, high oligosaccharide yields and near quantitative cellulose conversion into glucose were obtained.

The coating on the oral surface plays a significant role in mouthfeel perception, which is an important attribute governing perception of reduced-fat or low-fat food products. The aim of this work was to develop efficient methods to quantify the coating of the lipids covering the oral surface after ingestion of fatty foods. Three different approaches were assessed to investigate the in-mouth behavior of fluid foods in a subject. A first approach determined the mass of lipids retained in the oral cavity by rinsing it out. A second approach evaluated the thickness of the lipid coating on the tongue by fluorescence measurement using a dye incorporated in oil. Finally, a third approach measured local lipid thickness by adsorption of the lipids on a filter paper. All applied methods showed results in the same range. The thickness of the lipid coating was on average between 5 and 32 microm. The total lipid recoveries obtained by controlled rinses from the oral cavity were approximately 96 and 50% for single filter paper. A fast, simple, and quantitative method was developed to measure the thickness of the lipid coating on an oral surface after ingestion of fatty foods. This work presents the potential of the method to investigate in-mouth distribution and residues of lipids and establishes new avenues to study in-mouth behavior of food components and its influence on the sensory perception.

An improved analytical device capable of performing simultaneous immunofiltration-based immunoassay on 30 samples in the presence of reference standards has been developed. The device consists of a rectangular membrane with 36 antibody spotted zones, one end of which was attached to a semirigid polyethylene card. A piece of wetted filter paper between the membrane and the polyethylene card absorbs the added reagent. The assay is a competitive one using T-2 toxin-horseradish peroxidase (T-2 toxin-HRP) as the labeled analyte and 4-chloro-1 naphthol (4CN) as the substrate. Signal amplification was done by the Super-CARD signal amplification method. Semiquantitative results were obtained by visual comparison of the color intensity of a sample spot with those of reference standards. Densitometric analysis was used for quantitation. The method allows rapid and easy determination of T-2 toxin in wheat and poultry feed with detection limits of 12.5 and 25 microg x kg(-)(1), respectively, with accuracy and precision. Matrix interference was eliminated by appropriate dilution of sample extracts with assay buffer. The detection sensitivity in ELISA was 10-fold higher than that in the membrane-based method. Noninfected samples were spiked with T-2 toxin at several concentrations and analyzed by the present method and rapid ELISA. Mean recoveries by both methods were between 80 and 108%. The correlation between the two methods was excellent (R(2) = 0.99).

An experiment was developed to demonstrate a microfluidic device in the analytical chemistry (instrumental analysis) laboratory. Students made the paper-based microfluidic device with a wax pen and a piece of filter paper and used it to determine the total quantity of amino acids in a green tea leaf extract. The device is low cost, easy-to-make, and easy-to-use. The student results compared favorably with those from standard method.

A simple analytical device has been developed for performing noninstrumental immunofiltration-based assay on a batch of samples. The device consists of membrane strips, with antibody-immobilized zones, attached to a polyethylene card. A moist filter paper placed between the membrane and the polyethylene card acts as the absorbent body. The device was used to estimate very low concentrations of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) present in food samples by using an improved catalyzed reporter deposition (Super-CARD) method of signal amplification involving biotinylated tyramine (B-T) and avidin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate. 4-chloro-1-naphthol was used as the substrate for visualization. Semiquantitative results are obtained by visual comparison of the color intensity (inversely related to the analyte concentration) of a sample spot with those of reference standards. Quantitative estimation is possible by densitometric analysis (detection limit 0.25 pg/spot, 0.01 ng mL(-1)). Dilute samples can be assayed by in situ concentration with improved dose-response characteristics. A batch of 12 extracted samples can be analyzed in a single test card within 12 min. Spiked and contaminated samples of groundnut, corn, wheat, cheese, and chilli were analyzed without sample cleanup. The matrix interferences were eliminated by using appropriate dilution of the aqueous methanol extracts. Mean recoveries from different food samples were between 91 and 104%. The values obtained for infected corn and groundnut samples correlated well (R2=0.99) with the estimates by HPLC. The method is well-suited for visual screening of agricultural and food samples for AFB1 under field conditions.

Doing chromatographic separations on T-shirts and creating flower patterns on filter paper.

A convenient and accurate technique for the estimation of strontium with the x-ray spectrometer in human serum and bone is described. For bone a calcium-- strontium ratio of 1204 and 1231 is found for rib and skull, respectively, in the human. For human serum a calcium--strontium ratio of 390 is obtained. Normal human serum contains 25.6 mu g of strontium per 100 ml with a standard deviation of plus or minus 1.02 for six pools. Fifteen sera, both normal and abnormal, taken at random from the routine clinical laboratory, yielded values ranging from 16.4 to 31.0 mu g per 100 ml. An instrument is described for evaporating a strontium solution onto filter paper to obtain a relatively uniform spot for analysis by x-ray spectrometry. (auth)

Consden, Gordon and Martin reported a very ingenious method for the separation of amino acids by filter paper chromatography in which phenol or some other appropriate organic solvent sweeps the applied amino acids along the filter paper, capillarity causing the organic solvent to move. The percentage of light intermission along the chromatogram is measured and this transmission has been plotted on semi-log graph paper against the distance along the filter paper strips, and the areas of the segments above the plotted curve measured with a planimeter. It has been found that the areas so determined are over a limited concentration range a simple function of the concentration of the amino acids. The various factors which influence the reliability of this method are reported.

When a mixture of certain metal ions is allowed to flow from a capillary tube onto a piece of filter paper impregnated with a precipitating agent such as manganese ferrocyanide, concentric rings of metal precipitate develop. The rings form in the order of increasing solubility, since more soluble precipitates will form only after the metal ions of a less soluble one are exhausted by the precipitation process. A procedure for separation and identification of 11 ions that form insoluble ferrocyanides is described. If the precipitant is dispersed uniformly on the paper, then the area of the spot produced is proportional to the total number of equivalents of metal ion applied. Finally, a quantitative procedure based on this principle is described and certain variables in the procedure are discussed.

This experiment involves the separation of blood serum proteins using filter paper electrophoresis.

This experiment describes the simultaneous ascending one dimensional separation of the ions of elements iron through zinc on filter paper using a solvent mixture or hydrochloric acid and 2-butanone.

This experiment utilizes cylinder-shaped filter paper, capillary pipets for spotting, the dipping or rolling method of applying the reagents, and the use of multiple dipping.

>A sample preparation procedure is described in which filter paper is used as a binder for suspended solids in water samples for radioactivity determination. A stable adherent deposit of the suspended matter develops on the surface of the cellulose acetate, which is tightly adherent to the plabcget. The counting area is unaltered from the specific area developed during filtration. Data are given on factors influencing backscatter. (J.R. D.)

The application holder presented eliminates the awkwardness of handling filter paper strips while applying either large quantities of unknown samples or smaller quantities of amino acid standards.