The aim of presented research is to develop a simple and quick method of spectrophotometric detection for the determination of doxorubicin hydrochloride in blood and plasma. Anthracycline antibiotics are among the most effective antineoplastic agents. However, despite their high efficacy in the treatment of various types of cancer, their administration is limited primarily because they exhibit myocardial toxicity. This may be a limiting factor in the dosage of medications; nevertheless, drugs exhibiting this mechanism of action constitute a very important group of chemotherapeutics. One of the more widely studied antibiotics from the anthracycline group is doxorubicin. It exhibits the highest antineoplastic activity from among a number of derivative compounds. Because of the adverse effects of doxorubicin, especially cardiotoxicity, it is important to maintain control of its concentration in body fluids. The method in the study consists of extraction doxorubicin from the plasma or blood and measurements of the absorbance of light in the visible light range in a DOX solution with respect to a reference sample. The research used blood and plasma samples spiked with doxorubicin to give concentrations in the range of 0.2–10 µg/mL. Obtained LODs were 1.6 µg/mL and 1.2 µg/mL, respectively.
The use of solar panels in low-power applications is an increasingly developing topic. Various methods are currently used to obtain the highest possible solar panel power generation efficiency. The methods of determining the maximum power point (MPP) and its tracking are under constant development, resulting in the creation of new algorithms to accelerate the operational efficiency while maintaining good parameters. Typically, these methods are only used in high-power photovoltaic installations. Due to the problems resulting from the adjustment to MPP working conditions for low-power solar panels used to charge a Li-Ion battery, an attempt was made to check the feasibility of operating control based on a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) method and a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm like the one used in high-power solar systems also for low-power systems. The article presents adaptation of PWM and MPPT methods for small chargers, including the stages of modelling a solar charger and the results of a computer simulation of the charger operation. The stages of building a real, physical device are also presented. From the analysis of the test results of the constructed charger in real- and laboratory conditions with the use of a device imitating sunlight, the so-called solar box, and comparisons with computer simulations show that the assumed goal was achieved. The results obtained with the PWM method were compared with the MPPT method. The optimization of the device operation parameters and improvement of the algorithms used in the MPPT method resulted in better optimalization of maximum point tracking, improving the efficiency of energy storage from solar cells.
1 June 2025 in Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry
Early detection of biological threat agents plays a crucial role in public health protection, food safety, and environmental monitoring. Bioimmunosensors, utilizing specific antigen-antibody interactions, represent a promising technology in these applications due to their high sensitivity and specificity. This review explores the current state of knowledge regarding bioimmunosensors, highlighting recent technological innovations, such as integration with nanotechnology, microfluidic techniques, and the development of novel detection platforms based on optical and electrochemical biosensors. Key challenges in their development, including the stability of biological detection elements, cost reduction, and the scalability of technology for real-world applications, are also discussed. The analysis of future application prospects points to the growing potential of bioimmunosensors in areas such as medical diagnostics, pathogen detection in the environment, food quality control, and bioterrorism defense. Increased integration of bioimmunosensors with the Internet of Things (IoT) systems and the development of portable analytical devices may revolutionize the approach to monitoring and rapid response to biological threats in the coming years.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies Bacillus anthracis as one of the most dangerous pathogens that may affect public health and national security. Due to its importance as a potential biological weapon, this bacteria has been classified in the highest category A, together with such pathogens as variola virus or botulinum neurotoxin. Characteristic features of this pathogen that increase its military importance are the ease of its cultivation, transport, and storage and its ability to create survival forms that are extremely resistant to environmental conditions. However, beyond bioterrorism, B. anthracis is also a naturally occurring pathogen. Anthrax outbreaks occur in livestock and wildlife, particularly in spore-contaminated regions of Africa, Asia, and North America. Spores persist for decades, leading to recurrent infections and zoonotic transmission through direct contact, inhalation, or consumption of contaminated meat. This work presents a new electrochemical method for detecting and quantifying B. anthracis in spore form using a selective immune reaction. The developed method is based on the thiol-modified electrodes that constitute the sensing element of the electrochemical system. Tests with the B. anthracis spore suspension showed that the detection limit for this pathogen is as low as 103 CFU/mL. Furthermore, it was possible to quantify the analyte with a sensitivity of 11 mV/log (CFU/mL). Due to several features, such as low unit cost, portability, and minimal apparatus demands, this method can be easily implemented in field analyzers for this pathogen and provides an alternative to currently used techniques and devices.
A detector for identifying potential bacterial hazards in the air was designed and created in the Military Institute of Chemistry and Radiometry in the framework of the project FLORABO. The presence of fungi and bacteria in the air can affect the health of people in a given room. The need to control the amount of microorganisms, both in terms of quantity and quality, applies to both hospitals and offices. The device is based on the fluorescence spectroscopy analysis of the sample and then these results were compared to the resulting spectrogram database, which includes the standard curves obtained in the laboratory for selected bacteria. The measurements provide information about the presence, the type, and the approximate concentration of bacteria in the sample. The spectra were collected at different excitation wavelengths, and the waveforms are specific for each of the strains. It also takes under analysis the signal intensities of the different spectra (not only shape a maximum of the peak) so that the concentration of bacteria in the sample being tested can be determined. The device was tested in the laboratory with concentrations ranging from 10 to 108 cells/mL. Additionally, the detector can distinguish between the vegetative forms of spores of the bacteria.
Anthracycline antibiotics are among the most effective antineoplastic agents. However, despite their high efficacy in the treatment of various types of cancer, their administration is limited primarily because they exhibit myocardial toxicity. This may be a limiting factor in the dosage of medications; nevertheless, drugs exhibiting this mechanism of action constitute a very important group of chemotherapeutics. One of the more widely studied antibiotics from the anthracycline group is doxorubicin. It exhibits the highest antineoplastic activity from among a number of derivative compounds. Because of the adverse effects of doxorubicin, especially cardiotoxicity, it is important to maintain control of its concentration in body fluids. The aim of the presented work is a method for rapid, simple and accurate determination of the level of doxorubicin in blood and plasma using spectrophotometric methods. The method consists in the study of the absorbance of light in the visible light range in a DOX solution with respect to a reference sample. Characteristic peaks are selected from the absorbance spectrum, and for those peaks the wavelength at which maximum absorption occurs is determined. The concentration of the analyte is determined by comparison with the calibration curve.