Development of sensitive techniques for rapid detection of viruses is on a high demand. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an appropriate tool for new techniques due to its high sensitivity. DNA aptamers are short structured oligonucleotides that can provide specificity for SERS biosensors. Existing SERS-based aptasensors for rapid virus detection had several disadvantages. Some of them lacked possibility of quantitative determination, while others had sophisticated and expensive implementation. In this paper, we provide a new approach that combines rapid specific detection and the possibility of quantitative determination of viruses using the example of influenza A virus.

The results of studies of the structure of chemically modified detonation-synthesized nanodiamond (ND) particles by a set of physical and chemical methods are reported. It is shown that the crystal structure, size, and the paramagnetic properties of the particles persist during chemical modification processes. No nondiamond sp ² carbon is observed in the composition of the particles. The first experimental evidence for the uniform distribution of nitrogen impurities in the detonation-synthesized nanodiamond particles is presented.

Methods of graphene preparation, its structure, physical and chemical properties are reviewed. Two stages of chemical modification of graphene are described—primary (functionalization) and secondary (covalent attachment of organic compounds) modification. The main attention is paid to methods for the synthesis of graphene derivatives: oxide, graphane, halides, nitrogen-containing compounds, and conjugates of graphene and graphene oxide with organic and bioorganic molecules. The main areas of potential application of modified graphene materials are briefly considered. Biomedicine and medical diagnostics are the most promising areas of practical use of graphene conjugates and materials based on it. However, detailed studies of the toxicity of graphene and its derivatives should be carried out.

The use of silver nanoparticles (NPs) in medical, industrial and agricultural fields is becoming more widespread every year. This leads to an increasing number of experimental toxicological and microbiological studies of silver NPs aimed at establishing the risk–benefit ratio for their application. The following key parameters affecting the biological activity of silver dispersions are traditionally taken into consideration: mean diameter of NPs, surface potential of NPs and equilibrium concentration of Ag⁺. These characteristics are mainly predetermined by the chemical nature of the capping agent used for stabilization. However, the extent to which they influence the biological activity and the toxicity of silver NPs varies greatly. In this work, dispersions of silver NPs stabilized with a wide array of substances of different chemical nature were used for quantitative evaluation of whether the various measurable properties of silver NPs fit as descriptors of linear QNAR (quantitative nanostructure–activity relationship) models for silver NP toxicity evaluation with respect to a model eukaryotic microorganism—Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells. It was shown that among the factors that determine silver NP toxicity, the charge of particles, their colloidal stability and the ability to generate Ag⁺ ions carry more importance than the descriptors related to the particle size. A significant synergistic effect between the ζ-potential and the colloidal stability of silver NPs on their toxicity was also discovered. Following this, a new descriptor has been proposed for the integral characterization of the silver dispersion colloidal stability. According to the obtained data, it can be considered applicable for building QNAR models of higher efficacy. The validity testing of the proposed model for theoretical prediction of silver NP toxicity using a wide range of living organisms has shown that this new descriptor correlates with toxicity much better compared to most traditionally used descriptors. Consequently, it seems promising in terms of being used not only in situations involving the rather narrow array of the objects tested, but also for the construction of silver NP toxicity models with respect to other living organisms.

The review briefly discusses the basic data on the preparation of porous silicas containing surface covalently bound organic ligands which specifically interact with analyte molecules. Single-stage (immobilization of the modifier) and two-stage (assembly on the surface) methods of their synthesis are consistently discussed. The data on the use of such sorbents as collectors of inorganic, organic, and biologically active substances are presented. Numerous examples of the use of such materials in sorption-instrumental analytical methods are demonstrated, and it is shown that this class of sorbents is the most preferable.

General relationships of the hydrophobization of oxide and metal materials by chemical modification of the surface are discussed. Compounds containing an alkyl or fluoroalkyl substituent and a functional (anchor) group capable of chemical interaction with the support show the highest performance in the surface modification. The main classes of hydrophobizing agents, namely, carboxylic acids, alkylsilanes, phosphonic acids, alkyl mercaptans, and their perfluorinated derivatives, are considered. Papers published after 2000 are mainly cited. The review is intended for specialists who use hydrophobic materials.