Gold nanoparticles as assisted matrices for the detection of biomolecules in a high-salt solution through laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

Citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) serve as matrices for the determination of biomolecules in a high-salt solution through matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). In the case of using 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHB) as a matrix, the signal intensities of neutral steroids were severely suppressed in a high-salt solution. A high concentration of NaCl caused the formation of the sodium adduct ions during the desorption/ionization process, resulting in a decrease of the signal intensities of the protonated ions.

Sodium hydroxide as pretreatment and fluorosurfactant-capped gold nanoparticles as sensor for the highly selective detection of cysteine.

A sensor for detecting cysteine (Cys) in a solution of fluorosurfactant (FSN)-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been developed. Under acidic conditions, FSN-capped AuNPs are aggregated in the presence of homocysteine (HCys) and Cys but not in the presence of cysteinylglycine, glutathione, and gamma-glutamycysteine. When adding NaOH to a solution of HCys, the five-membered ring transition state is formed through intramolecular hydrogen abstraction.

Sample-first preparation: a method for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of cyclic oligosaccharides.

A new sample preparation method for the analysis of cyclic oligosaccharides in surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) is presented. We call this new technique "sample first method", in which a sample is deposited first and then bare gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which serve as the SALDI matrixes, are added to the top of the sample layer. The use of the sample first method offers significant advantages for improving shot-to-shot reproducibility, enhancing the ionization efficiency of the analyte, and reducing sample preparation time as compared to the dried-droplet method, wherein samples and bare AuNPs are mixed and dried together.

Phosphate-modified TiO2 nanoparticles for selective detection of dopamine, levodopa, adrenaline, and catechol based on fluorescence quenching.

For the first time, an aqueous solution, comprising 6-nm phosphate-modified titanium dioxide (P-TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and fluorescein, has been used for sensing dopamine (DA), levodopa (L-DOPA), adrenaline, and catechol. The complexes obtained by means of chelation of surface Ti(IV) ions with an enediol group exhibit strong absorption at 428 nm; thus, they can be designed as efficient quenchers for fluorescein. The fluorescence of a fluorescein solution containing 1.