The authors thank Dr. Wes Gordon (ECBC) for support in instrument design. This work represents the cumulative results from two research programs funded by Eric Lowenstein and Michael Roberts (Defense Threat Reduction Agency) under program CA08MSB317. The technical reports cited herein can be obtained at <a href="http://www.dtic.mil">http://www.dtic.mil</a>.

1. Condition Paint Substrates to the Desired Environment
<ol>
	<li>Preset the environmental chamber for substrate conditioning to the specified temperature and relative humidity (20 &#176;C, 50%). Ensure that the substrate conditions are consistently maintained since both temperature and water content can significantly influence absorption rates into materials.</li>
	<li>Coat 0.32 cm thick, 5.08 cm radius stainless steel discs with a surface area of 20.25 cm2 with a layer of paint (MIL-DTL-53039, a solvent-dispersible (SD) aliphatic polyurethane coating system6) with a total coating thickness (primer and top coat) of approximately 100 &#181;m. Place the substrates (with desired number of replicates) on stainless steel trays with the test surface to be exposed to a chemical agent facing upwards.</li>
	<li>Cover the substrates with Petri dishes. Place the trays containing the test substrates into the environmental chamber for at least 60 min but ideally O/N, if possible.</li>
</ol>
2. Contamination of Preconditioned Substrates
<ol>
	<li>Don personal protective equipment such as lab coat, safety glasses, and gloves.</li>
	<li>CAUTION: Obtain the chemical contaminants from cold storage and allow primary container vial to equilibrate to RT. The chemicals used in this protocol are Chemical Agent Standard Analytical Reference Material (CASARM, 98.0% purity) grade HD and CASARM (89.0% high purity) grade VX (both liquid phase). Obtain purity information from either nuclear magnetic resonance or gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analyses and maintain on file. 
	NOTE: CAUTION: The handling of chemical warfare agents should only be performed by trained personnel at an approved facility using applicable safety, security, and surety precautions.</li>
	<li>CAUTION: Fit the agent delivery tool with a pipette tip and configure the tool to deliver a droplet of agent (e.g., 1 &#181;l). Uncap the contaminant vial, and place the cap on the hood surface, threads facing up. Pick up the pipette, and slowly lower the tip into the contaminant solution. Load the agent delivery tool with agent in accordance with the manufacturer&#8217;s directions. Gently place the loaded pipette onto the hood working surface, and recap the contaminant vial.</li>
	<li>CAUTION: Contaminate the test substrates.
	<ol>
		<li>Remove the trays containing the test substrates from the environmental chamber.</li>
		<li>Remove the Petri dishes from the test substrates, and set on the hood surface. Digitally photograph each test substrate to record the appearance of each substrate before contamination.</li>
		<li>Pick up the loaded pipette and deliver a single droplet (e.g., 1 &#181;l) of agent onto the first test substrate. Cover the contaminated material with a polystyrene Petri dish to minimize evaporation while contaminating additional substrates. Repeat for each substrate; reload the pipette tip (Step 2.3) as necessary. 
		NOTE: Collect pipette confirmation samples before and after dosing of substrates for analysis via chromatography to confirm contaminant mass delivery.</li>
		<li>Remove the Petri dishes from the test substrates and set on the hood surface. Digitally photograph each test substrate to record the initial contaminant-material interactions.</li>
		<li>Cover the test substrates with the Petri dishes.</li>
		<li>Place the tray of substrates back into the environmental chamber.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
3. Contaminant-material Interaction Aging Period
<ol>
	<li>Prior to aging the samples, vent the stainless steel high vacuum experimental chamber to prepare it for use in Section 4.</li>
	<li>Allow the contaminated substrates to age in the environmental chamber for the specified duration, which can be varied based on the chemical-material-environment interaction dynamics (e.g., 60 min).</li>
	<li>Remove substrates from the environmental chamber and place on the working surface of the hood. Remove the Petri dishes from the test substrates and digitally photograph each substrate to record the post-aging contaminant-material interactions.</li>
	<li>Double-contain the test samples (e.g., multiple airtight containers) and transfer to the working hood with high vacuum chamber.</li>
</ol>
4. High Vacuum Vapor Emission Chamber Measurement
The high vacuum chamber is a small volume vessel pumped by a turbo molecular drag pump and a diaphragm backing pump (Figure 2). A quadrupole mass spectrometer is mounted on a port that directly faces a temperature-controlled substrate holder and is used to measure real-time gas evolution from contaminated substrates under high vacuum conditions. Full details on the vacuum chamber specifications and materials are included in reference 4.
<ol>
	<li>Ensure that the chamber is properly vented.</li>
	<li>CAUTION: Unpackage the samples prepared in Section 3, and remove Petri dish from the test substrates. Place one test substrate into each temperature-controlled substrate holder using stainless steel tweezers.</li>
	<li>Seal the vacuum chamber and begin the pump down sequence. Perform this step such that the chamber is vacuum sealed at the specified age time (e.g., 60 min) in relation to when the substrate was contaminated.</li>
	<li>Begin recording selected mass fragment channels as a function of time (direct measure of mass flux) identified with specific mass per unit charge values (m/z). Measure specific background gas species in addition to the primary mass fragments from the molecules of interest (VX: m/z = 114; HD: m/z = 109) in real time at &#60;0.25 Hz until the contaminant partial pressure drops below detection limits of the mass spectrometer (10&#8722;8 Pa).</li>
	<li>Collect the emission curves for the duration of the emission of contaminant from the substrate.</li>
	<li>Stop recording emission curves with the mass spectrometer once the contaminant mass flux has decreased to the chamber pressure baseline.</li>
	<li>Vent the high vacuum chamber to atmospheric pressure.</li>
</ol>
5. Post-treatment Evaluation for Total Remaining Contaminant
<ol>
	<li>Open the high vacuum vapor emission chamber (HVVEC) instrument and remove the substrate from the chamber using stainless steel tweezers.</li>
	<li>Place the substrate into a glass extraction jar and add 20 ml of extraction solvent to the jar (e.g., isopropyl alcohol: VX; chloroform: HD). Cap the jar and swirl the jar three times. Leave the substrate in the extraction solvent for 60 min.</li>
	<li>Swirl the jar three times again and then uncap the jar. Using a clean, disposable, glass pipette, transfer approximately 1 to 2 ml of extraction solvent into an analytical vial for analysis via gas or liquid chromatography7 to measure the contaminant mass retained by the substrates.</li>
</ol>
6. Data Analysis and Modeling
<ol>
	<li>Convert raw mass spectrometry data (partial pressure derived from measured ion current) to mass flux from the substrate. Use a combination of the Hertz-Knudsen formula for converting partial pressure of detected gas species to incident vapor flux at the detector and include a scaling factor that accounts for the contaminated area on the substrate from the original contamination event.</li>
	<li>Use inverse methods (e.g., Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm) to determine the saturation concentration and diffusion constant values (key mass transport parameters) for the contaminant transport through the paint coating. Compare the experimentally determined vapor flux to a predicted vapor flux (an analytical solution to Fick&#8217;s second law with appropriate boundary conditions applied (see equation 4 from reference 4)).</li>
	<li>Use the mass transport parameters to predict the concentration profiles for the contaminant-material system.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Willis, M. P., Mantooth, B. A., Lalain, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Novel+Methodology+for+the+Estimation+of+Chemical+Warfare+Agent+Mass+Transport+Dynamics,+Part+II:+Absorption.">Novel Methodology for the Estimation of Chemical Warfare Agent Mass Transport Dynamics, Part II: Absorption.</a> J. Phys. Chem. C. 116, 546-554 (2011).</li><li>Felder, R. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Estimation+of+Gas+Transport-Coefficients+from+Differential+Permeation,+Integral+Permeation,+and+Sorption+Rate+Data.">Estimation of Gas Transport-Coefficients from Differential Permeation, Integral Permeation, and Sorption Rate Data.</a> J. Membr. Sci. 3, 15-27 (1978).</li><li>Taviera, P., Mendes, A., Costa, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=On+the+Determination+of+Diffusivity+and+Sorption+Coefficients+Using+Different+Time-lag+Models.">On the Determination of Diffusivity and Sorption Coefficients Using Different Time-lag Models.</a> J. Membr. Sci. 221, 123-133 (2003).</li><li>Willis, M. P., Gordon, W. O., Lalain, T. A., Mantooth, B. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+of+Chemical+Agent+Transport+in+Paints.">Characterization of Chemical Agent Transport in Paints.</a> J. 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Environ. 41, 2344-2354 (2007).</li><li>Li, F., Niu, J., Zhang, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Physically-Based+Model+for+Prediction+of+VOCs+Emissions+from+Paint+Applied+to+an+Absorptive+Substrate.">A Physically-Based Model for Prediction of VOCs Emissions from Paint Applied to an Absorptive Substrate.</a> Build. Environ. 41, 1317-1325 (2006).</li><li>Li, F., Niu, J. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Simultaneous+Estimation+of+VOCs+Diffusion+and+Partition+Coefficients+in+Building+Materials+via+Inverse+Analysis.">Simultaneous Estimation of VOCs Diffusion and Partition Coefficients in Building Materials via Inverse Analysis.</a> Build. Environ. 40, 1366-1374 (2005).</li><li>Li, F., Niu, J. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Mass transport parameters for HD and VX in the paint were determined via the numerical inverse analysis of vapor emission data. With calculated parameters, it was possible to then produce time-dependent concentration gradient maps for contaminant distribution in the paint coating. The inverse analysis results demonstrated that the solubility of HD in the SD paint was higher than VX, but the diffusivity was approximately 5x lower. The results suggest that the HD contamination was highly concentrated at the surface of t...

The mass transport mechanisms associated with contamination of materials by chemical warfare agents are driven by a variety of convolved processes including physical state transitions, chemical interactions between mobile species, and materials interfaces. To develop efficacious decontamination technologies, optimized decontamination procedures, and predictive models, it is vital that the contamination process is well understood, including the transport of contaminants into materials via absorption and the subsequent chemical emission back into the environment. Consequently, it is imperative that approaches are developed that can evaluate subsurface concentration profiles for contaminant-material pairs as a function of environmental conditions. A continuum-scale, physics-based model was developed to predict the concentration distribution of absorbed agent in a contaminated substrate. Experimentally derived mass transport parameters enable the prediction of the vapor emission from the contaminated material post decontamination. An ability to predict the concentration distribution in a material can facilitate the assessment of potential vapor hazards and, in turn, enable accurate diagnoses of toxicological hazards1. This approach allows for an estimation of contaminant-material pair specific mass transport parameters such as diffusivity and saturation concentration that in turn permit modeling for a other scenarios and conditions. In this study, we have treated the liquid phase contamination of solvent-dispersed, polyurethane paint coatings with chemical warfare agents bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide (distilled mustard, blister agent HD) and O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate (VX), an organophosphate nerve agent.
The developed methodology characterizes gas desorption profiles from contaminated materials, including chemical warfare agents like HD and VX, without many of the restrictions that hamper other approaches2,3. Time-resolved mass spectrometry measurements of contaminant evolution from contaminated substrates allow for a diffusive transport model with inverse analysis to calculate mass transport parameters for the contaminant in the material, including the absorbed concentration profile for the contaminant starting from the original permeation event. With the establishment of a predictive capability for delineating concentration profiles of contaminants in materials as a function of environmental conditions comes the ability to assess toxicological hazards and ultimately develop routes for efficacious decontamination. 
In this paper, the details associated with sample preparation are presented, including work with chemical warfare agent contaminants, as well as experimental data collection from contaminated materials and subsequent modeling4. Experimental runs were conducted as described in the chemical contaminant and decontaminant source document5 and will be discussed in the next section. A flow chart for sample preparation and analysis steps in included in Figure 1.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="646">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:203px;">Name of Material/Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">Catalog Number</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Comments/Description</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:203px;">Stainless Steel Tray</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">McMaster Carr</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">4189T1</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">13-5/8&#34; L x 9-3/4&#34; W, http://www.mcmaster.com/#stainless-steel-trays/=p8dcgp</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="67">
			<td height="67" style="height:67px;width:203px;">MIL-DTL-53039 solvent-dispersible aliphatic polyurethane coating system</td>
			<td style="width:101px;"></td>
			<td style="width:97px;"></td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Substrates supplied by internal source</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:203px;">Environmental Chamber</td>
			<td style="width:101px;"></td>
			<td style="width:97px;"></td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Custom Design. Full details on vacuum chamber specifications and materials included in reference 4.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="33">
			<td height="33" style="height:33px;width:203px;">bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">CASARM</td>
			<td style="width:97px;"></td>
			<td style="width:245px;">TOXIC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="65">
			<td height="65" style="height:65px;width:203px;">O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">CASARM</td>
			<td style="width:97px;"></td>
			<td style="width:245px;">TOXIC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="49">
			<td height="49" style="height:49px;width:203px;">Pipetter</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>22260201</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Range of 1.0 &#181;L to 10 mL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:203px;">Pipetter Tips</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">13-683-709</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">0.1 mL Volume</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="44">
			<td height="44" style="height:44px;width:203px;">Stainless Steel High Vacuum Experimental Chamber</td>
			<td style="width:101px;"></td>
			<td style="width:97px;"></td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Custom Design</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:203px;">Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">ExTorr</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">RGA300</td>
			<td style="width:245px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:203px;">Stainless Steel Tweezers</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">McMaster Carr</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">5516A15</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Any stainless steel tweezers are appropriate.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:203px;">Glass Extraction Jar</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">Scientific Specialties</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">170808</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">Jar fits a ~5 cm diameter substrate.&#160; Different glass jars with teflon lined lids are appropriate for different sized substrates.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:203px;">Chloroform</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">650498</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">HARMFUL.&#160; The extraction solvent for HD may change depending on the analytical method.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:203px;">Isopropanol</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">650447</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">HARMFUL.&#160; The extraction solvent for VX may change depending on the analytical method.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:203px;">Pasteur Pipette</td>
			<td style="width:101px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:97px;">14673-010</td>
			<td style="width:245px;">size= 5 3/4&#34;</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

an inverse analysis approach to the characterization of chemical transport in paints

The ability to directly characterize chemical transport and interactions that occur within a material (i.e., subsurface dynamics) is a vital component in understanding contaminant mass transport and the ability to decontaminate materials. If a material is contaminated, over time, the transport of highly toxic chemicals (such as chemical warfare agent species) out of the material can result in vapor exposure or transfer to the skin, which can result in percutaneous exposure to personnel who interact with the material. Due to the high toxicity of chemical warfare agents, the release of trace chemical quantities is of significant concern. Mapping subsurface concentration distribution and transport characteristics of absorbed agents enables exposure hazards to be assessed in untested conditions. Furthermore, these tools can be used to characterize subsurface reaction dynamics to ultimately design improved decontaminants or decontamination procedures. To achieve this goal, an inverse analysis mass transport modeling approach was developed that utilizes time-resolved mass spectroscopy measurements of vapor emission from contaminated paint coatings as the input parameter for calculation of subsurface concentration profiles. Details are provided on sample preparation, including contaminant and material handling, the application of mass spectrometry for the measurement of emitted contaminant vapor, and the implementation of inverse analysis using a physics-based diffusion model to determine transport properties of live chemical warfare agents including distilled mustard (HD) and the nerve agent VX.

The top panel of Figure 3 displays examples of the calculated mass flux of VX and HD from SD-painted substrates based on time-resolved mass spectrometry for the main mass fragments of VX and HD (mass-to-charge ratio, m/z = 114 and 109, respectively). A quadrupole mass spectrometer has three main components: an ionizer, a mass analyzer or filter, and a charge detector. Gas species are ionized via electron impact ionization (hot filament style electron source), and the produced ions are i...

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An Inverse Analysis Approach to the Characterization of Chemical Transport in Paints

In this paper, a procedure for quantifying the mass transport parameters of chemicals in various materials is presented. This process involves employing an inverse-analysis based diffusion model to vapor emission profiles recorded by real-time, mass spectrometry in high vacuum.

The ability to directly characterize chemical transport and interactions that occur within a material (i.e., subsurface dynamics) is a vital component in ...

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8.3K Views.  U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center. In this paper, a procedure for quantifying the mass transport parameters of chemicals in various materials is presented. This process involves employing an inverse-analysis based diffusion model to vapor emission profiles recorded by real-time, mass spectrometry in high vacuum.

Video: An Inverse Analysis Approach to the Characterization of Chemical Transport in Paints

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development

The involvement of free radicals in life sciences has constantly increased with time and has been connected to several physiological and pathological processes. This subject embraces diverse scientific areas, spanning from physical, biological and bioorganic chemistry to biology and medicine, with applications to the amelioration of quality of life, health and aging. Multidisciplinary skills are required for the full investigation of the many facets of radical processes in the biological environment and chemical knowledge plays a crucial role in unveiling basic processes and mechanisms. We developed a chemical biology approach able to connect free radical chemical reactivity with biological processes, providing information on the mechanistic pathways and products. The core of this approach is the design of biomimetic models to study biomolecule behavior (lipids, nucleic acids and proteins) in aqueous systems, obtaining insights of the reaction pathways as well as building up molecular libraries of the free radical reaction products. This context can be successfully used for biomarker discovery and examples are provided with two classes of compounds: mono-trans isomers of cholesteryl esters, which are synthesized and used as references for detection in human plasma, and purine 5',8-cyclo-2'-deoxyribonucleosides, prepared and used as reference in the protocol for detection of such lesions in DNA samples, after ionizing radiations or obtained from different health conditions.

Radical-based biomimetic chemistry has been applied to building-up libraries necessary for biomarker development.

The involvement of free radicals in life sciences has constantly increased with time and has been connected to several physiological and pathological ...

Isolation and Chemical Characterization of Lipid A from Gram-negative Bacteria

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the major cell surface molecule of gram-negative bacteria, deposited on the outer leaflet of the outer membrane bilayer. LPS can be subdivided into three domains: the distal O-polysaccharide, a core oligosaccharide, and the lipid A domain consisting of a lipid A molecular species and 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid residues (Kdo). The lipid A domain is the only component essential for bacterial cell survival. Following its synthesis, lipid A is chemically modified in response to environmental stresses such as pH or temperature, to promote resistance to antibiotic compounds, and to evade recognition by mediators of the host innate immune response. The following protocol details the small- and large-scale isolation of lipid A from gram-negative bacteria. Isolated material is then chemically characterized by thin layer chromatography (TLC) or mass-spectrometry (MS). In addition to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) MS, we also describe tandem MS protocols for analyzing lipid A molecular species using electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled to collision induced dissociation (CID) and newly employed ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) methods. Our MS protocols allow for unequivocal determination of chemical structure, paramount to characterization of lipid A molecules that contain unique or novel chemical modifications. We also describe the radioisotopic labeling, and subsequent isolation, of lipid A from bacterial cells for analysis by TLC. Relative to MS-based protocols, TLC provides a more economical and rapid characterization method, but cannot be used to unambiguously assign lipid A chemical structures without the use of standards of known chemical structure. Over the last two decades isolation and characterization of lipid A has led to numerous exciting discoveries that have improved our understanding of the physiology of gram-negative bacteria, mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, the human innate immune response, and have provided many new targets in the development of antibacterial compounds.

Isolation and characterization of the lipid A domain of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram-negative bacteria provides insight into cell surface based mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, bacterial survival and fitness, and how chemically diverse lipid A molecular species differentially modulate host innate immune responses.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the major cell surface molecule of gram-negative bacteria, deposited on the outer leaflet of the outer membrane bilayer. LPS ...

Chemical Vapor Deposition of an Organic Magnet, Vanadium Tetracyanoethylene

Recent progress in the field of organic materials has yielded devices such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) which have advantages not found in traditional materials, including low cost and mechanical flexibility. In a similar vein, it would be advantageous to expand the use of organics into high frequency electronics and spin-based electronics. This work presents a synthetic process for the growth of thin films of the room temperature organic ferrimagnet, vanadium tetracyanoethylene (V[TCNE]x, x~2) by low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The thin film is grown at &#60;60 &#176;C, and can accommodate a wide variety of substrates including, but not limited to, silicon, glass, Teflon and flexible substrates. The conformal deposition is conducive to pre-patterned and three-dimensional structures as well. Additionally this technique can yield films with thicknesses ranging from 30 nm to several microns. Recent progress in optimization of film growth creates a film whose qualities, such as higher Curie temperature (600 K), improved magnetic homogeneity, and narrow ferromagnetic resonance line-width (1.5 G) show promise for a variety of applications in spintronics and microwave electronics.

We present the synthesis of the organic-based ferrimagnet vanadium tetracyanoethylene (V[TCNE]x, x~2) via low temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This optimized recipe yields an increase in Curie temperature from 400 K to over 600 K and a dramatic improvement in magnetic resonance properties.

Recent progress in the field of organic materials has yielded devices such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) which have advantages not found in ...

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Control over colloidal assembly is of utmost importance for the development of functional colloidal materials with tailored structural and mechanical properties for applications in photonics, drug delivery and coating technology. Here we present a new family of colloidal building blocks, coined supramolecular colloids, whose self-assembly is controlled through surface-functionalization with a benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) derived supramolecular moiety. Such BTAs interact via directional, strong, yet reversible hydrogen-bonds with other identical BTAs. Herein, a protocol is presented that describes how to couple these BTAs to colloids and how to quantify the number of coupling sites, which determines the multivalency of the supramolecular colloids. Light scattering measurements show that the refractive index of the colloids is almost matched with that of the solvent, which strongly reduces the van der Waals forces between the colloids. Before photo-activation, the colloids remain well dispersed, as the BTAs are equipped with a photo-labile group that blocks the formation of hydrogen-bonds. Controlled deprotection with UV-light activates the short-range hydrogen-bonds between the BTAs, which triggers the colloidal self-assembly. The evolution from the dispersed state to the clustered state is monitored by confocal microscopy. These results are further quantified by image analysis with simple routines using ImageJ and Matlab. This merger of supramolecular chemistry and colloidal science offers a direct route towards light- and thermo-responsive colloidal assembly encoded in the surface-grafted monolayer.

A protocol for the synthesis and characterization of colloids coated with supramolecular moieties is described. These supramolecular colloids undergo self-assembly upon the activation of the hydrogen-bonds between the surface-anchored molecules by UV-light.

Control over colloidal assembly is of utmost importance for the development of functional colloidal materials with tailored structural and mechanical ...

Glycan Node Analysis: A Bottom-up Approach to Glycomics

Synthesized in a non-template-driven process by enzymes called glycosyltransferases, glycans are key players in various significant intra- and extracellular events. Many pathological conditions, notably cancer, affect gene expression, which can in turn deregulate the relative abundance and activity levels of glycoside hydrolase and glycosyltransferase enzymes. Unique aberrant whole glycans resulting from deregulated glycosyltransferase(s) are often present in trace quantities within complex biofluids, making their detection difficult and sometimes stochastic. However, with proper sample preparation, one of the oldest forms of mass spectrometry (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, GC-MS) can routinely detect the collection of branch-point and linkage-specific monosaccharides ("glycan nodes") present in complex biofluids. Complementary to traditional top-down glycomics techniques, the approach discussed herein involves the collection and condensation of each constituent glycan node in a sample into a single independent analytical signal, which provides detailed structural and quantitative information about changes to the glycome as a whole and reveals potentially deregulated glycosyltransferases. Improvements to the permethylation and subsequent liquid/liquid extraction stages provided herein enhance reproducibility and overall yield by facilitating minimal exposure of permethylated glycans to alkaline aqueous conditions. Modifications to the acetylation stage further increase the extent of reaction and overall yield. Despite their reproducibility, the overall yields of N-acetylhexosamine (HexNAc) partially permethylated alditol acetates (PMAAs) are shown to be inherently lower than their expected theoretical value relative to hexose PMAAs. Calculating the ratio of the area under the extracted ion chromatogram (XIC) for each individual hexose PMAA (or HexNAc PMAA) to the sum of such XIC areas for all hexoses (or HexNAcs) provides a new normalization method that facilitates relative quantification of individual glycan nodes in a sample. Although presently constrained in terms of its absolute limits of detection, this method expedites the analysis of clinical biofluids and shows considerable promise as a complementary approach to traditional top-down glycomics.

This article presents an enhanced form of a novel bottom-up glycomics technique designed to analyze the pooled compositional profile of glycans in unfractionated biofluids through the chemical breakdown of glycans into their constituent linkage-specific monosaccharides for detection by GC-MS. Potential applications include early detection of cancer and other glycan-affective disorders.

Synthesized in a non-template-driven process by enzymes called glycosyltransferases, glycans are key players in various significant intra- and ...

Microfluidic Pneumatic Cages: A Novel Approach for In-chip Crystal Trapping, Manipulation and Controlled Chemical Treatment

The precise localization and controlled chemical treatment of structures on a surface are significant challenges for common laboratory technologies. Herein, we introduce a microfluidic-based technology, employing a double-layer microfluidic device, which can trap and localize in situ and ex situ synthesized structures on microfluidic channel surfaces. Crucially, we show how such a device can be used to conduct controlled chemical reactions onto on-chip trapped structures and we demonstrate how the synthetic pathway of a crystalline molecular material and its positioning inside a microfluidic channel can be precisely modified with this technology. This approach provides new opportunities for the controlled assembly of structures on surface and for their subsequent treatment.

Herein, we describe the fabrication and operation of a double-layer microfluidic system made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). We demonstrate the potential of this device for trapping, directing the coordination pathway of a crystalline molecular material and controlling chemical reactions onto on-chip trapped structures.

The precise localization and controlled chemical treatment of structures on a surface are significant challenges for common laboratory technologies. ...

Original Experimental Approach for Assessing Transport Fuel Stability

The study of fuel oxidation stability is an important issue for the development of future fuels. Diesel and kerosene fuel systems have undergone several technological changes to fulfill environmental and economic requirements. These developments have resulted in increasingly severe operating conditions whose suitability for conventional and alternative fuels needs to be addressed. For example, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) introduced as biodiesel are more prone to oxidation and may lead to deposit formation. Although several methods exist to evaluate fuel stability (induction period, peroxides, acids, and insolubles), no technique allows one to monitor the real-time oxidation mechanism and to measure the formation of oxidation intermediates that may lead to deposit formation. In this article, we developed an advanced oxidation procedure (AOP) based on two existing reactors. This procedure allows the simulation of different oxidation conditions and the monitoring of the oxidation progress by the means of macroscopic parameters, such as total acid number (TAN) and advanced analytical methods like gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared - Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR). We successfully applied AOP to gain an in-depth understanding of the oxidation kinetics of a model molecule (methyl oleate) and commercial diesel and biodiesel fuels. These developments represent a key strategy for fuel quality monitoring during logistics and on-board utilization.

Oxidation stability of transport fuels has become a concern for future fuel development. This work presents an original methodology developed by IFP Energies Nouvelles for assessing fuel stability using two different reactors. This methodology was successfully applied to gain an in-depth understanding of the oxidation kinetics and pathways of model molecules and commercial fuels.

The study of fuel oxidation stability is an important issue for the development of future fuels. Diesel and kerosene fuel systems have undergone several ...

Using Capillary Electrophoresis to Quantify Organic Acids from Plant Tissue: A Test Case Examining Coffea arabica Seeds

Carboxylic acids are organic acids containing one or more terminal carboxyl (COOH) functional groups. Short chain carboxylic acids (SCCAs; carboxylic acids containing three to six carbons), such as malate and citrate, are critical to the proper functioning of many biological systems, where they function in cellular respiration and can serve as indicators of cell health. In foods, organic acid content can have significant impact on taste, with increased SCCA levels resulting in a sour or &#34;acid&#34; taste. Because of this, methods for the rapid analysis of organic acid levels are of particular interest to the food and beverage industries. Unfortunately, however, most methods used for SCCA quantification are dependent on time-consuming protocols requiring the derivatization of samples with hazardous reagents, followed by costly chromatographic and/or mass spectrometric analyses. This method details an alternate method for the detection and quantification of organic acids from plant material and food samples using free zonal capillary electrophoresis (CZE), sometimes simply referred to as capillary electrophoresis (CE). CZE provides a cost-effective method for measuring SCCAs with a low limit of detection (0.005 mg/ml). This article details the extraction and quantification of SCCAs from plant samples. While the method provided focuses on measurement of SCCAs from coffee beans, the method provided can be applied to multiple plant-based food materials.

Using Capillary Electrophoresis to Quantify Organic Acids from Plant Tissue: A Test Case Examining Coffea arabica Seeds

This article presents a method for the detection and quantification of organic acids from plant material using free zonal capillary electrophoresis. An example of the potential application of this method, determining the effects of a secondary fermentation on organic acid levels in coffee seeds, is provided.

Carboxylic acids are organic acids containing one or more terminal carboxyl (COOH) functional groups. Short chain carboxylic acids (SCCAs; carboxylic ...

Characterizing Electron Transport through Living Biofilms

Here we demonstrate the method of electrochemical gating used to characterize electrical conductivity of electrode-grown microbial biofilms under physiologically relevant conditions.1 These measurements are performed on living biofilms in aqueous medium using source and drain electrodes patterned on a glass surface in a specialized configuration referred to as an interdigitated electrode (IDA) array. A biofilm is grown that extends across the gap connecting the source and drain. Potentials are applied to the electrodes (ES and ED) generating a source-drain current (ISD) through the biofilm between the electrodes. The dependency of electrical conductivity on gate potential (the average of the source and drain potentials, EG = [ED + ES]/2) is determined by systematically changing the gate potential and measuring the resulting source-drain current. The dependency of conductivity on gate potential provides mechanistic information about the extracellular electron transport process underlying the electrical conductivity of the specific biofilm under investigation. The electrochemical gating measurement method described here is based directly on that used by M. S. Wrighton2,3 and colleagues and R. W. Murray4,5,6 and colleagues in the 1980&#39;s to investigate thin film conductive polymers.

A protocol for measuring electrical conductivity of living microbial biofilms under physiologically relevant conditions is presented.

Here we demonstrate the method of electrochemical gating used to characterize electrical conductivity of electrode-grown microbial biofilms under ...

Pretargeted Radioimmunotherapy Based on the Inverse Electron Demand Diels-Alder Reaction

While radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a promising approach for the treatment of cancer, the long pharmacokinetic half-life of radiolabeled antibodies can result in high radiation doses to healthy tissues. Perhaps not surprisingly, several different strategies have been developed to circumvent this troubling limitation. One of the most promising of these approaches is pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT). PRIT is predicated on decoupling the radionuclide from the immunoglobulin, injecting them separately, and then allowing them to combine in vivo at the target tissue. This approach harnesses the exceptional tumor-targeting properties of antibodies while skirting their pharmacokinetic drawbacks, thereby lowering radiation doses to non-target tissues and facilitating the use of radionuclides with half-lives that are considered too short for use in traditional radioimmunoconjugates. Over the last five years, our laboratory and others have developed an approach to in vivo pretargeting based on the inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction between trans-cyclooctene (TCO) and tetrazine (Tz). This strategy has been successfully applied to pretargeted positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with a variety of antibody-antigen systems. In a pair of recent publications, we have demonstrated the efficacy of IEDDA-based PRIT in murine models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and colorectal carcinoma. In this protocol, we describe protocols for PRIT using a 177Lu-DOTA-labeled tetrazine radioligand ([177Lu]Lu-DOTA-PEG7-Tz) and a TCO-modified variant of the colorectal cancer targeting huA33 antibody (huA33-TCO). More specifically, we will describe the construction of huA33-TCO, the synthesis and radiolabeling of [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-PEG7-Tz, and the performance of in vivo biodistribution and longitudinal therapy studies in murine models of colorectal carcinoma.

This protocol describes the synthesis and characterization of a trans-cyclooctene (TCO)-modified antibody and a 177Lu-labeled tetrazine (Tz) radioligand for pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT). In addition, it details the use of these two constructs for in vivo biodistribution and longitudinal therapy studies in a murine model of colorectal cancer.

While radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a promising approach for the treatment of cancer, the long pharmacokinetic half-life of radiolabeled antibodies can ...