Organic Dyes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Featuring Back Reflector

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using a photoelectrode covered by a porous layer of titanium dioxide, platinum counter electrode, iodide/triiodide electrolyte and three different dyes: phenylfluorone (PF), pyrocatechol violet (PCV) and alizarin (AL). After the adsorption of the dyes on the mesoporous TiO2 layer, the measurement of absorption spectra of all the tested dyes revealed a significant broadening of the absorption range. The positions of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest occupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels of dye molecules were determined, indicating that all three dyes are good candidates for light harvesters in DSSCs. The cells were tested under simulated solar light, and their working parameters were determined. The results showed that the implementation of the back reflector layer made of BaSO4 provided an improvement in the cell efficiency of up to 17.9% for phenylfluorone, 60% for pyrocatechol violet and 21.4% for alizarin dye.

SORPTION OF BISMUTON (III) IONS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS BY SILICAS MODIFIED BY ORGANIC REAGENTS

In current paper, adsorbents based on silica L 40/100 modified with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol, 1-(2-pyrylazo)naphthol‑2, pyrocatechol violet and sodium N, N‑diethyldithiocarbamate were obtained. Adsorbents were modified by non-covalent immobilization of organic analytical reagents on the silica surface. It is noted that the preparation of such adsorbents is fast and easy to manufacture. The conditions of Bismuth (III) adsorption from dilute aqueous solutions by the proposed adsorbents are studied and optimized. The optimal values of the medium acidity for the effective Bismuth (III) preconcentration by the proposed adsorbents based on silica modified with organic analytical reagents have been established. It is shown that the use of modified silicas allows efficient (95–98%) removal of Bismuth (III) from dilute aqueous solutions. Under optimal adsorption conditions, the capacity of modified adsorbents is determined. It is established that the modification of silica leads to a significant (2–3 times) increase in the capacity of the obtained sorbents by Bismuth (III) in comparison with the unmodified silica, which is associated with the processes of complexation on the surface. The desorption of Bismuth (III) from the surface of unmodified and modified silicas by solutions of mineral acids has been studied. It is shown that Bi(III) is quantitatively desorbed from the surface of unmodified silicas by solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids, and in the case of modified silicas the degree of desorption is small and does not exceed 35%. The data obtained can then be used to develop a test system for determination of Bismuth (III) via corresponding colorimetric scales or for quantitative solid phase extraction and adsorption-spectroscopic quantification of Bismuth (III) in some real samples.

Sensitive and Selective Voltammetric Sensors for the Simultaneous Quantification of Natural Phenolic Antioxidants in Cognac and Brandy

Aged distilled beverages (cognac and brandy) contain phenolic antioxidants as their quality markers. Voltammetric sensors based on the carbon nanotubes and electropolymerized pyrocatechol violet (PCV) or p-aminobenzoic acid (ABA) were developed for the simultaneous determination of the phenolic antioxidants in cognac and brandy. The polymerization conditions of PCV and ABA were optimized. Sensors allow for the simultaneous sensitive determination of gallic and ellagic acids as well as syringaldehyde and vanillin. The analytical characteristics are improved vs. other modified electrodes. The sensors show selectivity in the presence of typical interferences and other natural phenolics. The sensors that were developed were tested on cognac and brandy samples.

Toward Food Freshness Monitoring: Coordination Binding–Based Colorimetric Sensor Array for Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids

Herein, a self-assembled colorimetric chemosensor array composed of off-the-shelf catechol dyes and a metal ion (i.e., Zn2+) has been used for the sulfur-containing amino acids (SCAAs; i.e., glutathione, glutathione disulfide, L–cysteine, DL–homocysteine, and L–cystine). The coordination binding–based chemosensor array (CBSA) fabricated by a competitive assay among SCAAs, Zn2+ ions, and catechol dyes [i.e., pyrocatechol violet (PV), bromopyrogallol red (BPR), pyrogallol red (PR), and alizarin red S (ARS)] yielded fingerprint-like colorimetric changes. We succeeded in the qualification of SCAAs based on pattern recognition [i.e., a linear discrimination analysis (LDA)] with 100% correct classification accuracy. The semiquantification of reduced/oxidized forms of SCAAs was also performed based on LDA. Furthermore, we carried out a spike test of glutathione in food samples using the proposed chemosensor array with regression analysis. It is worth mentioning that we achieved a 91–110% recovery rate in real sample tests, which confirmed the accuracy of the constructed model. Thus, this study represents a step forward in assessing food freshness based on supramolecular analytical methods.

Novel Chemically Modified Curcumin (CMC) Derivatives Inhibit Tyrosinase Activity and Melanin Synthesis in B16F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells

Skin hyperpigmentation disorders arise due to excessive production of the macromolecular pigment melanin catalyzed by the enzyme tyrosinase. Recently, the therapeutic use of curcumin for inhibiting tyrosinase activity and production of melanin have been recognized, but poor stability and solubility have limited its use, which has inspired synthesis of curcumin analogs. Here, we investigated four novel chemically modified curcumin (CMC) derivatives (CMC2.14, CMC2.5, CMC2.23 and CMC2.24) and compared them to the parent compound curcumin (PC) for inhibition of in vitro tyrosinase activity using two substrates for monophenolase and diphenolase activities of the enzyme and for diminution of cellular melanogenesis. Enzyme kinetics were analyzed using Lineweaver-Burk and Dixon plots and nonlinear curve-fitting to determine the mechanism for tyrosinase inhibition. Copper chelating activity, using pyrocatechol violet dye indicator assay, and antioxidant activity, using a DPPH radical scavenging assay, were also conducted. Next, the capacity of these derivatives to inhibit tyrosinase-catalyzed melanogenesis was studied in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells and the mechanisms of inhibition were elucidated. Inhibition mechanisms were studied by measuring intracellular tyrosinase activity, cell-free and intracellular α-glucosidase enzyme activity, and effects on MITF protein level and cAMP maturation factor. Our results showed that CMC2.24 showed the greatest efficacy as a tyrosinase inhibitor of all the CMCs and was better than PC as well as a popular tyrosinase inhibitor-kojic acid. Both CMC2.24 and CMC2.23 inhibited tyrosinase enzyme activity by a mixed mode of inhibition with a predominant competitive mode. In addition, CMC2.24 as well as CMC2.23 showed a comparable robust efficacy in inhibiting melanogenesis in cultured melanocytes. Furthermore, after removal of CMC2.24 or CMC2.23 from the medium, we could demonstrate a partial recovery of the suppressed intracellular tyrosinase activity in the melanocytes. Our results provide a proof-of-principle for the novel use of the CMCs that shows them to be far superior to the parent compound, curcumin, for skin depigmentation.

Detection of Glyphosate with a Copper(II)-Pyrocatechol Violet Based GlyPKit

This paper describes the development of a test kit for the selective detection of glyphosate (GlyP). A copper(II)-pyrocatechol violet complex was selected by a screening approach from a pool of...