Ethinylestradiol quantification in drinking water sources using a fluorescent paper based immunosensor

In this work we report a novel paper-based analytical device read-out via LED-induced fluorescence detection (FPAD) for the quantification of the emerging pollutant ethinylestradiol (EE2) in river water samples. The PAD was used as a reaction platform for a competitive enzyme immunoassay. For the PAD development, microzones of filter paper, printed by a wax printing method, were modified with amino-functionalized SBA-15 and subsequently, anti-EE2 specific antibodies were covalently immobilized. The determination of EE2 in water was carried out by adding a fixed concentration of EE2 conjugated with the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to samples and standards. Then, the FPAD were added and incubated for 10 min. Finally, the detection was performed by the reaction of 10-acetyl-3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazine (ADHP) whose oxidation is catalyzed by HRP in the presence of H2O2, obtaining the highly fluorescent resorufin (R). Resorufin was detected by LED excitation at 550 nm, observing emission at 585 nm. The EE2 concentration in the samples was inversely proportional to the relative fluorescence obtained from the enzymatic reaction products. The FPAD assay showed a detection limit (LOD) of 0.05 ng L−1 and coefficients of variation (CV) below 4.5% within-assay and below 6.5% between-assay, respectively. The results obtained show the potential suitability of our FPAD for the selective and sensitive quantification of EE2 in river water samples. In addition, it has the PADs advantages of being disposable, easy to apply and inexpensive.Fil: Scala Benuzzi, María Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Takara, Eduardo Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Alderete, Mara. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Soler Illia, Galo Juan de Avila Arturo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Schneider, Rudolf J.. Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung; AlemaniaFil: Raba, Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Messina, Germán Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentin

Strawberry monocropping: Impacts on fruit yield and soil microorganisms

The objective of this work was to explore the impacts of intensive strawberry monocropping during five years on the fruit-yield and onthe microbial soil activity and composition. Field trials were performed in twoplots: P1 (a soil with five years of consecutive strawberry cropping), and P2 (asoil with just one year of strawberry cropping). Fruit-yield was quantified;total microorganisms and four functional groups (cellulolytics, nitrogen-fixers, phosphate solubilizers, and siderophores producers) were quantified, isolated and characterized in both plots. Total microbial activity was assessed by the hydrolysis of fluorescein-diacetate and soil respiration methods. As results, in P1, a 51 % decrease in fruit-yield was observed, whilein P2 it was closer to the yield obtained in P1 during the first and second year of cultivation. Total microbial number and activity were 23 % and 70% lower in P1 than in P2 at the end of the cropping, respectively. In general,the quantity of total culturable microorganisms and the functional group sanalyzed were significantly higher in P2 than in P1 (p< 0.05).The most prevailing bacteria putatively identified were Cellulosimicrobacterium cellulans, Paenibacillus sp., Azospirillum brasilense, and Burkholderia sp. According to our results, the intensive cultivation of strawberry for several years in the same field exerted a negative impact on the soil quality, affecting the native microbial population, which might be linked to the fruit yield decline.EEA FamailláFil: Lovaisa, Nadia Carolina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; Argentina.Fil: Guerrero Molina, María Fernanda. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; Argentina.Fil: Delaporte Quintana, Paola Adriana Georgina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Alderete, Mara D.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Ragout, Alicia Leonor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaFil: Salazar, Sergio Miguel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Pedraza, Raúl Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; Argentin

Paper based analytical device modified with nanoporous material for the fluorescent sensing of gliadin content in different food samples

A novel fluorescent paper based immunosensor for the quantification of gliadin content in different food samples was constructed. The device consists of a paper platform modified with amino functionalized mesoporous material. The nanoporous structure and the aminofunctionality increased the anti-gliadin antibodies immobilization capacity of the sensing surface, conferring high sensitivity to the system. The detection limit reached by the described system allowed us to address the control of gluten free foods, which is extremely important to maintain the food safe consumption by patients with celiac disease, wheat allergy measured by immunoglobulin E, non-celiac gluten intolerance and Dermatitis herpetiformis or Duhring disease. The gliadin determination was performed by applying a noncompetitive immunoassay format, where gliadin present in food samples was recognized by anti-gliadin antibodies immobilized on the mesoporous material and quantified by the addition of anti-gliadin antibody labelled with peroxidase, its substrate: hydrogen peroxide and a mediator: 10-acetyl-3,7-dihydrofenoxacin. This mediator by the action of the enzyme generates resorufin, which was excited by a light emitting diode at 550 nm and emitted a signal at 580 nm. The calibration curve obtained for gliadin exhibited a linear range between 0 and 160 μg Kg−1 and a method detection limit of 0.025 mg Kg−1. The obtained values for relative recovery varied between 98.65% and 102.33% for samples enriched with gliadin. Also, the results suggested that the developed fluorescent paper based immunosensor showed good reproducibility and stability, indicating its applicability for high-sensitive gluten free food control analysis.Fil: Marin Barroso, Evelyn del Valle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Moreira, Cristian Matias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Messina, Germán Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Bertolino, Franco Adrián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Alderete, Mara. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Soler Illia, Galo Juan de Avila Arturo. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Raba, Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Pereira, Sirley Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; Argentina; Argentin

Comercio electrónico en el sector hotelero: el caso de una localidad de Argentina

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) laid the grounds for commercialization tools such as electronic commerce. This study examines the rate of Adoption of E-commerce (RAE) by hospitality companies in Sierra de la Ventana, a tourist destination near Buenos Aires, Argentina. An online survey was conducted to determine RAE; and Jones, Alderete y Motta (2013) and Molla y Licker (2005) methodology was applied to identify the organizational factors that promote to adoption.Results show a high rate (53%) of adoption by hospitality businesses. E-commerce is not only restricted to buy-sale transactions, but also expands to reception of orders and booking. Results suggest that there is direct correspondence between higher rates of adoption and companies’ previous use of technologies (number of computers, intensive use of booking system), companies’ older age and awareness of ICTs’ benefits.Con las Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación (TIC) surgieron nuevas herramientas para la comercialización de productos y servicios, como el Comercio Electrónico. Este trabajo evalúa el grado de adopción del comercio electrónico de las empresas de alojamiento de la Comarca Turística de Sierra de la Ventana, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Se realiza una encuesta electrónica a las mismas para determinar sus niveles de Adopción de Comercio Electrónico (ACE) y los factores organizacionales que contribuyen a su adopción sobre la base de la metodología de Jones, Alderete y Motta (2013); y Molla y Licker (2005). Tras un análisis exploratorio-descriptivo, se obtiene un nivel alto de ACE, en el 53% de los alojamientos turísticos. El comercio electrónico no se restringe a la compra-venta, sino a la recepción de pedidos y las reservas on line, entre los procesos más avanzados. Los resultados sugieren que a mayor nivel de ACE corresponde mayor experiencia con tecnologías precedentes (cantidad de computadoras por establecimiento, un uso intensivo del sistema de reservas), una mayor antigüedad de la empresa y una mayor percepción de los beneficios de las TIC y del comercio electrónico

Hospitality businesses e-commerce: a case study of a tourist destination in Argentina

Con las Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación (TIC) surgieron nuevasherramientas para la comercialización de productos y servicios, como el ComercioElectrónico. Este trabajo evalúa el grado de adopción del comercio electrónicode las empresas de alojamiento de la Comarca Turística de Sierra de la Ventana,Buenos Aires, Argentina. Se realiza una encuesta electrónica a las mismas paradeterminar sus niveles de Adopción de Comercio Electrónico (ACE) y los factoresorganizacionales que contribuyen a su adopción sobre la base de la metodología de Jones, Alderete y Motta (2013); y Molla y Licker (2005). Tras un análisis exploratoriodescriptivo, se obtiene un nivel alto de ACE, en el 53% de los alojamientos turísticos.El comercio electrónico no se restringe a la compra-venta, sino a la recepción de pedidos y las reservas on line, entre los procesos más avanzados. Los resultados sugieren que a mayor nivel de ACE corresponde mayor experiencia con tecnologías precedentes (cantidad de computadoras por establecimiento, un uso intensivo del sistema de reservas), una mayor antigüedad de la empresa y una mayor percepción de los beneficios de las TIC y del comercio electrónico.Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) laid the grounds for commercialization tools such as electronic commerce. This study examines the rate of Adoption of E-commerce (RAE) by hospitality companies in Sierra de la Ventana, a tourist destination near Buenos Aires, Argentina. An online survey was conducted to determine RAE; and Jones, Alderete y Motta (2013) and Molla y Licker (2005) methodology was applied to identify the organizational factors that promote to adoption. Results show a high rate (53%) of adoption by hospitality businesses. E-commerce is not only restricted to buy-sale transactions, but also expands to reception of orders and booking. Results suggest that there is direct correspondence between higher rates of adoption and companies’ previous use of technologies (number of computers, intensive use of booking system), companies’ older age and awareness of ICTs’ benefits.Fil: Alderete, Maria Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Economía. Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Giagante, Mara Anahí. Universidad Provincial del Sudoeste; Argentin

Nanomaterials from the Bench to Industry: An Experience in an Emerging Country

Sophisticated nanomaterials produced by soft chemical methods that present highly controlled composition, structure, size, nanoporosity and tailored surface are essential for future technologies. Although nowadays a wide range of synthetic routes permit to create a wide range of such materials, several challenges remain for their successful translation to industry. For example, adapting laboratory scale synthesis to pilot and plant scale implies practical, safety and regulatory challenges that must be taken into account before endeavoring into production. In addition, IP management and technical-economic analysis, which includes market research, strategic precursor availability and supplier selection are critical issues towards nanomaterials commercialization.This chapter discusses some critical aspects in the process of translating nanomaterials synthesis into actual products, in the context of an emergent country, Argentina. The possibilities and limitations of the path that spans from materials design, lab production, scaling-up, IP management and registration of nanostructured materials to a final tradeable product will be illustrated using case studies: functional nanoparticles, metallic colloids obtained from sustainable sources and mesoporous adsorbents. Although extra barriers emerge in a small size ecosystem, it can be concluded that a close collaboration and feedback between academic and industrial R&D teams leads to the successful development of real-world nanotechnology products.Fil: Britto, Fiona Macarena. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Penelas, María Jazmín. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería Ambiental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lombardo, Maria Veronica. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnologia. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnologia.; ArgentinaFil: Alderete, Mara. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Soler Illia, Galo Juan de Avila Arturo. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Nanosistemas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin