Martin Jönsson-Niedziolka

• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences

We report on the development of a nanocarbon based anode for sensing of ascorbic acid (AA). The oxidation of AA on this anode occurs at a quite low overpotential which enables the anode to be connected to a biocathode to form an ascorbic acid/O2 biofuel cell that functions as a self-powered biosensor. In conjunction with a Prussian blue electrochro...

While ion transfer studies were shown to be a promising method for fundamental electrochemistry, pharmacokinetic studies and sensing, they suffer from inherent instability of the interface formed between the organic and aqueous phases. This limits to some extent the range of solvents which can be used and confines these studies to the laboratory. W...

Although many redox probes have been used for anion transfer studies in three-phase electrode setups, only a few molecules have been applied for cation transfer. In this work we show that the fullerene C 60 is an efficient redox system for this application. We performed ionophore assisted ion-transfer studies in a droplet system, a disposable setup...

In this article a rotating droplet system is used for simultaneous detection of dopamine and serotonin. Carbon nanoparticles functionalized with sulfonic groups on the electrode surface enables potential discrimination between the neurotransmitters and the most common interferences, whereas the efficient and low-volume hydrodynamic system helps to...

The sponge-like hydrogenated titania nanotubes (S-TiO2-NTs) modified with M13 bacteriophages were investigated for bacterial detection. The electrodes used in this study were fabricated via anodisation and calcination in a hydrogen atmosphere. Electrochemical methods were used to study the capacitive and Faradaic currents of the S-TiO2-NTs electrod...

M13 bacteriophages (in short, phages) have an intrinsic ability to infect Escherichia coli bacteria but can be engineered to exhibit specific peptides on their surface which enables them to selectively bind to diverse targets. Therefore, such phages can be used as a sensing element in a biosensor. Consequently, our aim is to assess the effectivenes...

8-Aminoquinoline (8AQ) is the building block for many medicinal molecules. However, the redox properties of 8AQ, which are important for understanding the redox stability of drugs based on 8AQ in the human body, have not been studied in detail before. We have used cyclic voltammetry and pulse voltammetric techniques to investigate the anodic as wel...

PvHCt, a 23-amino acid long, histidine-rich peptide derived from shrimp, becomes strongly antimicrobial upon Cu(ii) ion binding. We describe Zn(ii) and Cu(ii) complexes of this peptide, aiming to understand how metal binding and structure correlates to biological activity. Using NMR, UV-vis, CD and FTIR spectroscopies, along with cyclic voltammetry...

Although many redox probes have been used for anion transfer studies in three-phase junction setups, no known molecule would enable the transfer of highly hydrophilic anions. In recent years, research has been emerging on ion pair receptors consisting of a crown ether cation binding site and a squaramide anion binding domain, which offer the abilit...

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), reported for the first time in 1906, is a common disease that remains incurable to this day. In the past, a family of treatments using Cu(II) chelators failed during clinical trials, evidencing the importance of pre-clinical studies. In this work, we performed a complete characterisation of TDMQ20, a new potential drug aga...

Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices play a crucial role as tools for disease diagnostics, and the integration of biorecognition elements with electronic components into these devices widens their functionalities and facilitates the development of complex quantitative assays. Unfortunately, biosensors that exploit large conventional IgG antibodies...

Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices play a crucial role as tools for disease diagnostics. The integration of biorecognition elements with electronic components into these devices widens their functionalities and facilitates the development of complex quantitative assays. Unfortunately, biosensors that exploit large conventional IgG antibodies to c...

Here, we present combined experimental and theoretical studies on the spectroelectrochemical properties of 8-aminoquinoline (8AQ). 8AQ is a model molecule for drugs that can chelate copper(II) ions, and thus it may find applications in halting the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Although over a hundred years have passed since Alzheimer’s diseas...

The development of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has been linked to abnormal quantities of β-amyloid peptides in the brain. The majority of studies have focussed on Aβ(1-40/42) amyloids and their Cu(II)-Aβ(1-40/42) complexes which are responsible for production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS), which are highly toxic to neurons. Acc...

We present the formation of a cheap and environmentally friendly working electrode material for glucose biosensors with good catalytic properties. The classic electrode in such devices consists of a conductive material modified with the enzyme glucose oxidase. The working principle is the electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide as a product...

We investigate the interactions between C-reactive protein (CRP) and new CRP-binding peptide materials using experimental (biological and physicochemical) methods with the support of theoretical simulations (computational modeling analysis). Three specific CRP-binding peptides (P2, P3, and P9) derived from an M13 bacteriophage have been identified...

Good electronic (Rs = ∼5 Ω sq-1) and optical properties (transmittance: >83%) make indium tin oxide (ITO) an attractive electrode substrate. Despite the commercial availability of high-quality ITO and some low-cost methods for direct deposition being in use by now, the definition of patterns is still a concern. Putting their popularity and extensiv...

Phage-derived affinity peptides have become widespread thanks to their easy selection via phage display. Interactions between a target protein and its specific peptide are similar to those between antibodies and antigens. The strength of these non-covalent complexes may be described by the dissociation constant (Kd). In this paper, protein-specific...

In this paper, we report on the formation of MnO2-based electrodes for the determination of hydrogen peroxide. We apply thin films of manganese dioxide on the surface of indium tin oxide-coated glass (ITO) using electrochemical deposition under different conditions. MnO2 is a selective catalyst for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Of all met...

Excellent electronic and optical properties make indium tin oxide (ITO) an attractive electrode substrate. Despite the commercial availability of high-quality ITO and some low-cost methods for direct deposition being in use by now, the definition of patterns is still a concern. Putting its popularity and extensive usage aside, the manufacturing of...

Phage-derived affinity peptides have become widespread thanks to their easy selection via phage display. Interactions between a target protein and its specific peptide are similar to those between antibodies and antigens. The strength of these non-covalent complexes may be described by the dissociation constant (Kd). In this paper, protein-specific...

Microfluidics provide unique possibilities to control tiny volumes of liquids and their composition. In this work we combined a microfluidic system with a microcavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (µIMZI) induced in the side surface of a single-mode optical fiber using a femtosecond laser micromachining. The µIMZI shows capability for investi...

A sustainable future requires an energy sector led by renewable sources, especially energy conversion and storage (ECS). Advances in the design and synthesis of nanomaterials, like conducting polymers [1], are critical for future development. An example for this type of material is poly-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), ideally known for energy...

In this work, we review microcavity in-line Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (µIMZI) obtained in optical fibers using femtosecond (fs) laser micromachining. These structures can be considered as a great solution satisfying the requirements mentioned above for small-volume RI sensing applicable in label-free biosensing. Furthermore, application of the f...

Electrode fouling is a major issue in biological detection due to the adhesion of the protein itself and polymerization of biomolecules on the electrode surface, impeding the electron transfer ability and decreasing the current response. To overcome this issue, the use of anti-fouling material, especially boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode, is an...

The review presents recent developments in electrochemical devices for photo- and spectroelectrochemical investigations, with the emphasis on miniaturization (i.e., nanointerdigitated complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices, micro- and nano-porous silicon membranes or microoptoelectromechanical systems), silica glass/microreactors (i.e., pl...

Senile plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The plaques are mainly composed of small peptides from the β‐amyloid (Aβ) family which differ in how they bind copper ions and thus in their properties. pAβ(3‐42) species and its Aβ(3‐42) precursor are found in significant proportion in the plaques, however, their complexes with copper ions are...

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and oxidative stress is a major factor in its pathogenesis. It is known that copper(II) ions forming complexes with peptides from the β-amyloid (Aβ) group can facilitate the production of reactive oxygen species. A very common amyloid in AD brain plaques Aβ(11-42) form ve...

Excellent electronic and optical properties make Indium tin oxide (ITO) an attractive electrode substrate. ¹ It is an alloy of indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ) and tin oxide (SnO 2 ) in a weight ratio of 90:10. It is transparent as thin film, so, it is also good to be viewed under different types of microscopes used in cell-culture studies. Despite the com...

Here we demonstrate a significant difference in redox behaviour of copper complexes with β-amyloids Aβ(11-x) and pAβ(11-x) which are models for important components of senile plaques. A small change in the peptide chain may enhance reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation which can severely damage nerve cells.

Senile plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The plaques are mainly composed of small peptides from the β-amyloid (Aβ) family which differ in how they bind copper ions and thus in their properties. pAβ(3-42) species and its Aβ(3-42) precursor are found in significant proportion in the plaques, however, their complexes with copper ions are...

Here we demonstrate a significant difference in redox behaviour of copper complexes with β-amyloids Aβ(11-x) and pAβ(11-x) which are models for important components of senile plaques. A small change in the peptide chain may enhance reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation which can severely damage nerve cells.

Microfluidics provide unique possibilities to control tiny volumes of liquids and their composition. To effectively benefit from the advantages of microfluidic solutions they need to be supported by interrogation subsystems, at best also matching the miniature scale. In this work we combined with a microfluidic system a Microcavity in-line Mach-Zeh...

Microfluidics provide unique possibilities to control tiny volumes of liquids and their composition. To effectively benefit from the advantages of microfluidic solutions they need to be supported by interrogation subsystems, at best also matching the miniature scale. In this work we combined with a microfluidic system a Microcavity in-line Mach-Zeh...

Microfluidics provide unique possibilities to control tiny volumes of liquids and their composition. To effectively benefit from the advantages of microfluidic solutions they need to be supported by interrogation subsystems, at best also matching the miniature scale. In this work we combined with a microfluidic system a Microcavity in-line Mach-Zeh...

Microfluidics provide unique possibilities to control tiny volumes of liquids and their composition. To effectively benefit from the advantages of microfluidic solutions they need to be supported by interrogation subsystems, at best also matching the miniature scale. In this work we combined with a microfluidic system a Microcavity in-line Mach-Zeh...

Well-defined paths assembled of silver islands were fabricated by combining photolithography with wet-chemical synthesis. The islands feature lateral sizes of the order of 100 nm, and similar heights, thus promoting localized plasmon resonance. Wavelength-dependent fluorescence imaging as well as time-resolved fluorescence of photoactive proteins d...

In this work, we demonstrate a novel method for multi-domain analysis of properties of analytes in volumes as small as picoliters, combining electrochemistry and optical measurements. A microcavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (μIMZI) obtained in a standard single-mode optical fiber using femtosecond laser micromachining was able to accommod...

The spectroelectrochemical response of the macrocyclic compound 1,4‐dimethoxypillar[5]arene (P5A) and its monomer 1,4‐dimethoxybenzene was investigated using cyclic voltammetry combined with UV‐Vis spectroscopy. The influence of three different aprotic solvents, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, and dichloroethane, as well as supporting electrolyte, o...

Correction for ‘Bimetallic nanocatalysts supported on graphitic carbon nitride for sustainable energy development: the shape-structure–activity relation’ by Ewelina Kuna et al. , Nanoscale Adv. , 2021, 3 , 1342–1351, DOI: 10.1039/D0NA01063D.

In this work, we demonstrate a novel method for multi-domain analysis of properties of analytes in volumes as small as picoliter, combining electrochemistry and optical measurements. A microcavity in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer (µIMZI) obtained in a standard single-mode optical fiber using femtosecond laser micromachining was able to accommoda...

The catalytic performance of metal nanoparticles (NPs), including activity, selectivity, and durability, depends on their shape and structure at the molecular level. Consequently, metal NPs of different size and shape, e.g., nanobelts, nanocubes, nanoflakes, nanowires, demonstrate different reactivity and provide different reaction rate depending o...

We present a new electrochemical system that combines paper-based sensing and ion-transfer voltammetry, bringing the latter a step closer toward point-of-care applications. Studies at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) are often performed to detect redox-inactive species; unfortunately, due to the inherent instabilit...

Paper‐based devices are said to be easy to make and use. It is true, if You know how. We hope this review will help people that are new to the field but also those more experienced who want to add some new functionalities to their systems. Tips and common pitfalls are provided in each section as well as references to recommended reading material. P...

Here we describe the synthesis and electrochemical testing of a heteroleptic bis(tridentate) ruthenium(II) complex [Ru^II(LR)(L)]⁰ (LR =2,6-bis(1-(2-octyldodecan)benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine, L = 2,6-bis(benzimidazolate)pyridine). It is a neutral complex which undergoes a quasireversible oxidation and reduction at relatively low...

The effects of combining naturally evolved photosynthetic pigment–protein complexes with inorganic functional materials, especially plasmonically active metallic nanostructures, have been a widely studied topic in the last few decades. Besides other applications, it seems to be reasonable using such hybrid systems for designing future biomimetic so...

In this paper, we demonstrate plasmonic substrates prepared on demand, using a straightforward technique, based on laser-induced photochemical reduction of silver compounds on a glass substrate. Importantly, the presented technique does not impose any restrictions regarding the shape and length of the metallic pattern. Plasmonic interactions have b...

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an emerging technology that can provide a more complete picture of the diabetes patient’s glucose levels. Amperometric blood glucose tests typically require redox mediators to facilitate charge transfer from the enzyme to the electrode, that are not ideal in CGM settings because of their potential toxicity or...

In this work, we investigate the applicability of TCNQ (7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) for cation transfer at a three-phase electrode. This molecule is a noted organic redox probe for studies of heterogeneous electron transfer at the interface of two immiscible electrolyte solutions. Although it was also recently proposed as a potential candidat...

Long-period gratings (LPGs) induced in optical fibers show exceptional refractive index (RI) sensitivity and thus they are often applied for label-free biosensing. However, during measurements at changing environmental conditions, the surface of the fiber made of fused silica is subjected to stresses that can cause alterations in its structure. The...

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an emerging technology that can provide a more complete picture of the diabetes patient’s glucose levels. Amperometric blood glucose tests typically require redox mediators to facilitate charge transfer from the enzyme to the electrode, that are not ideal in CGM settings because of their potential toxicity or...

Both endogenous and synthetic (e.g. drugs) quinones are essential functional moieties in various biological systems and their activity is mainly governed by their electrochemical properties. In recent years they are also more readily applied in novel energy storage devices, such as batteries and solar cells. In this work, the redox behaviour of 1-a...

We present an electrochemical, microfluidic system with a working electrode based on an ordered 3D array of pencil leads. The electrode array was integrated into a plexiglass/PDMS channel. We tested the setup using a simple redox probe and compared the results with computer simulations. As a proof of concept application of the device we showed that...

We demonstrate fast and simple route to selective virus detection using antibody-functionalized silver nanowires. While the immunocomplex formation takes place in solution, the presence of viruses is determined by correlating transmission and fluorescence images obtained after depositing nanowire solution on a substrate. Importantly, by mixing nano...

Molybdenum compounds are considered to be promising, environmentally friendly substances for passivation of zinc coatings. Conversion coatings on electroplated zinc coatings obtained by cathodic polarization of a solution of molybdate of sodium with the addition of phosphoric acid are studied. These coatings had a pronounced needle‐shaped structure...

The interaction between the T4 bacteriophage gp37 adhesin and the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a well-studied system, however, the afnity and strength of the interaction haven’t been analyzed so far. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to determine the strength of the interaction between the adhesin and its receptor, namely LPS taken from...

A series of molecules with a dicyanovinyl acceptor connected with various substituted phenyls as donor blocks were synthesized and characterized. The thermal, electrochemical and photophysical properties of these compounds were investigated and compared. DSC and TGA measurements revealed that all compounds showed high both different melting transit...

Major difficulties in nanoscale scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), resulting from the short tip-to-sample distance, are tilt misalignment and vertical thermal drift. This renders constant height mode nanoscale electrochemical imaging experimentally problematic. Nanoscale SECM also requires application of reliable nanoprobes. Although SECM...

The purpose of the work is development of the chromium free solution for passivation of galvanized steels. The base solution (BS) for passivation composed of ammonium metavanadate as base component with addition of potassium ferricyanid (III) and fluoride-ions. Influence of addition of 1 mM and 10 mM Zn2+- and Fe2+-ions in the BS on protective prop...

The demand for electrochemical sensors with high sensitivity and reliability, fast response, and excellent selectivity has stimulated intensive research on developing highly active nanomaterials. In this work, freestanding 3D/Co3O4 thorn-like and wire-like (nanowires) nanostructures are directly grown on a flexible carbon fiber paper (CFP) substrat...

In this work, we explore generation-collection electrochemistry in a rotating droplet hydrodynamic system, where a 70 microliter droplet containing a redox active species (ferrocyanide) is sandwiched between an upper rotating rod and bottom nonmoving generator and collector planar electrodes. In such a system, we studied the effect of the counter e...

We present a simplified and flexible implementation of the rotating droplet (RD) method as an alternative to rotating disc electrodes for electrochemical measurements in a small volume system. The rotating droplet system is based on the principle of a rotating disc electrode, but the method uses only a single droplet of the investigated solution to...

As diabetes is considered one of the biggest health care challenges of the coming decades substantial effort is being made to develop novel glucose monitoring systems, this includes thousands of articles which are being published every year. To the question in the title, we answer an unequivocal "yes", but maybe not necessarily in the areas where m...

We have investigated the compatibility of some organic solvents commonly used in electrochemistry with microfluidic channels based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and compared the stability of electrochemical measurements over several hours with how much PDMS swells when immersed in these solvents. Lee et al. (Anal Chem 75: 6544–6554. doi:10.1021/...

The emergence of human-based models is incontestably required for the study of complex physiological pathways and validation of reliable in vitro methods as alternative for in vivo studies in experimental animals for toxicity assessment. With this objective, we have developed and tested three dimensional environments for cells using different types...

Three-dimensional nickel-iron (3-D/Ni-Fe) nanostructures are exciting candidates for various applications because they produce more reaction-active sites than 1-D and 2-D nanostructured materials and exhibit attractive optical, electrical and catalytic properties. In this work, freestanding 3-D/Ni-Fe interconnected hierarchical nanosheets, hierarch...

In many photoelectrochemical biofuel cells tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) is used a buffer. We show that TRIS can be readily photooxidised on titania electrodes. Combining a titania nanotube photoanode in a TRIS buffer with an air-breathing enzymatic biocathode we construct a relatively efficient photoelectrochemical biofuel cell using the...

Although electron transfer reactions at liquid-liquid interfaces have been thoroughly studied in the presence of deliberately added potential determining ions or phase transfer catalysts, little is known about these reactions in the absence of the above species. Here, we report the formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a liquid-liquid two-phase...

Although plenty functional nanomaterials are widely applied in science and technology, cost-efficient, controlled and reproducible fabrication of metallic nanostructures is a considerable challenge. Automated electrorefining by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) provides an effective approach to circumvent some drawbacks of traditional homo...

Voltammetry and chronoamperometry-based reactivity screening of water-insoluble microparticles is demonstrated for a mediated reaction. The solid-solid 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO)-mediated electrolytic conversion of diphenylcarbinol to benzophenone is investigated by employing TEMPO and its derivatives (4-carboxy-TEMPO, 4-methoxy-T...

Oil analysis for the case of quinizarin in methyllaurate is demonstrated with a disposable carbon microsphere – polystyrene composite electrode. Oxidation and reduction of quinizarin are observed as three-phase boundary processes at the immiscible oil | water | carbon interface. Randomly packed glassy carbon microspheres (2–12 µm diameter) held tog...

No abstract is available for this publication which is a record of the questions, answers and discussions during the Faraday Discussion meeting at Sheffield in September 2014.

Electrocatalysis at nanoparticles modified electrode has recently received huge attention because of the development of new sensors and energy conversion systems. The employment of two metals, with different catalytic properties are sometimes superior from the point of view reaction efficiency and overpotential decrease. Here, we demonstrate how el...

The electrocatalytic oxidation of neurotransmitters on the electrodes modified with oppositely charged carbon nanoparticles has been investigated. These nanoparticles were deposited at the electrode from the aqueous suspensions via a layer-by-layer method. The electrocatalytic response was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltamm...

Electrodes modified with oppositely charged platinum and gold nanoparticles exhibit electrocatalytic synergy of glucose oxidation. Such a simple method of preparation of bimetallic nanoparticulate films produces an electrode with significant shift of the onset potential as compared to electrodes prepared only from platinum (ca. 0.45 V) or gold (ca....

There is a continuous need for the construction of detection systems in microfluidic devices. In particular, electrochemical detection allows the separation of signals from the analyte and interfering substances in the potential domain. Here, a simple microfluidic device for the sensitive and selective determination of dopamine in the presence of i...

Herein, we report a colorimetric immunosensor for T7 bacteriophage based on gold nanoparticles modified with covalently bonded anti-T7 antibodies. The new immunosensor allows for a fast, simple and selective detection of T7 virus. T7 virions form immunological complexes with the antibody modified gold nanoparticles which causes them to aggregate. T...

We have investigated the oxidation of ferrocene at a flowing organic solvent|aqueous electrolyte|solid electrode junction in a microfluidic setup using cyclic voltammetry and fluorescent laser scanning confocal microscopy. At low flow rates the oxidation current decreases with increasing flow, contrary to the Levich equation, but at higher flow rat...

A new approach to study electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose is proposed. As opposed to numerous studies on electrodes modified with gold nanoparticles this reaction was studied in their suspension of gold nanoparticles under hydrodynamic conditions on a noncatalytic glassy carbon rotating disc electrode. It has been shown that addition of nanogra...

Since the pioneering works of Wenzel and Cassie Baxter in the 1930s, and now with the trivialization of the micro- and nanotechnology facilities, superhydrophobic surfaces have been announced as potentially amazing components for applications such as fluidic, optical, electronic, or thermal devices. In this paper, we show that using superhydrophobi...

Over the last decade the current densities reported from biocathodes for oxygen reduction have increased dramatically. However, many reports in the literature of measurements performed under quiescent conditions appear to show current densities above the mass transport limit. We measure the native convection of electrolyte in an electrochemical cel...

We present an efficient, easy to construct, air-breathing biocathode for dioxygen reduction using the enzyme bilirubin oxidase encapsulated in a silicate gel film on Toray paper. Functionalised single-walled carbon nanotubes were used for improving electron transfer between the enzyme and the Toray paper. A current density of 1.2 mA cm−2 was measur...