Complex or unknown liquid analysis requires extensive instrumentation and laboratory work; simple field devices usually have serious limitations in functionality, sensitivity, and applicability. This communication presents a novel, effective, and simple approach to fingerprinting liquids. The method is based on nonspecific interactions of the sample liquid, a long lifetime luminescent europium label, and various surface modulators in an array form that is readily converted to a field analysis μTAS system. As compared to existing e-nose or e-tongue techniques, the method is unique both in terms of sensitivity and usability, mainly due to the well-known unique properties of the europium label. This communication demonstrates the use of this new method in distinguishing different wines, waters, alcohols, and artificially modified berry juices.

Sphingobium sp. HV3 described as an herbicide degrader harbours the pSKY4 plasmid, encoding an aromatic meta-pathway. The function of the plasmid was studied by Tn5 transposon mutagenesis and plasmid isolation and the degradation capacities of the HV3 strain were re-evaluated. Transcription of the tfdC from ortho-pathway was contrasted to the xylE and bphC of meta-pathway using real-time PCR. Cloning of the Tn5-insertion sites from the megaplasmid revealed genes for both aromatic and polyaromatic degradation. In the mutant Km24 strain the transposon was inserted to an ORF similar to the large subunit of ring hydroxylating dioxygenase, in the Km383 to a cis-biphenyl dihydrodiol dehydrogenase and in the Km187 and Km42 to a reductase component of a dioxygenase. A chlorocathecol ortho-pathway (10 kb) was amplified from the HV3 strain. The transcription of the tfdC was induced by 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicide and m-xylene caused highest induction of both upper and lower aromatic meta-pathway genes. The detected novel degradation capacities (m-xylene, toluene, biphenyl, fluorene and phenanthrene) can be explained by the presence of functional meta-pathway genes in the pSKY4 megaplasmid. The characterization of the Sphingobium sp. HV3 improves our understanding of versatile catabolic bacteria unveiling roles of degradation pathways and plasmids in biodegradation.

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Operators in the oil and gas industry make extensive use of scale inhibitors to provide the level of flow assurance required to maximise safe and economic hydrocarbon production. For continuous and scale squeeze treatments, field operators need to verify the residual inhibitor concentrations regularly to ensure that the implemented scale management program remains effective. Sulfonated polymers are effective and widely used sulphate (barium, strontium, calcium) scale inhibitors, however detection of residual (less than 15 ppm) amounts has been problematic, leading to the use of an overdose on continuous applications or resqueezing before reaching the minimum effective dosage (MED) level. The authors have developed a testing protocol that enables measurement of the residual concentration of polymeric scale inhibitors at the point of use and directly in produced water, providing a timely and accurate scale inhibitor concentration to the facility operator. Field operators with minimal training use sample preparation protocols that are minimized and standardized to determine polymer concentrations within 15 minutes down to 1 ppm active polymer. The testing protocol uses an aqueous liquid fingerprinting technology platform to detect a range of scale inhibitor products and provides direct field analysis for either continuous or scale squeeze application programs. Operators determine the residual scale inhibitor level at the point of use, eliminating the cost and time delay of shipping samples to a remote analytical laboratory. We previously presented laboratory results of this technology (Johnstone et al. 2014). In this paper, we present the results of the performance of this system in actual field operation which was completed late 2014 at oil and gas production locations and validated at an analytical laboratory. The results demonstrate the benefits of the protocol in field applications in monitoring residual levels to a level of accuracy for polymeric scale inhibitors previously only achievable in fully equipped analytical laboratories. This technology has been demonstrated to the oil and gas industry and has generated significant interest in a number of communities for which monitoring polymeric scale inhibitors at concentrations less than 5 ppm active is a business-critical activity. The validity of the protocol has been confirmed by ongoing work across a number of application areas, supporting the global industry challenge of scale control.

Background and Aims: A novel, rapid and simple liquid fingerprinting technology is described and demonstrated for wine identification and for quality control. Method and Results:The wine sample, selected chemical modulators on the surfaces of an array, and a long lifetime luminescent europium label interact non-specifically providing a unique luminescence fingerprint that is highly wine specific. The technique was applied to 15 red wines of different vintages from four European vineyards. The fingerprint data, in addition to identification and after data processing, show a significant correlation with the results from existing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic and spectrophotometric methods of wine analysis. Conclusions: Identification of individual wines through specific luminescent fingerprints provides a simple and efficient tool to combat wine adulteration and fraud. The same principles combined with proper data processing can enable the monitoring of other parameters such as wine aging. Significance of the Study: This study demonstrates a fast, affordable and rapid test platform for red wine analysis.