The present disclosure provides a method for determining the amount of albumin in a sample. In one embodiment, the method involves treating the sample with an esterase inhibitor that selectively inhibits non-albumin esterase activity; combining the sample with a selective substrate of albumin, which has a carboxylic ester bond, so that the carboxylic ester bond is cleaved to generate a hydrolysate; detecting the amount of the hydrolysate generated in a period of time; and determining the amount of the albumin in the sample based on the amount of the hydrolysate in the period of time.

Beta-lactam compounds to detect carbapenemases or microbial carbapenem resistance are disclosed. The compounds contain a chemical probe. Upon hydrolysis by carbapenemases, the compounds undergo intramolecular rearrangement and release the chemical probe. Detection of the released chemical probe indicates the presence of carbapenemases and the presence of microbial carbapenem resistance.

Porous sol-gel material essentially consisting of units of one or more first polyalkoxysilanes chosen from the following compounds: (chloromethyl)triethoxysilane; 1,3-dimethyltetramethoxydisiloxane; ethyltrimethoxysilane; triethoxy(ethyl)silane; triethoxymethylsilane; triethoxy(vinyl)silane; trimethoxymethylsilane; trimethoxy(vinyl)silane; tetraethoxysilane or tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and of units of one or more second polyalkoxysilanes chosen from the following compounds: (N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)ethylenediamine; 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, in a first polyalkoxysilane/second polyalkoxysilane molar ratio of 1/0.01 to 1/1, optionally comprising a probe molecule, method of preparation and applications in the trapping of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other pollutants or in their detection.