Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase assembled on graphene and application to glucose detection

The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOx) integrated with graphene was investigated. The voltammetric results indicated that GOx assembled on graphene retained its native structure and bioactivity, exhibited a surface-confined process, and underwent effective direct electron transfer (DET) reaction with an apparent rate constant (k_s) of 2.68 s⁻¹. This work also developed a novel approach for glucose detection based on the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen at the GOx-graphene/GC electrode. The assembled GOx could electrocatalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Upon the addition of glucose, the reduction current decreased, which could be used for glucose detection with a high sensitivity (ca. 110 ± 3 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²), a wide linear range (0.1-10 mM), and a low detection limit (10 ± 2 μM). The developed approach can efficiently exclude the interference of commonly coexisting electroactive species due to the use of a low detection potential (−470 mV, versus SCE). Therefore, this study has not only successfully achieved DET reaction of GOx assembled on graphene, but also established a novel approach for glucose detection and provided a general route for fabricating graphene-based biosensing platform via assembling enzymes/proteins on graphene surface.     

Dual oxygen and Ir oxide regeneration of glucose oxidase in nanostructured thin film glucose sensors

A nanoparticulate iridium oxide (IrOx) thin film has been developed as a redox-active matrix material for an advanced generation glucose biosensor, in which IrOx serves as the non-physiological mediator, replacing oxygen in the enzymatic re-oxidation of glucose oxidase (GOx). Ethanolic solutions of Nafion and an Ir sol were mixed with an aqueous GOx solution and then deposited on a Au support. The Ir nanoparticles were then oxidized electrochemically to IrOx and the resulting films (IrOx-GOx-Nafion) were tested for their glucose response in both oxygen- and argon-saturated solutions, with the oxygen content in both solutions monitored by a Pt electrode. The sensors that are regenerated largely by O₂ are characterized by a Michaelis-Menten K^′m value of ∼30 mM or more and i_max values of at least 20 μA cm⁻². Under fully deareated conditions, the sensors lose only ∼50% of their response to glucose, clearly indicating that a dual oxygen-regeneration and IrOx mediation mechanism is operative for the biosensor under these conditions. Under optimized conditions, involving a controlled GOx:Ir ratio, only the Ir oxide sites in the film serve to mediate GOx regeneration, giving K^′m (10-15 mM) and i_max values that are independent of the O₂ content of the solution.     

Facile direct electron transfer in glucose oxidase modified electrodes

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is widely used in the glucose biosensor industry. However, mediatorless direct electron transfer (DET) from GOx to electrode surfaces is very slow. Recently, mediatorless DET has been reported via the incorporation of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles in the modification of electrodes. Here we report GOx electrodes showing DET without the need for any nanomaterials. The enzyme after immobilization with poly-l-lysine (PLL) and Nafion^® retains the biocatalytic activities and oxidizes glucose efficiently. The amperometric response of Nafion-PLL-GOx modified electrode is linearly proportional to the concentration of glucose up to 10 mM with a sensitivity of 0.75 μA/mM at a low detection potential (−0.460 V vs. Ag/AgCl). The methodology developed in this study will have impact on glucose biosensors and biofuel cells and may potentially simplify enzyme immobilization in other biosensing systems.     

Novel amperometric glucose biosensor based on an ether-linked cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-cobalt(II) tetraphenylporphyrin pentamer as a redox mediator

The development of cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-cobalt(II) tetra(5-phenoxy-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin), (CoPc-(CoTPP)₄) pentamer as a novel redox mediator for amperometric enzyme electrode sensitive to glucose is described. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was first modified with the pentamer, then followed by the immobilization onto the GCE-CoPc-(CoTPP)₄ with glucose oxidase (GOx) through cross-linking with glutaraldehyde in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Nafion^® cation-exchange polymer. The proposed biosensor displayed good amperometric respose charateristics to glucose in pH 7.0 PBS solution; such as low overpotentials (+400 mV versus Ag|AgCl), very fast amperometric response time (∼5 s), linear concentration range extended up to 11 mM, with 10 μM detection limit. The biosensor exhibited electrochemical Michaelis-Menten kinetics and showed an average apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K^′M) of 14.91 ± 0.46 mM over a storage period of 2 weeks.     

Continuous glucose monitoring using enzyme-immobilized platinized diamond microfiber electrodes

A sensitive and stable glucose biosensor for in vivo monitoring has been developed using boron-doped diamond microfiber (BDDMF) electrodes. The electrodes were modified with platinum nano-particles to detect H₂O₂, which was enzymatically produced by glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized on the electrode surface. The platinum-modified BDDMF (Pt-BDDMF) electrodes exhibited much higher sensitivity compared to Pt-microfiber electrodes, Pt electrodes and Pt-modified diamond thin film electrodes. Deposition conditions for Pt nano-particles on the BDDMF electrodes and immobilization of GOx were optimized. GOx/overoxidized polypyrrole (OPPy)/Pt-modified BDDMF electrodes were applied for continuous interference-free glucose monitoring. Amperometric measurements of glucose showed a linear response in the range of 1-70 mM, with an R.S.D. of 3.7% for five injections of 100 μM glucose. The electrodes exhibited good stability over 3 months with no detected anodic current for ascorbic acid (AA), which is an interfering compound.     

Amperometric bienzyme glucose biosensor based on carbon nanotube modified electrode with electropolymerized poly(toluidine blue O) film

The amperometric bienzyme glucose biosensor utilizing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized in poly(toluidine blue O) (PTBO) film was constructed on multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) modified glassy carbon electrode. The HRP layer could be used to analyze hydrogen peroxide with toluidine blue O (TBO) mediators, while the bienzyme system (HRP + GOx) could be utilized for glucose determination. Glucose underwent biocatalytic oxidation by GOx in the presence of oxygen to yield H₂O₂ which was further reduced by HRP at the MWNT-modified electrode with TBO mediators. In the absence of oxygen, glucose oxidation proceeded with electron transfer between GOx and the electrode mediated by TBO moieties without H₂O₂ production. The bienzyme electrode offered high sensitivity for amperometric determination of glucose at low potential, displaying Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The bienzyme glucose biosensor displayed linear response from 0.1 to 1.2 mM with a sensitivity of 113 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻² at an applied potential of −0.10 V in air-saturated electrolytes.     

Tetracarboxylic acid cobalt phthalocyanine SAM on gold: Potential applications as amperometric sensor for H2O2 and fabrication of glucose biosensor

This report describes the applications of cobalt tetracarboxylic acid phthalocyanine (CoTCAPc) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) immobilized onto a preformed 2-mercaptoethanol (Au-ME) SAM on gold surface (Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM) as a potential amperometric sensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) at neutral pH conditions. The Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM sensor showed a very fast amperometric response time of approximately 1 s, good linearity at the studied concentration range of up to 5 μM with a coefficient R² = 0.993 and a detection limit of 0.4 μM oxidatively. Also reductively, the sensor exhibited a very fast amperometric response time (∼1 s), linearity up to 5 μM with a coefficient R² = 0.986 and a detection limit of 0.2 μM. The cobalt tetracarboxylic acid phthalocyanine self-assembled monolayer was then evaluated as a mediator for glucose oxidase (GOx)-based biosensor. The GOx (enzyme) was immobilized covalently onto Au-ME-CoTCAPc SAM using coupling agents: N-ethyl-N(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS), and the results demonstrated a good catalytic behavior. Kinetic parameters associated with the enzymatic and mediator reactions were estimated using electrochemical versions of Lineweaver-Burk and Hanes equation, and the stability of the sensor was tested. The biosensor (Au-ME-CoTCAPc-GOx SAM) electrode showed good sensitivity (7.5 nA/mM) with a good detection limit of 8.4 μM at 3σ, smaller Michaelis-Menten constant (4.8 mM from Hanes plot) and very fast response time of approximately 5 s.     

Glucose biosensor based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes grown directly on Si

An amperometric biosensor based on covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with potassium ferricyanide as the redox mediator was developed. The MWCNTs were grown directly on a layered structure of Co/Ti/Cr on a SiO₂/Si substrate by microwave-heated chemical vapor deposition. The mediator helps to shuttle the electrons between the immobilized GOx and the MWCNT electrode, therefore operating at a potential of 0.25 V vs. the saturated calomel electrode. This potential precludes the interfering compounds from oxidization. The sensitivity of biosensors to glucose was found to depend on the acid pretreatment and GOx reaction times. The steady-state response of the optimized biosensor exhibits a sensitivity of 20.6 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻², a linear range of up to 8 mM, and a response time of <5 s.     

An enzyme-based microfluidic biofuel cell using vitamin K3-mediated glucose oxidation

Viamin K₃-modified poly-l-lysine (PLL-VK₃) was synthesized and used as the electron transfer mediator during catalytic oxidation of NADH by diaphorase (Dp) at the anode of biofuel cell. PLL-VK₃ and Dp were co-immobilized on an electrode and then coated with NAD⁺-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). The resulting enzymatic bilayer (abbreviated PLL-VK₃/Dp/GDH) catalyzed glucose oxidation. Addition of carbon black (Ketjenblack, KB) into the bilayer enlarged the effective surface area of the electrode and consequentially increased the catalytic activity. An oxidation current of ca. 2 mA cm⁻² was observed when the electrochemical cell contained a stirred 30 mM glucose, 1.0 mM NAD⁺, pH 7.0 phosphate-buffered electrolyte solution. The performance of glucose/O₂ biofuel cells, constructed as fluidic chips with controllable fuel flow and containing a KB/PLL-VK₃/Dp/GDH-coated anode and an Ag/AgCl or a polydimethylsiloxane-coated Pt cathode, were evaluated. The open circuit voltage of the cell with the PDMS-coated Pt cathode was 0.55 V and its maximum power density was 32 μW cm⁻² at 0.29 V when a pH 7.0-buffered fuel containing 5.0 mM glucose and 1.0 mM NAD⁺ was introduced into the cell at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹. The cell's output increased as the flow rate increased. During 18 h of continuous operation of the cell with a load of 100 kΩ, the output current density declined by ca. 50%, probably due to swelling of the enzyme bilayer.     

A new amperometric glucose biosensor based on platinum nanoparticles/polymerized ionic liquid-carbon nanotubes nanocomposites

A new amperometric glucose biosensor has been developed based on platinum (Pt) nanoparticles/polymerized ionic liquid-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanocomposites (PtNPs/PIL-CNTs). The CNTs was functionalized with polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) through directly polymerization of the ionic liquid, 1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([VEIM]BF₄), on carbon nanotubes and then used as the support for the highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles. The electrochemical performance of the PtNPs/PIL-CNTs modified glassy carbon (PtNPs/PIL-CNTs/GC) electrode has been investigated by typical electrochemical methods. The PtNPs/PIL-CNTs/GC electrode shows high electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide. Taking glucose oxidase (GOD) as the model, the resulting amperometric glucose biosensor shows good analytical characteristics, such as a high sensitivity (28.28 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²), wide linear range (up to 12 mM) and low detection limit (10 μM).     

Layer by layer assembly of glucose oxidase and thiourea onto glassy carbon electrode: Fabrication of glucose biosensor

For the first time a novel, simple and facile approach is described to construct highly stable glucose oxidase (GOx) multilayer onto glassy carbon (GC) electrode using thiourea (TU) as a covalent attachment cross-linker. The layer by layer (LBL) attachment process was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared reflection spectroscopy (FT-IR-RS) techniques. Immobilized GOx shows excellent electrocatalytic activity toward glucose oxidation using ferrocenemethanol as artificial electron transfer mediator and biosensor response was directly correlated to the number of bilayers. The surface coverage of active GOx per bilayer, heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k_s) and Michaelis–Menten constant (K_M), of immobilized GOx were 1.50 × 10⁻¹² mol cm⁻², 9.2 ± 0.5 s⁻¹ and 3.42(±0.2) mM, respectively. The biosensor constructed with four-bilayers of TU/GOx showed good stability, high reproducibility, long life-time, fast amperometric response (5 s) with the high sensitivity of 5.73 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² and low detection limit of 6 μM at concentration range up to 5.5 mM.     

Amperometric glucose biosensor based on Prussian blue-multiwall carbon nanotubes composite and hollow PtCo nanochains

In this paper, a novel glucose biosensor was developed based on immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD) on Prussian blue-multiwall carbon nanotubes (PB@MWNTs) composite and hollow PtCo (H-PtCo) nanochains modified electrode. The PB@MWNTs/H-PtCo membrane showed good biocompatibility, large surface-to-volume ratio and excellent electron-conductive ability. The successful fabrication of the PB@MWNTs composite synthesized with MWNTs as a template and Fe(III)-reducer were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The hollow PtCo nanochains were also characterized by TEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The response of the biosensor towards glucose under the optimized conditions, as investigated by chronoamperometry, is linear from 3.0 μM to 3.6 mM, with a low detection limit of 0.85 μM (S/N = 3) and a high sensitivity 21 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻². Moreover, the biosensor exhibits strong anti-interferent ability, good reproducibility and excellent stability.     

Amperometric glucose biosensor prepared with biocompatible material and carbon nanotube by layer-by-layer self-assembly technique

Prussian Blue (PB) based glucose biosensor was prepared by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD) in layer-by-layer (LBL) films with chitosan (Chi) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). With the increasing of Chi/MWNTs/GOD layers, the response current to glucose was changed regularly and reached a maximum value when the number of layer was six. At the optimized condition, the biosensor exhibits excellent response performance to glucose with a linear range from 1 to 7 mM and a low detection limit of 0.05 mM. The biosensor also shows a high sensitivity of 8.017 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻², which is attributed to the biocompatible nature of the LBL films. Furthermore, the biosensor shows rapid response, good reproducibility, long-term stability and freedom of interference from other co-existing electroactive species such as ascorbic acid and acetaminophen.     

Bis-Aniline-Crosslinked Enzyme–Metal Nanoparticle Composites on Electrodes for Bioelectronic Applications

The electrical contacting of redox enzymes with electrodes is the most fundamental requirement for the development of amperometric biosensors and biofuel cell elements. We describe a novel method to prepare electrically contacted metallic nanoparticles (NPs) or carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/enzyme hybrid composites on electrodes that act as amperometric biosensors or as the constituents of biofuel cells. Au NPs or Pt NPs were modified with thioaniline electropolymerizable groups, and so were the enzymes glucose oxidase (GOx) or bilirubin oxidase (BOD). Electrochemical polymerization of the thioaniline-functionalized Pt NPs and GOx on a thioaniline monolayer-modified Au surface led to the formation of a bis-aniline-bridged Pt NPs/GOx composite electrode that enabled the analysis of glucose through the electrocatalyzed reduction of H₂O₂. Similarly, a Pt NPs/BOD composite-functionalized electrode showed electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of O₂ to H₂O. Also, a Au NPs/GOx composite-functionalized electrode revealed direct electrical contacting between the enzyme and the electrode through the electrocatalytic reduction of the bis-aniline bridges, and this enabled the bioelectrocatalytic oxidation and the amperometric sensing of glucose. Finally, a biofuel cell consisting of an anode modified with Nile blue/NAD⁺/alcohol dehydrogenase on carbon nanotubes, and a cathode composed of the bis-aniline-crosslinked Pt NPs/BOD composite was constructed. The biofuel cell operates with a power output corresponding to 200 μW cm^-2.     

Low potential detection of glucose at carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode with electropolymerized poly(toluidine blue O) film

A mediator glucose biosensor has been constructed by immobilizing glucose oxidase at electropolymerized poly(toluidine blue O) film on carbon nanotube modified glass carbon electrode. The toluidine blue O moieties served as redox mediators for enzymatic glucose oxidation and as polymeric network to maintain the biosensor activity. Great enhancement in current response was observed for the glucose biosensor. The detection potential could be decreased to −0.1 V (versus Ag|AgCl), where common interferences such as ascorbic acid, uric acid and acetamidophenol were not oxidized to cause interferences. The amperometric glucose biosensor offered a sensitivity of 14.5 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻² for the linear range of 1-7 mM.     

Bioelectrochemistry and enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase immobilized onto the bamboo-shaped CNx nanotubes

The novel bamboo-shaped CN_x nanotubes, synthesized by nitrogen atoms doping into carbon nanotubes, were used for the immobilization of a relatively large enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) and its bioelectrochemical studies. The morphologies and adsorptions of GOx immobilization onto CN_x nanotubes were clearly observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was also used to feature the GOx adsorbed onto the surface of CN_x nanotubes. The immobilized GOx incorporated into CN_x nanotubes films exhibited a well-defined nearly reversible cyclic voltammetric peaks for the electroactive centers of GOx and a fast heterogeneous electron transfer rate with the rate constant (K_s) of 1.96 s⁻¹. The immobilized GOx onto the CN_x nanotubes exhibited its bioelectrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose. The obtained results suggest that with a large amount of defective/active sites on the tube surfaces, a special bamboo structure and a suitable C-N microenvironment introduced by nitrogen doping, CN_x nanotubes could not only facilitate the direct electron transfer between the enzyme and electrode, but also retain the high enzyme loading and the enzymatic bioactivity.     

Ni(OH)2 versus Ni/Al layered double hydroxides as matrices to immobilize glucose oxidase

Ni hydroxide and Ni/Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) were electrochemically deposited on Pt electrodes in the presence of glucose oxidase in the electrolytic solution, in order to verify if the performances of the two biosensors were dependent on the Ni content of the inorganic matrix used to entrap the enzyme. The comparative study was conducted by recording the current response due to the oxidation of H₂O₂, produced enzymatically after glucose additions, at +0.45 V versus SCE, pH 7.0 and T = 25 °C.A higher sensitivity and a narrower linearity range were observed for nickel hydroxide based biosensor (up to 5 mM against 15 mM exhibited when LDH was the immobilizing matrix). These results suggested that the amount of the enzyme entrapped on the electrode surface was higher when the matrix was Ni(OH)₂ and they were confirmed by EQCM measurements. On the contrary, the selectivity displayed by the two biosensors in the presence of interfering compounds, such as acetaminophen, citric, uric and ascorbic acids, was almost the same.     

Perovskite-SrTiO3/TiO2/PDA as photoelectrochemical glucose biosensor

The complexity of the biological sample to be tested requires the sensor to have a wide monitoring range, accurate selectivity, and excellent environmental tolerance. Here, we report a new strategy of in situ transformation of perovskite to form a heterojunction and combined with bioactive enzyme protective substances, thereby achieving a collection of multiple sensing properties. Through in situ conversion of TiO₂ to SrTiO₃ to form a heterojunction to provide high oxidation activity and protection for GOx through PDA, the TiO₂/SrTiO₃/PDA/GOx biosensor achieves an ultra-wide linear detection range of 0–32 mM. Such a range can effectively monitor the physical condition of people with high blood sugar levels (above 20 mM). Good stability, anti-interference, environmental tolerance, and accurate human blood detection all prove the excellent sensing performance and practical application potential of the TiO₂/SrTiO₃/PDA/GOx biosensor.     

Sol-gel derived carbon ceramic electrode for the investigation of the electrochemical behavior and electrocatalytic activity of neodymium hexacyanoferrate

The electrochemical properties of an electroactive rare earth metal hexacyanoferrate, neodymium hexacyanoferrate (NdHCF) were studied by mechanically attaching NdHCF samples to the surface of carbon ceramic electrodes (CCEs) derived from sol-gel technique. The resulting modified electrodes exhibit well-defined redox responses with the formal potential of 0.241 V (versus SCE) at a scan rate of 20 mV s⁻¹ in 0.5 M KCl solution. The voltammetric characteristics of the NdHCF-modified CCEs in the presence of different alkali metal cations (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺) were investigated by voltammetry. The NdHCF-modified CCEs presented a good electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and was used for amperometric detection of H₂O₂. In addition, the NdHCF-CCEs exhibited a distinct advantage of simple preparation, surface renewal, good stability and reproducibility.     

Direct electron transfer from glucose oxidase immobilized on a nano-porous glassy carbon electrode

A pair of well-defined and reversible redox peaks was observed for the direct electron transfer (DET) reaction of an immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx) on the surface of a nano-porous glassy carbon electrode at the formal potential (E°′) of −0.439 V versus Ag/AgCl/saturated KCl. The electron transfer rate constant (k_s) was calculated to be 5.27 s⁻¹. The dependence of E°′ on pH indicated that the direct electron transfer of the GOx was a two-electron transfer process, coupled with two-proton transfer. The results clearly demonstrate that the nano-porous glassy carbon electrode is a cost-effective and ready-to-use scaffold for the fabrication of a glucose biosensor.