Sensitive determination of uric acid by using graphene quantum dots as a new substrate for immobilisation of uric oxidase

A novel strategy for highly sensitive electrochemical detection of uric acid (UA) was proposed based on graphene quantum dots (GQDs), GQDs were introduced as a suitable substrate for enzyme immobilisation. Uric oxidase (UOx) was immobilised on GQDs modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques were used for characterising the electrochemical biosensor. The developed biosensor responds efficiently to UA presence over the concentration linear range 1–800 μM with the detection limit 0.3 μM. This novel biosensing platform based on UOx/GQDs electrode responded even more sensitively than that based on GCE modified by UOx alone. The inexpensive, reliable and sensitive sensing platform based on UOx/GQDs electrode provides wide potential applications in clinical.Inspec keywords: organic compounds, graphene devices, quantum dots, enzymes, biosensors, biochemistry, electrochemical electrodes, electrochemical sensors, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, voltammetry (chemical analysis), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, nanomedicine, molecular biophysicsOther keywords: sensitive uric acid determination, graphene quantum dots, uric oxidase immobilisation, electrochemical detection, GQD, enzyme immobilisation, glassy carbon electrode, GCE, transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, electrochemical biosensor, C     

Electrochemical biosensing based on polypyrrole/titania nanotube hybrid

The glucose oxidase (GOD) modified polypyrrole/titania nanotube enzyme electrode is fabricated for electrochemical biosensing application. The titania nanotube array is grown directly on a titanium substrate through an anodic oxidation process. A thin film of polypyrrole is coated onto titania nanotube array to form polypyrrole/titania nanotube hybrid through a normal pulse voltammetry process. GOD-polypyrrole/titania nanotube enzyme electrode is prepared by the covalent immobilization of GOD onto polypyrrole/titania nanotube hybrid via the cross-linker of glutaraldehyde. The morphology and microstructure of nanotube electrodes are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared analysis. The biosensing properties of this nanotube enzyme electrode have been investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The hydrophilic polypyrrole/titania nanotube hybrid provides highly accessible nanochannels for GOD encapsulation, presenting good enzymatic affinity. As-formed GOD-polypyrrole/titania nanotube enzyme electrode well conducts bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of glucose, exhibiting a good biosensing performance with a high sensitivity, low detection limit and wide linear detection range.     

Immobilization of enzymes through one-pot chemical preoxidation and electropolymerization of dithiols in enzyme-containing aqueous suspensions to develop biosensors with improved performance

A protocol of one-pot chemical preoxidation and electropolymerization of monomers (CPEM) in enzyme-containing aqueous suspensions (or solutions) was proposed as a universal strategy for high-activity and high-load immobilization of enzymes to construct amperometric biosensors, which was proven to be effective for the monomer of 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT), 1,6-hexanedithiol, o-phenylenediamine, o-aminophenol or pyrrole, the preoxidant of K3Fe(CN)6 or p-benzoquinone, and the enzyme of glucose oxidase (GOx) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) to develop GOx-based glucose biosensors or AP-based disodium phenyl phosphate biosensors. As a case examined in detail, a well-dispersed aqueous suspension of the poorly soluble BDT was obtained through its dispersion assisted by ultrasonication and coexisting GOx, which was then subject to chemical preoxidation through adding K3Fe(CN)6, yielding many composites of insoluble BDT oligomers with lots of high-activity enzyme molecules entrapped. Some insoluble composites were then electrochemically codeposited with poly(1,4-benzenedithiol) on an Au electrode, yielding an enzyme film with high-load and high-activity enzyme immobilized. The glucose biosensor prepared here from the CPEM protocol showed much better performance than that from the preoxidant-free conventional electropolymerization (CEP) protocol, with a detection sensitivity increase by a factor of 32 in this case. The GOx-based and AP-based first-generation biosensors developed from the present CPEM protocol all exhibited notably improved performance compared with the analogues from the preoxidant-free CEP protocol. The electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique was used to investigate various electrode modification processes. The values of quantity and enzymatic specific activity (ESA) of the immobilized enzymes were evaluated through the EQCM and the conventional UV-vis spectrophotometric method, given that the CPEM protocol notably improved the quantity and the ESA of immobilized enzymes as compared with the preoxidant-free CEP protocol. The proposed CPEM protocol may be interesting in a number of fields, including biosensing, biocatalysis, biofuel cells, bioaffinity chromatography, and biomaterials, and the successful electropolymerization of dithiols in aqueous suspensions (two-phase electropolymerization) may open a new avenue for many monomers that are poorly soluble in neutral aqueous solutions to in situ immobilize biomolecules for bioapplications.     

Transforming the fabrication and biofunctionalization of gold nanoelectrode arrays into versatile electrochemical glucose biosensors

High-density arrays of conducting nanoelectrodes (i.e., nanoelectrode arrays [NEAs]) have been developed on the surface of a single electrode for numerous electrochemical sensing paradigms. However, a scalable fabrication technique and robust biofunctionalization protocol are oftentimes lacking and thus many NEA designs have limited efficacy and overall commercial viability in biosensing applications. In this report, we develop a lithography-free nanofabrication protocol to create large arrays of Au nanoelectrodes on a silicon wafer via a porous anodic alumina template. To demonstrate their effectiveness as electrochemical glucose biosensors, alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are used to covalently attach the enzyme glucose oxidase to the Au NEA surface for subsequent glucose sensing. The sensitivity and linear sensing range of the biosensor is controlled by introducing higher concentrations of long-chain SAMs (11-mercaptoundecanoic acid: MUA) with short-chain SAMs (3-mercaptopropionic acid: MPA) into the enzyme immobilization scheme. This facile NEA fabrication protocol (that is well-suited for integration into electronic devices) and biosensor performance controllability (via the mixed-length enzyme-conjugated SAMs) transforms the Au NEAs into versatile glucose biosensors. Thus these Au NEAs could potentially be used in important real-word applications such as in health-care and bioenergy where biosensors with very distinct sensing capabilities are needed.     

ZnS nanoparticles electrodeposited onto ITO electrode as a platform for fabrication of enzyme-based biosensors of glucose

The electrochemical and photoelectrochemical biosensors based on glucose oxidase (GOD) and ZnS nanoparticles modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode were investigated. The ZnS nanoparticles were electrodeposited directly on the surface of ITO electrode. The enzyme was immobilized on ZnS/ITO electrode surface by sol–gel method to fabricate glucose biosensor. GOD could electrocatalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen, which resulted in a great increase of the reduction peak current. The reduction peak current decreased linearly with the addition of glucose, which could be used for glucose detection. Moreover, ZnS nanoparticles deposited on ITO electrode surface showed good photocurrent response under illumination. A photoelectrochemical biosensor for the detection of glucose was also developed by monitoring the decreases in the cathodic peak photocurrent. The results indicated that ZnS nanoparticles deposited on ITO substrate were a good candidate material for the immobilization of enzyme in glucose biosensor construction.     

Flow injection based renewable electrochemical sensor system

A novel class of electrochemical sensors is proposed utilizing electrically conducting beads to form a disposable electrode as well as nonconducting beads to form renewable layers of immobilized enzymes. The concept, aimed to prevent fouling, is tested on an amperometric sensor coupled to nonconducting beads with different immobilized oxidases: galactose, lactate, alcohol, or glucose oxidase, the latter two being used to determine alcohol and gluocse, respectively, in samples of beer and wine. Glucose oxidase was also immobilized on conducting glassy carbon particles to explore the performance of a biosensor where both enzyme and electrode can be automatically renewed in less than 1 min. The results confirm that the concept of a flow injection renewable electrochemical sensor (FI-RES) is practical. It provides a novel approach to biosensing, to comparing enzyme activity, to studying enzyme immobilization on different supports, and to voltammetry in general.     

Study of different carbon materials for amperometric enzyme biosensor development

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) electrodes which constitute a new research area in electrochemistry and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes were used as transducers for fabrication of glucose oxidase (GOD) biosensors. The amperometric signal of the enzyme electrode was due to the electro-oxidation of H₂O₂ generated in the enzyme layer. This work has shown that the detection limit of glucose on GOD/GC electrode is 20 μM while it is 50 μM on GOD/DLC electrode. The sensitivity of GOD/GC electrode decreases 4% after 8 days and we have good repeatability of measurements for GOD/DLC electrode in the same day.     

用单壁纳米碳管制备葡萄糖生物传感器的研究

以单壁纳米碳管为代表材料,对利用纳米碳管制备葡萄糖生物传感器中纳米碳管的作用和纳米碳管修饰电极的方法、酶的固定化方法及电极种类等因素对传感器性能的影响进行了研究.研究结果表明,纳米碳管的加入能有效地改善传感器的电化学性能,利用二茂铁和单壁纳米碳管共同修饰电极所制得的传感器的性能要好于仅用单壁纳米碳管修饰电极制得的传感器.在酶的固定化方法中,戊二醛交联法要略好于明胶包埋法;而利用铂电极制备出的生物传感器对葡萄糖的响应电流要明显高于利用金电极和玻碳电极制备出的生物传感器.这些结论对于开发纳米碳管在生物传感领域及生命科学相关领域的应用有参考价值.     

Electrochemical biosensor based on integrated assembly of dehydrogenase enzymes and gold nanoparticles

Development of a highly sensitive nanostructured electrochemical biosensor based on the integrated assembly of dehydrogenase enzymes and gold (Au) nanoparticle is described. The Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been self-assembled on a thiol-terminated, sol-gel-derived, 3-D, silicate network and enlarged by hydroxylamine seeding. The AuNPs on the silicate network efficiently catalyze the oxidation of NADH with a decrease in overpotential of approximately 915 mV in the absence of any redox mediator. The surface oxides of AuNP function as an excellent mediator, and a special inverted "V" shape voltammogram at less positive potential was observed for the oxidation of NADH. The AuNP self-assembled sol-gel network behaves like a nanoelectrode ensemble. The nanostructured electrode shows high sensitivity (0.056 +/- 0.001 nA/nM) toward NADH with an amperometric detection limit of 5 nM. The electrode displays excellent operational and storage stability. A novel methodology for the fabrication of a NADH-dependent dehydrogenase biosensor based on the integration of dehydrogenase enzyme and AuNPs with the silicate network is developed. The enzymatically generated NADH is, in turn, electrocatalytically detected by the AuNPs on the silicate network. The integrated assembly has been successfully used for the amperometric biosensing of lactate and ethanol at a potential of -5 mV. The biosensor is very stable and highly sensitive, and it has a fast response time. The excellent performance validates the integrated assembly as an attractive sensing element for the development of new dehydrogenase biosensors.     

Bioinorganic composites for enzyme electrodes

Sparingly soluble redox salts were combined with a model enzyme, glucose oxidase, in a host matrix of a biopolymer chitosan to form bioinorganic composite films on the surface of glassy carbon electrodes. Four redox salts, each containing the Ru(NH3)6(3+) cation and a selected anion, such as Ru(CN)6(4-), Fe(CN)6(4-), Co(CN)6(3-) or IrCl6(3-), were studied. The composition and catalytic properties of such composite materials toward glucose oxidation were investigated by spectroscopic and electrochemical methods. The composite films provided an oxygen-independent electrical communication between the enzyme's redox centers and a glassy carbon surface at a potential as low as -0.10 V vs Ag/AgCl(3 M Cl-). The nature of the electrical communication is discussed in terms of redox mediation by the Ru(NH3)6(3+)-containing ion pairs formed inside the biocomposites. The kinetic significance of the mediator's charge is considered by postulating that neutral ion pairs are more efficient redox mediators of the enzymatic reaction than those negatively charged. The low operating potential of enzyme electrodes based on the bioinorganic composites allows for an interference-free determination of glucose. The design of the biocomposites is generic and can incorporate oxidoreductase enzymes other than glucose oxidase to provide a host of biosensors for biologically and environmentally important analytes.     

一种新的酶模拟体系——催化性金属-有机络合聚合物

综述了近来出现的一类新的多孔材料--金属-有机络合聚合物(MOCP)催化功能的设计策略及合成途径.通过配体结构的选择或修饰可得到催化性的孔环境或采用适当的合成策略使过渡金属离子保留不饱和位点,结合MOCP孔道对分子的择形和筛分作用,赋予MOCP以酶样催化功能,从而得到一种新的酶模拟体系--催化性金属-有机络合聚合物(cMOCPs).cMOCPs在择形催化,尤其在不对称催化应用方面具有诱人前景,也给设计新型催化剂提供了一个新的思路.     

Wiring of enzymes to electrodes by ultrathin conductive polyion underlayers: enhanced catalytic response to hydrogen peroxide

Stable electroactive films were grown layer by layer on rough pyrolytic graphite electrodes featuring 4-nm underlayers of sulfonated polyaniline (SPAN) covered with a film containing myoglobin or horseradish peroxidase grown in alternating layers with poly(styrenesulfonate). The self-doped polyanionic SPAN layer, grown on a 2-nm polycation layer, was conductive between about 0.1 and -0.4 V vs SCE at pH 4.5. The enzyme films had the architecture PDDA/SPAN/(enzyme/PSS)3, where PDDA is poly(diallyldimethylammonium) ion. Comparisons of voltammetric measurements of electroactive protein with quartz crystal microbalance measurements of total protein showed that 90% or more of the protein was coupled to the electrode when the SPAN underlayer was present, as opposed to approximately 40% protein electroactivity when SPAN was absent. As a consequence of the highly efficient coupling between enzymes and electrode, the PDDA/SPAN/(enzyme/PSS)3 films exhibited a higher sensitivity for the electrochemical catalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Amperometry at a rotating disk electrode at 0 V gave sensitivity for hydrogen peroxide up to 14 microA microM(-1) cm(-2) in the submicromolar concentration range and a detection limit of approximately 3 nM. Results suggest the future utility of ultrathin layers of conductive self-doping polyions in improving sensitivity of enzyme biosensors.     

Zinc oxide nanostructured biosensor for glucose detection

Zinc oxide （ZnO） nanocombs were fabricated by vapor phase transport, and nanorods and hierarchical nanodisk structures by aqueous thermal decomposition. Glucose biosensors were constructed using these ZnO nanostructures as supporting materials for glucose oxidase （GOX） loading. These ZnO glucose biosensors showed a high sensitivity for glucose detection and high affinity of GOX to glucose as well as the low detection limit. The results demonstrate that ZnO nanostructures have potential applications in biosensors.     

Self-assembled diphenylalanine nanowires for cellular studies and sensor applications

In this paper we present a series of experiments showing that vertical self-assembled diphenylalanine peptide nanowires (PNWs) are a suitable candidate material for cellular biosensing. We grew HeLa and PC12 cells onto PNW modified gold surfaces and observed no hindrance of cell growth caused by the peptide nanostructures; furthermore we studied the properties of PNWs by investigating their influence on the electrochemical behavior of gold electrodes. The PNWs were functionalized with polypyrrole (PPy) by chemical polymerization, therefore creating conducting peptide/polymer nanowire structures vertically attached to a metal electrode. The electroactivity of such structures was characterized by cyclic voltammetry. The PNW/PPy modified electrodes were finally used as amperometric dopamine sensors, yielding a detection limit of 3,1 microM.     

Designing electrochemical interfaces with functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and wrapped carbon nanotubes as platforms for the construction of high-performance bienzyme biosensors

The design of a novel biosensing electrode surface, combining the advantages of magnetic ferrite nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with glutaraldehyde (GA) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA)-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as platforms for the construction of high-performance multienzyme biosensors, is reported in this work. Before the immobilization of enzymes, GA-MNP/PDDA/MWCNT composites were prepared by wrapping of carboxylated MWCNTs with positively charged PDDA and interaction with GA-functionalized MNPs. The nanoconjugates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemistry. The electrode platform was used to construct a bienzyme biosensor for the determination of cholesterol, which implied coimmobilization of cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and peroxidase (HRP) and the use of hydroquinone as redox mediator. Optimization of all variables involved in the preparation and analytical performance of the bienzyme electrode was accomplished. At an applied potential of -0.05 V, a linear calibration graph for cholesterol was obtained in the 0.01-0.95 mM concentration range. The detection limit (0.85 μM), the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (1.57 mM), the stability of the biosensor, and the calculated activation energy can be advantageously compared with the analytical characteristics of other CNT-based cholesterol biosensors reported in the literature. Analysis of human serum spiked with cholesterol at different concentration levels yielded recoveries between 100% and 103%     

A MXene‐Based Wearable Biosensor System for High‐Performance In Vitro Perspiration Analysis

Wearable electrochemical biosensors for sweat analysis present a promising means for noninvasive biomarker monitoring. However, sweat‐based sensing still poses several challenges, including easy degradation of enzymes and biomaterials with repeated testing, limited detection range and sensitivity of enzyme‐based biosensors caused by oxygen deficiency in sweat, and poor shelf life of sensors using all‐in‐one working electrodes patterned by traditional techniques (e.g., electrodeposition and screen printing). Herein, a stretchable, wearable, and modular multifunctional biosensor is developed, incorporating a novel MXene/Prussian blue (Ti₃C₂T_x/PB) composite designed for durable and sensitive detection of biomarkers (e.g., glucose and lactate) in sweat. A unique modular design enables a simple exchange of the specific sensing electrode to target the desired analytes. Furthermore, an implemented solid–liquid–air three‐phase interface design leads to superior sensor performance and stability. Typical electrochemical sensitivities of 35.3 µA mm ^?1 cm^?2 for glucose and 11.4 µA mm ^?1 cm^?2 for lactate are achieved using artificial sweat. During in vitro perspiration monitoring of human subjects, the physiochemistry signals (glucose and lactate level) can be measured simultaneously with high sensitivity and good repeatability. This approach represents an important step toward the realization of ultrasensitive enzymatic wearable biosensors for personalized health monitoring.     

Rational Construction of 3D‐Networked Carbon Nanowalls/Diamond Supporting CuO Architecture for High‐Performance Electrochemical Biosensors

Tremendous demands for highly sensitive and selective nonenzymatic electrochemical biosensors have motivated intensive research on advanced electrode materials with high electrocatalytic activity. Herein, the 3D‐networked CuO@carbon nanowalls/diamond (C/D) architecture is rationally designed, and it demonstrates wide linear range (0.5 × 10^?6–4 × 10^?3 m ), high sensitivity (1650 µA cm^?2 mm ^?1), and low detection limit (0.5 × 10^?6 m ), together with high selectivity, great long‐term stability, and good reproducibility in glucose determination. The outstanding performance of the CuO@C/D electrode can be ascribed to the synergistic effect coming from high‐electrocatalytic‐activity CuO nanoparticles and 3D‐networked conductive C/D film. The C/D film is composed of carbon nanowalls and diamond nanoplatelets; and owing to the large surface area, accessible open surfaces, and high electrical conduction, it works as an excellent transducer, greatly accelerating the mass‐ and charge‐transport kinetics of electrocatalytic reaction on the CuO biorecognition element. Besides, the vertical aligned diamond nanoplatelet scaffolds could improve structural and mechanical stability of the designed electrode in long‐term performance. The excellent CuO@C/D electrode promises potential application in practical glucose detection, and the strategy proposed here can also be extended to construct other biorecognition elements on the 3D‐networked conductive C/D transducer for various high‐performance nonenzymatic electrochemical biosensors.     

Integration of enzymes and electrodes: spectroscopic and electrochemical studies of chitosan-enzyme films

A new film-forming solution was developed for the efficient immobilization of enzymes on solid substrates. The solution consisted of a biopolymer, chitosan (CHIT), that was chemically modified with a permeability-controlling agent, Acetyl Yellow 9 (AY9), using glutaric dialdehyde (GDI) as a molecular tether. A model enzyme, glucose oxidase (GOx), was mixed with the CHIT-GDI-AY9 solution and cast on the surface of platinum electrodes to form robust CHIT-GDI-AY9-GOx films for glucose biosensing. UV-visible and infrared spectroscopies were used to determine the composition of the films. The optimized films contained on average 1 molecule of AY9/3 glucosamine units of chitosan and 25 free GDI tethers/1 molecule of GOx. The electrochemical assays of the films indicated both a very high efficiency of enzyme immobilization (approximately 99%) and large enzyme activity (60 units cm(-2)). The latter translated into a high sensitivity (42 mA M(-1) cm(-2)) of the Pt/CHIT-GDI-AY9-GOx biosensor toward glucose. The biosensor operated at 0.450 V, had a fast response time (t90% < or = 3 s), and was free of typical interferences, and its dynamic range covered 3 orders of magnitude of glucose concentrations. The lowest actually detectable concentration was 10 microM glucose. In addition, the biosensor displayed a practical shelf life and excellent operational stability, e.g. its response was stable during 24-h testing under continuous polarization and continuous flow of 5.0 mM glucose solution. The proposed approach to enzyme immobilization is simple, efficient, and cost-effective and should be of importance in the development of biosensors based on other enzymes that are more expensive than glucose oxidase.     

Electrochemical strategy with zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 and ordered mesoporous carbon for detection of xanthine

An accurate, safe, environmentally friendly, fast and sensitive electrochemical biosensors were developed to detect xanthine in serum. The metal‐organic framework ZIF‐8 was synthesised and elemental gold was supported on the surface of ZIF‐8 by reduction method to synthesise Ag‐ZIF‐8. The mesoporous carbon material and the synthesised Ag‐ZIF‐8 were, respectively, applied to a glassy carbon electrode to construct biosensors. The constructed biosensor has a good linear relation in the range of 1–280 μmol l⁻¹ of xanthine and the detection limit is 0.167 μmol l⁻¹. The relative standard deviation value in serum samples was <5%, and the recoveries were 96–106%, indicating the good selectivity, stability and reproducibility of this electrochemical biosensor.Inspec keywords: zeolites, electrochemical sensors, voltammetry (chemical analysis), mesoporous materials, biosensors, gold, reduction (chemical), nanosensors, nanofabrication, organic compounds, electrochemical electrodes, carbon, nanoparticlesOther keywords: xanthine, detection limit, serum samples, zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8, sensitive electrochemical biosensors, metal‐organic framework ZIF‐8, elemental gold, reduction method, mesoporous carbon material, glassy carbon electrode, linear relation, ordered mesoporous carbon, Ag, C     

Preparation of polypyrrole nanoparticles in reverse micelle and its application to glucose biosensor

Polypyrrole nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)/hexanol/water reverse micelle. The morphology and particle size of the obtained nanoparticles were characterized with transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Glucose biosensors were formed with glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized in conducting composite material consisting of polypyrrole nanoparticles and ethyl cellulose. The effects of reaction conditions such as molar ratio of polypyrrole nanoparticles to ethyl cellulose, working voltage, glucose concentration, temperature and solution pH on the electrochemical response of the GOx electrode were studied. Experimental results showed that the linear range of GOx electrode was 1.0 x 10(-6)-6 x 10(-3) mol/L and the detection limit was 1.0 x 10(-7) mol/L. The electrode exhibited fine repeatability and selectability, and its lifetime was greater than one month. AFM showed that the surface of conducting composite material-glucose oxidase electrode's presents uniform granular after washing paraffin wax with cyclohexane, which was favorable for enzyme-catalyzed reaction.