Determination of catalase-like activity in plants based on the amperometric monitoring of hydrogen peroxide consumption using a carbon paste electrode modified with ruthenium(IV) Oxide

A carbon paste electrode containing ruthenium(IV) oxide as a modifier was tested as an effective hydrogen peroxide amperometric sensor in bulk measurements (hydrodynamic amperometry). Factors that influence its overall analytical perform ance, such as pH and the applied potential, were examined. The RuO2-modified electrode displayed high sensitivity towards hydrogen peroxide, with detection limits as low as 0.02 mm at pH 7.4 and 0.007 mM at pH 9.0. The method was applied for monitoring the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (by catalase) in phosphate buffer of pH 7.4. The relative response of the electrode towards ascorbic acid was assessed and it was found that the selectivity of the RuO2-modified electrode towards hydrogen peroxide over ascorbic acid could be significantly improved by electro-polymerizing m-phenylenediamine on its surface prior to measurements. The RuO2-modified electrode was used for the kinetic (fixed time) determination of catalase activity in the range of 4-40 U/mL (detection limit 1.2 U/mL). The method was applied to the determination of catalase-like activity in various plant materials (recov-ery ranged from 93 to 101%, detection limit 480 U/100 g).

Sensitive determination of heroin based on electrogenerated chemiluminescence of tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(ii) immobilized in zeolite Y modified carbon paste electrode

A novel method for rapid, inexpensive, sensitive and selective determination of heroin was proposed by flow injection electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL). Zeolite Y sieves were used for the preparation of a ECL sensor by immobilizing tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)3(2+)) in their supercages, which was achieved through the ion exchange properties of the sieves. The electrochemical and ECL behaviors of Ru(bpy)3(2+) immobilized in zeolite Y modified carbon paste electrode was investigated. The immobilized Ru(bpy)3(2+) displayed a pair of surface-controlled redox peaks with an electron transfer rate constant of 1.2 +/- 0.1 s(-1) in 0.1 mol dm(-3) pH 6.3 phosphate buffer. The modified electrode showed an electrocatalytic response to the oxidation of heroin, producing a sensitized ECL signal. The ECL sensor showed a linear response to flow injection of heroin in the range of 2.0-80 micromol dm(-3) with a detection limit of 1.1 micromol dm(-3). This method for heroin determination possessed good sensitivity and reproducibility with a coefficient of variation of 1.99% (n = 15) at 50.0 micromol dm(-3). The ECL sensor showed good selectivity and long-term stability. Its surface could be renewed quickly and reproducibly by a simple polish step.

Renewable reagentless hydrogen peroxide sensor based on direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase immobilized on colloidal gold-modified electrode

A novel renewable reagentless hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) sensor based on the direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is proposed. The direct electrochemistry of HRP immobilized on a colloidal gold-modified carbon paste electrode (Au-CPE) was investigated using electrochemical methods. The immobilized HRP displayed a pair of redox peaks in 0.1M phosphate buffer (PB), pH 7.0, with a formal potential of -0.346 V. The response showed a surface-controlled electrode process with an electron transfer rate constant of 6.04+/-0.18s(-1) determined in the scan rate range from 120 to 500 mV/s. The biosensor displayed an excellent electrocatalytic response to the reduction of H(2)O(2) without the aid of an electron mediator. The sensor surface could be renewed quickly and reproducibly by a simple polish step. The calibration range of H(2)O(2) was 0-0.3mM with linear relation from 0.48 to 50 microM and a detection limit of 0.21 microM at 3 sigma. The response showed Michaelis-Menten behavior at higher H(2)O(2) concentrations. The K(app)(M) value of HRP at HRP-Au-CPE was determined to be 3.69+/-0.71 mM.