Interfacial Behavior of beta-Lactoglobulin at a Stainless Steel Surface: An Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Study

PEDOT-AuNPs-based impedimetric immunosensor for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

Electrochemical sensors and biosensors are useful techniques for fast, inexpensive, sensitive, and easy detection of innumerous specimen. In face of COVID-19 pandemic, it became evident the necessity of a rapid and accurate diagnostic test, so the impedimetric immunosensor approach can be a good alternative to replace the conventional tests due to the specific antibody-antigen binding interaction and the fast response in comparison to traditional methods. In this work, a modified electrode with electrosynthesized PEDOT and gold nanoparticles followed by the immobilization of truncated nucleoprotein (N aa160-406aa) was used for a fast and reliable detection of antibodies against COVID-19 in human serum sample. The method consists in analyzing the charge-transfer resistance (R_CT) variation before and after the modified electrode comes into contact with the positive and negative serum sample for COVID-19, using [Fe(CN)₆]^3-/4- as a probe. The results show a linear and selective response for serum samples diluted in a range of 2.5 × 10³ to 20 × 10³. Also, the electrode material was fully characterized by Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with EDS, indicating that the gold nanoparticles were well distributed around the polymer matrix and the presence of the biological sample was confirmed by EDS analysis. EIS measurements allowed to differentiate the negative and positive samples by the difference in the R_CT magnitude, proving that the material developed here has potential properties to be applied in impedimetric immunosensors for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in about 30 min.

A Lactoglobulin-Composite Self-Healing Coating for Mg Alloys

Corrosion issue is one of the most crucial bottlenecks for extensive employment of Mg alloys, in particular under harsh engineering conditions. Differing from traditional approaches, a self-healing protective coating composed of lactoglobulin is proposed herein to offer sustainable protection to the underlying Mg parts. Corrosion resistance, evaluated by electrochemical measurements and hydrogen evolution tests, indicates that the lactoglobulin composite film exhibits nobler corrosion potential (-1.28 V_SCE), smaller corrosion current density (8.4 × 10^-6 A/cm²), and lower average corrosion rate (∼0.03 mm/y) than those of its bare counterparts. Moreover, the pre-made cracks in the film were evidently self-healed within 24 h of exposure to corrosive media. The proposed self-healing lactoglobulin composite film provides opportunities to tackle the corrosion challenges of Mg alloys.

Electrode Surface Potential-Driven Protein Adsorption and Desorption through Modulation of Electrostatic, van der Waals, and Hydration Interactions

When proteins in aqueous solutions are exposed to solid substrates, they adsorb due to the dynamic interplay of electrostatic, van der Waals, and hydration interactions and do so in a rather irreversible fashion, which makes protein recovery troublesome. Here, we use a gold electrode as the solid substrate and modulate the surface potential to systematically induce protein adsorption as well as partial desorption. We use different methods such as surface plasmon resonance, atomic force microscopy, and electrowetting and show that biasing the electrode to more negative potentials (by -0.4 V compared to the open-circuit potential at pH 6) results in an increased adsorption barrier of 6 kJ mol^-1 for the negatively charged protein β-lactoglobulin. Further, we clearly demonstrate that this is due to an increased double layer potential of -0.06 V and an increase in hydration repulsion. This indicates that an electric potential can directly influence surface interactions and thus induce partial β-lactoglobulin desorption. These observations can be the basis for biosensors as well as separation technologies that use only one trigger to steer protein ad- and desorption, which is low in energy requirement and does not generate large waste streams, as is the case for standard protein separation technologies.

Electrochemical sensor for selective tyramine determination, amplified by a molecularly imprinted polymer film

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film based electrochemical sensor for selective determination of tyramine was devised, fabricated, and tested. Tyramine is generated in smoked and fermented food products. Therefore, it may serve as a marker of the rottenness of these products. Importantly, intake of large amounts of tyramine by patients treated with monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors may lead to a "cheese effect", namely, a dangerous hypertensive crisis. The limit of detection at S/N = 3 of the chemosensor, in both differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) determinations, with the use of the Fe(CN)₆^4-/Fe(CN)₆^3- redox probe, was 159 and 168 µM tyramine, respectively. The linear dynamic concentration range was 290 µM to 2.64 mM tyramine. The chemosensor was highly selective with respect to the glucose, urea, and creatinine interferences. Its DPV determined apparent imprinting factor was 5.6. Moreover, the mechanism of the "gate effect" in the operation of the polymer film-coated electrodes was unraveled.

Electrochemical deposition of dopamine–hyaluronic acid conjugates for anti-biofouling bioelectrodes

Electrochemical deposition of dopamine-hyaluronic acid conjugates onto electrode surfaces can lead to preserved electrochemical activities and anti-biofouling properties of the electrodes.

Electrochemical Characterization of Protein Adsorption onto YNGRT-Au and VLGXE-Au Surfaces

The adsorption of the proteins CD13, mucin and bovine serum albumin on VLGXE-Au and YNGRT-Au interfaces was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the presence of [Fe(CN)₆]^3−/4−. The hydrophobicity of the Au surface was tailored using specific peptides, blocking agents and diluents. The combination of blocking agents (ethanolamine or n-butylamine) and diluents (hexanethiol or 2-mercaptoethanol) was used to prepare various peptide-modified Au surfaces. Protein adsorption onto the peptide-Au surfaces modified with the combination of n-butylamine and hexanethiol produced a dramatic decrease in the charge transfer resistance, R_ct, for all three proteins. In contrast, polar peptide-surfaces induced a minimal change in R_ct for all three proteins. Furthermore, an increase in R_ct was observed with CD13 (an aminopeptidase overexpressed in certain cancers) in comparison to the other proteins when the VLGXE-Au surface was modified with n-butylamine as a blocking agent. The electrochemical data indicated that protein adsorption may be modulated by tailoring the peptide sequence on Au surfaces and that blocking agents and diluents play a key role in promoting or preventing protein adsorption. The peptide-Au platform may also be used for targeting cancer biomarkers with designer peptides.

Adsorption behaviour of gluten hydrolysate on mild steel in 1 M HCl and its role as a green corrosion inhibitor

The adsorption behavior and corrosion inhibition potentiality of gluten hydrolysate towards mild steel in 1 M HCl is investigated employing both electrochemical and weight loss techniques.

Adsorption of bovine serum albumin on CoCrMo surface: effect of temperature and protein concentration

The adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) onto CoCrMo surface has been studied as a function of concentration of BSA and temperature by electrochemical techniques. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was used to investigate the interfacial behaviour of BSA at open circuit potential (OCP). The charge transfer resistance was very sensitive to the amount of adsorbed protein, indicating that the adsorption process was accompanied by the transfer of charge and influenced the mechanism and kinetics of the corrosion reaction. At all the temperatures studied, adsorption of BSA onto the CoCrMo surface was successfully described with a Langmuir adsorption isotherm. EIS study was also carried out for determine the surface charge density, resulting from protein adsorption, and it was shown to be directly proportional to the amount of adsorbed protein (surface concentration). Thermodynamic data of adsorption was obtained for analyzing the adsorption of BSA onto CoCrMo surface. Gibbs free energy of adsorption, DeltaG(ADS) values, for BSA in the investigated temperature range (-51kJmol(-1)) showed that the molecules have a strong affinity for the CoCrMo surface. Enthalpy (DeltaH(ADS)) and entropy (DeltaS(ADS)) of adsorption suggested that the adsorption process of BSA onto the CoCrMo surface is an endothermic process and the molecule suffers structural changes when adsorbing on the metallic surface.

Adsorption of concanavalin A and lentil lectin on platinum electrodes followed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: Effect of protein state

Adsorption of concanavalin A and lentil lectin on platinum electrode was investigated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. By using ferro/ferricyanide system to probe the electrochemical interface it was possible to model the EIS data with a simple equivalent circuit. The blocking effect for electron transfer reactions observed with these proteins, indicated that they readily adsorb on platinum surface and that the degree of adsorption is related to the state of the proteins. When the proteins are in the presence of divalent cations (Ca(2+) and Mn(2+)) they adsorb less strongly than in their absence. There is also evidence that at least convanavalin A retains its biological activity in the adsorbed state.

PM-IRRAS Investigation of the Interaction of Serum Albumin and Fibrinogen with a Biomedical-Grade Stainless Steel 316LVM Surface

Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) was applied to investigate the interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fibrinogen with a biomedical-grade 316LVM stainless steel surface, in terms of the adsorption thermodynamics and adsorption-induced secondary structure changes of the proteins. Highly negative apparent Gibbs energy of adsorption values revealed a spontaneous adsorption of both proteins onto the surface, accompanied by significant changes in their secondary structure. It was determined that, at saturated surface coverages, lateral interactions between the adsorbed BSA molecules induced rather extensive secondary structure changes. Fibrinogen's two coiled coils appeared to undergo negligible secondary structure changes upon adsorption of the protein, while large structural rearrangements of the protein's globular domains occurred upon adsorption. The secondary structure of adsorbed fibrinogen was not influenced by lateral interactions between the adsorbed fibrinogen molecules. PM-IRRAS was deemed to be viable for investigating protein adsorption and for obtaining information on adsorption-induced changes in their secondary structures.

Interactive adsorption behavior of NAD+ at a gold electrode surface

The adsorption of an oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD+, on a polycrystalline gold electrode surface and the subsequent surface conformation of the molecule were investigated over a wide temperature and potential range, using electrochemical differential capacitance and PM-IRRAS techniques. The adsorption process was described by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The corresponding thermodynamic parameters were determined: the Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of adsorption. The large negative Gibbs energy of adsorption (-43 +/- 4 kJ mol-1 and -39 +/- 2 kJ mol-1 on a positively and negatively charged surface, respectively) confirms that the NAD+ adsorption process is highly spontaneous, while the large entropy gain (285 J K-1 mol-1 and 127 J K-1 mol-1 on a positively and negatively charged surface, respectively) was found to represent the adsorption driving force. It was demonstrated that the energetics of the adsorption process is surface-charge controlled, while its kinetics is both mass-transport and surface-charge controlled. A surface-charge dependent conformation model for the adsorbed NAD+ molecule is proposed. These findings suggest that the origin of the NAD+ reduction overpotential is related to the surface conformation of the adsorbed NAD+ molecule, rather than to the electrode Fermi level position.

Interactions of adsorbed albumin with underpotentially deposited copper on gold piezoelectrodes

The adsorption of a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), on Au electrodes was investigated using the Cu adatom probe method and Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Nanobalance (EQCN) technique. The adsorption of BSA was confirmed by AFM imaging and has been found to be controlled by kinetics. Using the Cu adatom probe method, we were able to reconstruct the entire BSA adsorption transient Theta(BSA) vs. t. The adsorption rate constant k(1), determined from this transient is k(1)=2.45x10(5) L mol(-1) s(-1). We have found that the bulk Cu(0) deposition process is blocked by BSA adsorption and it decays exponentially with time during BSA adsorption. It ceases completely when a full monolayer of BSA is formed. In contrast to that, the mass associated with Cu-u.p.d. decreases only to ca. 50% of that in the absence of BSA, indicating that Cu adatoms can penetrate (wedge) into the space between the surface Au atoms and the adsorbed BSA molecules. In addition to that, we have found that the degree of penetration of Cu adatoms can be controlled by the applied deposition potential. By selecting a sufficiently cathodic potential, we were able to deposit a full Cu-u.p.d. monolayer, independent of the BSA surface coverage extending from Theta(BSA)=0 to Theta(BSA) approximately 1. The positive shift of Cu(ad) desorption peak potential E(p), observed in the presence of adsorbed BSA, has been interpreted in terms of Frumkin exchange interaction forces between Cu(ad) and BSA(ad), on the basis of our earlier theoretical model, expanded here to include adsorbed species in two monolayers. This expansion is possible owing to the fast rate of Cu adatom penetration in the interfacial region. From the plots of E(p) vs. Theta(BSA), the presence of strong attractive interactions between Cu(ad) and BSA(ad) was deduced. These interactions result in a super-shift of the Cu-u.p.d. desorption peak potential, corresponding to the exchange interaction coefficient g(M,X)<-4, indicating on a possibility of the formation of a stable interface complex.

Influence of electrostatic interaction on fibrinogen adsorption on gold studied by imaging ellipsometry combined with electrochemical methods

Imaging ellipsometry was combined with electrochemical methods for studying electrostatic interactions of protein and solid surfaces. The potential of zero charge for gold-coated silicon wafer/solution interfaces wad determined by AC impedance method. The potential of the gold-coated silicon wafer was controlled at the potential of zero charge, and the adsorption of fibrinogen on the potential-controlled and non-controlled surfaces was measured in real time at the same time by imaging ellipsometry. The effect of electrostatic interaction was studied by comparing the difference between the potential of controlled adsorption and the potential of noncontrolled adsorption. It was shown that the rate of fibrinogen adsorption on the potentiostatic surface was faster than that on the nonpotentiostatic surface. The electrostatic influence on fibrinogen adsorption on the gold-coated silicon wafer was weak, so the hydrophobic interaction should be the major affinity.

Investigation of protein adsorption and electrochemical behavior at a gold electrode

The adsorption of two model proteins, human serum albumin and immunoglobulin G, on a gold electrode surface was investigated using 125I radiolabeling and cyclic voltammetry (CV). 125I radiolabeling was used to determine the extent of protein adsorption, while CV was used to ascertain the effect of the adsorbed protein layer on the electron transfer between the gold electrode and an electroactive moiety in solution, namely, K3Fe(CN)6. The adsorbed amounts of HSA and IgG agreed well with previous results and showed approximately monolayer coverage. The amount of adsorbed protein increased when a positive potential (700 mV) was applied to the electrode, while the application of a negative potential (-800 mV) resulted in a decrease. When the solution pH was varied to alter the charge on the protein, the adsorption trends appeared to follow electrostatic interaction, namely, greater adsorption when the electrode and the protein possessed opposite charge and vice versa. The adsorbed protein layer had the effect of blocking the electron transfer. It was possible to correlate the degree of electron blocking with the amount of adsorbed protein to show that the greater the adsorption, the larger the blocking effect. Of the two proteins used, HSA proved to be more efficient at blocking the electron transfer.

Corrosion behavior of titanium in the presence of calcium phosphate and serum proteins

The effect of calcium phosphate surface deposit and the surface adsorption of the serum proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fibrinogen, on the corrosion resistance and electrochemical behavior of (cp)titanium in phosphate buffer saline solution (pH 7.4) was investigated at physiological temperature, 37 degrees C, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and dc electrochemical polarization techniques. The formation of calcium phosphate deposit on the Ti surface decreased both the corrosion rate at the open circuit potential (OCP) and the anodic reaction current in the high anodic potential range (>2.6 V). Addition of BSA significantly moved the OCP towards a more negative (cathodic) potential and inhibited the cathodic corrosion reaction, but did not significantly change the corrosion resistance at the OCP. Addition of fibrinogen showed a similar, but less pronounced effect than BSA. The possible mechanisms leading to these observed effects are discussed.

Adsorption characteristics of various organic substances on the surfaces of tantalum, titanium, and zirconium

Adsorption characteristics of carboxylic acids, amines, an octapeptide composed of four L-alanine and four L-aspartic acid residues (Peptide-A4D4), and beta-lactoglobulin (beta-Lg) on tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), and zirconium (Zr) particles were examined at 30 degrees C and in some case, were compared with their adsorption onto SUS316L stainless steel particles (S6L). The adsorption isotherms on the Ta, Ti, and Zr particles could usually be expressed either by a Langmuir-type equation for reversible adsorption or by a modified Langmuir-type adsorption equation including terms for both reversible and irreversible adsorption. The adsorption equilibrium of benzoic acid, benzylamine, and m-xylylenediamine on all the metal surfaces followed a Langmuir-type equation, while those of phthalic acid, mellitic acid, and Peptide-A4D4 could be fitted to the modified Langmuir-type adsorption equation. The adsorption characteristics of different adsorbates on the different surfaces were discussed particularly with reference to the pH dependencies of the q(irrev), q(rev), and K values and the electrostatic properties of the oxidized surface of the metal particles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses using a reflection/absorption technique (RA-IR) indicated that phthalic acid and mellitic acid are adsorbed in similar adsorption states irrespective of the type of metal. beta-Lg was adsorbed onto the surfaces principally in an irreversible manner. The desorption behavior of beta-Lg from Ta, Ti, and S6L surfaces was examined, in order to evaluate the extent of interaction between beta-Lg and the metals.

Choosing electrodes for deep brain stimulation experiments–electrochemical considerations

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a therapy of movement disorders including Parkinson's disease (PD). Commercially available electrodes for animal models of Parkinson's disease vary in geometry and material. We characterized such electrodes and found a drift in their properties within minutes and up to about 60 h after immersion in cell culture medium, both with and without a stimulation signal. Electrode properties could largely be restored by proteolytic treatment for platinum/iridium electrodes but not for stainless steel ones. Short-term drift and irreversible aging could be followed by impedance measurements. Aging was accompanied by metal corrosion and erosion of the plastic insulation. For both materials, the degradation rates depended on the current density at the electrode surfaces. Fourier analysis of the DBS pulse (60 micros, repetition rate 130 Hz) revealed harmonic frequencies spanning a band of more than three decades, with significant harmonics up to the MHz range. The band is located in a window imposed by electrode processes and capacitive cell membrane bridging at the low and high frequency ends, respectively. Even though electrode processes are reduced at higher frequencies they only vanish above 1 MHz and cannot be avoided. Therefore, the use of inert electrode materials is of special importance. The neurotoxicity of iron makes avoiding stainless steel electrodes imperative. Future developments need to avoid the use of corrosive materials and current density hot spots at the electrode surface, and to reduce low frequency components in the DBS pulses in order to diminish electrode processes.

Investigation of Ig.G adsorption and the effect on electrochemical responses at titanium dioxide electrode

The adsorption of Immunoglobulin G on a titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) electrode surface was investigated using (125)I radiolabeling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). (125)I radiolabeling was used to determine the extent of protein adsorption, while EIS was used to ascertain the effect of the adsorbed protein layer on the electrode double layer capacitance and electron transfer between the TiO(2) electrode and the electrolyte. The adsorbed amounts of Ig.G agreed well with previous results and showed approximately monolayer coverage. The amount of adsorbed protein increased when a positive potential was applied to the electrode, while the application of a negative potential resulted in a decrease. Exposure to solutions of Ig.G resulted in a decrease of the double layer capacitance (C) and an increase in the charge-transfer resistance (R(2)) at the electrode solution interface. As more Ig.G adsorbed onto the electrode surface, the extent of C and R(2) variation increased. These capacitance and charge-transfer resistance variations were attributed to the formation of a proteinaceous layer on the electrode surface during exposure.

(S)-cysteine chemisorption on Cu110, from the gas or liquid phase: an FT-RAIRS and XPS study

(S)-Cysteine has been deposited on a Cu110 surface from sublimation of a crystalline phase. The surface was characterized by Fourier transform reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (FT-RAIRS) during exposure and compared to the same copper surface after immersion into cysteine solutions at various pH values. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements provided a chemical characterization of the surface at certain stages. The combination of these two techniques highlighted the importance of the cysteine "source" for the adsorbed form of the molecules and the mode of interaction. The zwitterionic amino acid was found to be predominant after adsorption at pH values close to the isoelectric point (IEP) of the molecule but also when the layer was formed in the vapor phase. This state was very sensitive to the atmosphere, contained an excess of hydroxyls, and/or underwent reduction into the anionic form when in contact with water or air. Weakly bound cysteine or cystine molecules, formed in the adsorbed phase, were considered to explain the average thickness of the adsorbed layer that was close to 20 A. As expected, immersion in very acidic or very basic solutions led to cationic and anionic forms, respectively.

Mesoscopic analysis of conformational and entropic contributions to nonspecific adsorption of HP copolymer chains using dynamic Monte Carlo simulations

Dynamic Monte Carlo simulations of short linear HP-type copolymers exhibiting proteinlike characteristics are used to investigate both chain dynamics and changes in chain conformational entropy and their contributions to the energetics of adsorption onto a solid-liquid interface. The dMC results show that the conformations and energies of adsorbed chains are highly degenerate. The ensemble-averaged energy of the adsorbed state is dependent on temperature, chain sequence, native-state stability, and sorbent surface geometry and hydrophobicity. Mesoscopic thermodynamic analyses reveal that, although increased chain conformational entropy contributes to the driving force for adsorption in certain cases, many conditions exist where the change in conformational entropy is either negligible or unfavorable due to constraints imposed by the need to form a large and specific number of favorable intra- and intermolecular contacts and by the impenetrable nature of the sorbent surface. Step-number-averaged energy trajectories, based on sampling of a large number of energy trajectories and thus conformational states at each step number, suggest that the search for a global energy minimum is gradual, so that adsorption is first reversible but becomes apparently irreversible with longer exposure to the sorbent. These results appear to be connected to the conformational adaptability of the chain both on the surface and in solution, and an adsorption model taking chain conformational dynamics into account is proposed.

Impedimetric evaluation for diagnosis of Chagas’ disease: antigen–antibody interactions on metallic eletrodes

A polypeptide chain formed by recombinant antigens, cytoplasmic repetitive antigen (CRA) and flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA) (CF-Chimera) of Trypanosoma cruzi, was adsorbed on gold and platinum electrodes and investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on phosphate buffer saline solutions (PBS) containing a redox couple. It was found that the adsorption is strongly sensitive to the oxide layer on the electrode surface. In the majority of the experiments the antigens retained their activity as observed through their interaction with sera from chronic chagasic patients. The results expressed in terms of the charge transfer resistance across the interface, indicate the viability of using the impedance methodology for the development of a biosensor for serological diagnosis of Chagas' disease.

Biosensing under an applied voltage using optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy

An applied dc voltage offers a means of controlling immobilization during biosensor fabrication and detection during biosensing application. We present a method to directly and continuously measure the adsorption of biomacromolecules or other polyelectrolytes, under an applied potential difference, based on optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS). An indium tin oxide (ITO) film of thickness ca. 10 nm coated onto a silicon titanium oxide (STO) waveguiding film serves as the working (sensing) electrode. We observe the effective refractive index of the 0th transverse electric guided mode to increase significantly in the presence of an applied potential due to charging of the interfacial double layer and, possibly, modest electrochemical oxidation. Adsorption from solution onto the ITO electrode is detected by a further increase in the effective refractive index. We achieve accurate detection by employing an optical model in which the STO and ITO layers are combined into a single waveguiding film. No improvement is found using models treating the ITO as a separate layer, either dielectric or conducting. Using this method, we find the adsorption of human serum albumin and horse heart cytochrome c to be considerably enhanced in the presence of an applied potential exceeding 1 V. We attribute this behavior to adsorption at positions on the protein molecules of complementary charge.