Sensitive chemically amplified electrochemical detection of ruthenium tris-(2,2′-bipyridine) on tin-doped indium oxide electrode

Simple light-emitting electrochemical cell using reduced graphene oxide and a ruthenium (II) complex

We report the use of conducting substrates from reduced graphene oxide (rGO) applied in light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) in which we used an electroluminescent polymer as a light-emitting layer. The emitting layer was composed of an organic metal complex of tris(2, 2^'-bipyridine) ruthenium (II) linked to the sodium tetrafluoroborate anion ([Ru(bpy)₃]⁺²)(BF₄)^-1. The luminance generated from the electroluminescent device was 6.89  Cd/m² when applying a voltage of 13.48 V and a current of 10.19 mA. The luminance of this device was kept on almost constant for 36.84 min. The prolonged lifetime of the electrochemical device was achieved by depositing an rGO thin layer with a 161.3 nm thickness inside the LEC structure.

Electrochemical signal amplification for immunosensor based on 3D interdigitated array electrodes

We devised an electrochemical redox cycling based on three-dimensional interdigitated array (3D IDA) electrodes for signal amplification to enhance the sensitivity of chip-based immunosensors. The 3D IDA consists of two closely spaced parallel indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes that are positioned not only on the bottom but also the ceiling, facing each other along a microfluidic channel. We investigated the signal intensities from various geometric configurations: Open-2D IDA, Closed-2D IDA, and 3D IDA through electrochemical experiments and finite-element simulations. The 3D IDA among the four different systems exhibited the greatest signal amplification resulting from efficient redox cycling of electroactive species confined in the microchannel so that the faradaic current was augmented by a factor of ∼100. We exploited the enhanced sensitivity of the 3D IDA to build up a chronocoulometric immunosensing platform based on the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) protocol. The mouse IgGs on the 3D IDA showed much lower detection limits than on the Closed-2D IDA. The detection limit for mouse IgG measured using the 3D IDA was ∼10 fg/mL, while it was ∼100 fg/mL for the Closed-2D IDA. Moreover, the proposed immunosensor system with the 3D IDA successfully worked for clinical analysis as shown by the sensitive detection of cardiac troponin I in human serum down to 100 fg/mL.

Redox cycling amplified electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization: application to pathogen E. coli bacterial RNA

An electrochemical genosensor in which signal amplification is achieved using p-aminophenol (p-AP) redox cycling by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is presented. An immobilized thiolated capture probe is combined with a sandwich-type hybridization assay, using biotin as a tracer in the detection probe, and streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase as reporter enzyme. The phosphatase liberates the electrochemical mediator p-AP from its electrically inactive phosphate derivative. This generated p-AP is electrooxidized at an Au electrode modified self-assembled monolayer to p-quinone imine (p-QI). In the presence of NADH, p-QI is reduced back to p-AP, which can be re-oxidized on the electrode and produce amplified signal. A detection limit of 1 pM DNA target is offered by this simple one-electrode, one-enzyme format redox cycling strategy. The redox cycling design is applied successfully to the monitoring of the 16S rRNA of E. coli pathogenic bacteria, and provides a detection limit of 250 CFU μL(-1).

An electrochemical immunosensor using p-aminophenol redox cycling by NADH on a self-assembled monolayer and ferrocene-modified Au electrodes

Redox cycling of enzymatically amplified electroactive species has been widely employed for high signal amplification in electrochemical biosensors. However, gold (Au) electrodes are not generally suitable for redox cycling using a reducing (or oxidizing) agent because of the high background current caused by the redox reaction of the agent at highly electrocatalytic Au electrodes. Here we report a new redox cycling scheme, using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), which can be applied to Au electrodes. Importantly, p-aminophenol (AP) redox cycling by NADH is achieved in the absence of diaphorase enzyme. The Au electrodes are modified with a mixed self-assembled monolayer of mercaptododecanoic acid and mercaptoundecanol, and a partially ferrocenyl-tethered dendrimer layer. The self-assembled monolayer of long thiol molecules significantly decreases the background current of the modified Au electrodes, and the ferrocene modification facilitates easy oxidation of AP. The low amount of ferrocene on the Au electrodes minimizes ferrocene-mediated oxidation of NADH. In sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensors for mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG), an alkaline phosphatase label converts p-aminophenylphosphate (APP) into electroactive AP. The amplified AP is oxidized to p-quinoneimine (QI) by electrochemically generated ferrocenium ion. NADH reduces QI back to AP, which can be re-oxidized. This redox cycling enables a low detection limit for mouse IgG (1 pg mL(-1)) to be obtained.

Amperometric biosensor based on coentrapment of enzyme and mediator by gold nanoparticles on indium–tin oxide electrode

A disposable pseudo-mediatorless amperometric biosensor has been fabricated for the determination of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In the current study, an indium-tin oxide (ITO) electrode was modified with thiol functional group by (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane. The stable nano-Au-SH monolayer (AuS) was then prepared through covalent linking of gold nanoparticles and thiol groups on the surface of the ITO. The horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) were finally coentrapped by the colloidal gold nanoparticles. The immobilized TMB was used as an electron transfer mediator that displayed a surface-controlled electrode process at a scan rate of less than 50mV/s. The biosensor was characterized by photometric and electrochemical measurements. The results showed that the prepared AuS monolayer not only could steadily immobilize HRP but also could efficiently retain HRP bioactivity. Parameters affecting the performance of the biosensor, including the concentrations of the immobilized TMB and HRP, the pH value, and the reaction temperature, were optimized. Under the optimized experimental conditions, H(2)O(2) could be determined in a linear calibration range from 0.005 to 1.5mM with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 (n=14) and a detection limit of 1microM at a signal/noise ratio of 3. The proposed method provides a new alternative to develop low-cost biosensors by using ITO film electrodes from industrial mass production.

Poly (3-(3-Pyridyl) Acrylic Acid) Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode for Simultaneous Determination of Dopamine, Ascorbic Acid and Uric Acid

Trans-3-(3-pyridyl) acrylic acid (PAA) was deposited on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by electropolymerization in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The poly (3-(3-pyridyl) acrylic acid) (PPAA) film modified glassy carbon electrode shows an excellent electrochemical response for dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). The cyclic voltammetry oxidation peaks for DA and AA, DA and UA, AA and UA are separated by 150 mV, 130 mV and 280 mV, respectively. This permits the simultaneous determination of AA, DA and UA. The interference of AA with the determination of DA could be eliminated because of the electrostatic interaction between DA cations and the negatively charged PPAA film at pH 7.0. The anodic peak currents of DA, AA and UA increase linearly with concentration in the range of 1-40 micromol L(-1), 10-400 micromol L(-1) and 1.6-80 micromol L(-1), respectively, with a correlation coefficient (r) always higher than 0.998. The detection limit is 0.06 micromol L(-1), 0.8 micromol L(-1) and 1.1 micromol L(-1) for DA, AA and UA, respectively.

Selective photoelectrochemical detection of DNA with high-affinity metallointercalator and tin oxide nanoparticle electrode

Selective detection of double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) in solution was achieved by photoelectrochemistry using a high-affinity DNA intercalator, Ru(bpy)2dppz (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, dppz = dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine) as the signal indicator and tin oxide nanoparticle as electrode material. When Ru(bpy)2dppz alone was irradiated with 470-nm light, anodic photocurrent was detected on the semiconductor electrode due to electron injection from its excited state into the conduction band of the electrode. The current was sustained in the presence of oxalate in solution, which acted as a sacrificial electron donor to regenerate the ground-state metal complex. After addition of double-stranded calf thymus DNA into the solution, photocurrent dropped substantially. The drop was attributed to the intercalation of Ru(bpy)2dppz into DNA and, consequently, the reduced mass diffusion of the indicator to the electrode, as well as electrostatic repulsion between oxalate anion and negative charges on DNA. The degree of signal reduction was a function of the DNA concentration, thus forming the basis for real-time DNA detection. The signal reduction was selective for ds-DNA, as no such effect was observed for single-stranded polynucleotides such as poly-G, poly-C, poly-A, and poly-U. The detection limit of calf thymus ds-DNA reached 1.8 x 10(-10) M in solution.

Chemical-induced unfolding of cofactor-free protein monitored by electrochemistry

Protein folding has been studied extensively with an aim to better understanding of the relationship between protein sequence, structure, and function. A large variety of techniques have been developed and utilized to probe protein conformation and folding/unfolding transition. In this report, electrochemical monitoring of urea-induced unfolding of a large cofactor-free protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), is described. Enhanced electrochemical oxidation of tyrosine and tryptophan in free amino acids and in BSA was achieved on an indium tin oxide electrode by using an electron mediator, Os(bpy)2dppz (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, dppz = dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine). The oxidation current was used as a signal reporter in the monitoring of urea-induced BSA denaturation. At high urea concentrations, the electrochemical signal increased by 3-fold relative to the native protein. The increase is attributed to the closer contact between the oxidizable residues in the unfolded BSA and Os(bpy)2dppz. The degree of unfolding assessed by electrochemistry correlates well with the established fluorescence technique in the range of 0-10 M urea. The method can be used to investigate the unfolding process of other cofactor-free proteins.

Disposable biosensor based on enzyme immobilized on Au–chitosan-modified indium tin oxide electrode with flow injection amperometric analysis

Indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode is used to fabricate a novel disposable biosensor combined with flow injection analysis for the rapid determination of H2O2. The biosensor is prepared by entrapping horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme in colloidal gold nanoparticle-modified chitosan membrane (Au-chitosan) to modify the ITO electrode. The biosensor is characterized by scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and electrochemical methods. Parameters affecting the performance of the biosensor, including concentrations of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) and pH of substrate solution, were optimized. Under the optimal experimental conditions, H2O2 could be determined in the linear calibration range from 0.01 to 0.5 mM with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 (n=8). The amperometric response of the biosensor did not show an obvious decrease after the substrates were injected continuously 34 times into the flow cell. The prepared biosensor not only is economic and disposable, due to the low-cost ITO film electrode obtained from industrial mass production, but also is capable with good detection precision, acceptable accuracy, and storage stability for the fabrication in batch.

Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) chemiluminescence

This paper critically reviews analytical applications of the chemiluminescence from tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) and related compounds published in the open literature between mid-1998 and October 2005. Following the introduction, which summarises the reaction chemistry and reagent generation, the review divides into three major sections that focus on: (i) the techniques that utilise this type of detection chemistry, (ii) the range of analytes that can be determined, and (iii) analogues and derivatives of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II).

A new chemically amplified electrochemical system for the detection of biological affinity reactions: direct and competitive biotin assay

Quantitation of biological affinity reactions by a newly developed chemically amplified electrochemical detection method was demonstrated with the biotin-avidin binding pair. In the method, ruthenium tris(2,2'-bipyridine)(Ru-bipy) was used as an electrochemical signal-generating tag. Its oxidation current on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode was amplified with a sacrificial electron donor, oxalate. Because oxalate itself produced negligible current on the electrode, the signal-to-background ratio was greatly enhanced in comparison with other chemical amplification systems. Although the Ru-bipy/oxalate redox couple has been employed previously in electrochemiluminescent and photoelectrochemical detection, its use in a catalytic amperometric detection of biological binding assays has not been reported. To implement the method in the detection of biotin-avidin recognition, avidin was immobilized on an ITO electrode, and was reacted with biotin in solution. Immobilization of avidin by passive adsorption was found to be relatively stable under the condition of the affinity reaction. In the direct assay, biotin labelled with Ru-bipy was recognized by avidin and accumulated on the electrode surface, which was then detected electrochemically in the presence of oxalate. A linear relationship between electrochemical current and biotin concentration was obtained in the range of 1-300 ng mL(-1). In the competitive assay, a mixed solution of unlabelled biotin (the analyte) of various concentrations and 100 ng mL(-1) labelled biotin was reacted with avidin on the surface. As the concentration of the unlabelled biotin increased, less labelled biotin bound to avidin, leading to a reduction in the electro-catalytical response of Ru-bipy. A detection limit of 1 ng mL(-1) biotin was obtained in the competitive assay, which is close to the sensitivity of some enzyme-labelled amperometric assays.