The fabrication of a colloidal gold–carbon nanotubes composite film on a gold electrode and its application for the determination of cytochrome c

One-step enzyme-free dual electrochemical immunosensor for histidine-rich protein 2 determination

In the present work, we describe a novel one-step enzyme-free dual electrochemical immunosensor for the determination of histidine-rich protein 2 (Ag-PfHRP2), a specific malaria biomarker. A gold electrode (GE) was functionalized with the PfHRP2 antibody (Ab-PfHRP2) using dihexadecyl phosphate (DHP) polymer as an immobilization platform. The Ab-PfHRP2/DHP/GE sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The developed immunosensor was employed for indirect Ag-PfHRP2 determination by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The linear range was 10-400 ng mL-1 and 10-500 ng mL-1 for EIS and DPV, while the limit of detection was 3.3 ng mL-1 and 2.8 ng mL-1, respectively. The electrochemical immunosensor was successfully applied for Ag-PfHRP2 determination in human serum samples. Its performance was compared with an ELISA test, and good correspondence was achieved. The coefficients of intra- and inter-assay variations were less than 5%. The electrochemical immunosensor is a useful and straightforward tool for in situ malaria biomarker determination.

Role of Au(NPs) in the enhanced response of Au(NPs)-decorated MWCNT electrochemical biosensor

Background

The combination of Au-metallic-NPs and CNTs are a new class of hybrid nanomaterials for the development of electrochemical biosensor. Concentration of Au(nanoparticles [NPs]) in the electrochemical biosensor is crucial for the efficient charge transfer between the Au-NPs-MWCNTs modified electrode and electrolytic solution.

Methods

In this work, the charge transfer kinetics in the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with Au(NPs)–multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanohybrid with varied concentrations of Au(NPs) in the range 40–100 nM was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the attachment of Au(NPs) on the surface of MWCNTs.

Results

The cyclic voltammetry and EIS results showed that the charge transfer mechanism was diffusion controlled and the rate of charge transfer was dependent on the concentration of Au(NPs) in the nanohybrid. The formation of spherical diffusion zone, which was dependent on the concentration of Au(NPs) in nanohybrids, was attributed to result in 3 times the increase in the charge transfer rate k_s, 5 times increase in mass transfer, and 5% (9%) increase in I_pa (I_pc) observed in cyclic voltammetry in 80 nM Au(NP) nanohybrid-modified GCE from MWCNT-modified GCE. The work was extended to probe the effect of charge transfer rates at various concentrations of Au(NPs) in the nanohybrid-modified electrodes in the presence of Escherichia coli. The cyclic voltammetry results clearly showed the best results for 80 nM Au(NPs) in nanohybrid electrode.

Conclusion

The present study suggested that the formation of spherical diffusion zone in nanohybrid-modified electrodes is critical for the enhanced electrochemical biosensing applications.

The new age of carbon nanotubes: an updated review of functionalized carbon nanotubes in electrochemical sensors

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), they have drawn considerable research attention and have shown great potential application in many fields due to their unique structural, mechanical, and electronic properties. However, their native insolubility severely holds back the process of application. In order to overcome this disadvantage and broaden the scope of their application, chemical functionalization of CNTs has attracted great interest over the past several decades and produced various novel hybrid materials with specific applications. Notably, the rapid development of functionalized CNTs used as electrochemical sensors has been successfully witnessed. In this featured article, the recent progress of electrochemical sensors based on functionalized CNTs is discussed and classified according to modifiers covering organic (oxygen functional groups, small organic molecules, polymers, DNA, protein, etc.), inorganic (metal nanoparticles, metal oxide, etc.) and organic-inorganic hybrids. By employing some representative examples, it will be demonstrated that functionalized CNTs as templates, carriers, immobilizers and transducers are promising for the construction of electrochemical sensors.

Sensitive Spectrofluorimetric Determination of Cytochrome c with Spirocyclic Rhodamine B Hydrazide in Micellar Medium

A new spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of cytochrome c using spirocyclic rhodamine B hydrazide (RBH) as fluorogenic reagent in the presence of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) surfactant micelles was developed. The method was based on the reaction of cytochrome c with RBH, a colorless, nonfluorescent spirolactam of rhodamine B in SDBS micelles to give highly fluorescent rhodamine B and hence led to a large increase in fluorescence intensity. The dynamic range and detection limit for the determination of cytochrome c are 4.0-120 ng ml(-1) and 0.87 ng ml(-1) (3sigma), respectively. The optimal conditions for the detection of cytochrome c were evaluated and the possible detection mechanism was also discussed.

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase in a colloid Au–dihexadecylphosphate composite film and its application to develop a glucose biosensor

Colloid Au (Au(nano)) with a diameter of about 10 nm was prepared and used in combination with dihexadecylphosphate (DHP) to immobilize glucose oxidase (GOD) onto the surface of a graphite electrode (GE). The direct electrochemistry of GOD confined in the composite film was investigated. The immobilized GOD displayed a pair of redox peaks with a formal potential of -0.475 mV in pH 7.0 O(2)-free phosphate buffers at scan rate of 150 mV s(-1). The GOD in the composite film retained its bioactivity and could catalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Upon the addition of glucose, the reduction peak current of dissolved oxygen decreased, which could be developed for glucose determination. A calibration linear range of glucose was 0.5-9.3 mM with a detection limit of 0.1 mM and a sensitivity of 1.14 microA mM(-1). The glucose biosensor showed good reproducibility and stability. The general interferences that coexisted in human serum sample such as ascorbic acid and uric acid did not affect glucose determination.

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase entrapped in nano gold particles-ionic liquid-N,N-dimethylformamide composite film on glassy carbon electrode and glucose sensing

The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) entrapped in nano gold particles (NAs)-N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluophosphate (BMIMPF(6)) composite film on a glassy carbon electrode (NAs-DMF-GOD (BMIMPF(6))/GC) has been investigated for first time. The immobilized GOD exhibits a pair of well-defined reversible peaks in 0.050 M pH 5 phosphate solutions (PS), resulting from the redox of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) in GOD. The peak currents are three times as large as those of GOD-NAs-DMF film coated GC electrode (i.e. NAs-DMF-GOD (water)/GC). In addition, the NAs-DMF-GOD (BMIMPF(6)) composite material has higher thermal stability than NAs-DMF-GOD (water). Results show that ionic liquid BMIMPF(6), DMF and NAs are requisite for GOD to exhibit a pair of stable and reversible peaks. Without any of them, the peaks of GOD become small and unstable. Upon the addition of glucose, the peak currents of GOD decrease and a new cathodic peak occurs at -0.8 V (versus SCE), which corresponds to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) generated by the catalytic oxidation of glucose. The peak current of the new cathodic peak and the glucose concentration show a linear relationship in the ranges of 1.0 x 10(-7) to 1.0 x 10(-6)M and 2.0 x 10(-6) to 2.0 x 10(-5) M. The kinetic parameter I(max) of H(2)O(2) is estimated to be 1.19 x 10(-6)A and the apparent K(m) (Michaelis-Menten constant) for the enzymatic reaction is 3.49 microM. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of glucose in human plasma and beer samples, and the average recoveries are 97.2% and 99%, respectively.

A new scheme of hybridization based on the Au(nano)-DNA modified glassy carbon electrode

DNA hybridization on the Au(nano)-DNA modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was investigated. The thiol modified probe oligonucleotides (SH-ssDNA) at the 5' phosphate end were assembled on the Au(nano)-DNA modified GCE surface. The electrochemical response of the probe immobilization and hybridization with target DNA was measured by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) using methylene blue (MB) as the electroactive indicator. Gold nanoparticles can be dispersed effectively on the GCE surface in the presence of calf thymus DNA. Au(nano)-DNA modified GCE could greatly increase the active sites and enhance the response signal during immobilization and hybridization. The hybridization amount of target DNA could be greatly increased. The linear detection range of Au(nano)-DNA electrode for the complementary 21-mer oligonucleotide (cDNA) was achieved from 1.52 x 10(-10) to 4.05 x 10(-8) mol L(-1). The detection limit could reach the concentration of 10(-10) mol/L.

Electrochemical strategies for the label-free detection of amino acids, peptides and proteins

Electrochemical methods for the detection of amino acids, peptides, and proteins in a variety of media are reviewed. Label-free strategies in which the detection is based on the inherent electrochemical properties of the analyte are discussed. Various processes such as direct or mediated (in solution or immobilised) redox processes and interfacial ion transfers have been employed for the electrochemical detection and determination of the target analytes. The various methods covered encompass voltammetry at uncoated and modified electrodes and at immiscible liquid-liquid interfaces, potentiometry at polymer membrane electrodes and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The determination of the target analytes in complex biological matrices is discussed. The various approaches highlighted here illustrate the rich capabilities of electrochemical methods as simple, low-cost, sensitive tools for the determination of these important biological analytes at trace and ultra-trace levels.

Electroreduction of dioxygen on Aunano–DNA film electrode in acidic electrolyte

The colloidal Au nanoparticles-deoxyribonucleic acid (Au(nano)-DNA) film modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has been fabricated and the electrochemical reduction of dioxygen (O(2)) at this modified GCE has been studied in 0.2 mol/L air-saturated acetate buffer (pH=5.2) using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronocoulometry (CC), linear scan voltammetry (LSV) and rotating disk electrode (RDE) as diagnostic techniques. The modified electrode shows excellent enhancement effect towards the reduction of dioxygen to hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and the overpotential is lower than that at bare GCE. A well-defined dioxygen reduction peak appeared at about -0.24 V. Based on experimental results, a reaction mechanism is proposed and discussed.

Biosensors based on carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibit a unique combination of excellent mechanical, electrical and electrochemical properties, which has stimulated increasing interest in the application of CNTs as components in (bio)sensors. This review highlights various design methodologies for CNT-based biosensors and their employment for the detection of a number of biomolecules. In addition, recent developments in the fields of CNT-based chemiresistors and chemically sensitive field-effect transistors are presented. After a critical discussion of the factors that currently limit the practical use of CNT-based biosensors, the review concludes with an outline of potential future applications for CNTs in biology and medicine.