Electrochemical behaviour of denatured haemoglobin at the liquid|liquid interface

Defined Ion-Transfer Voltammetry of a Single Microdroplet at a Polarized Liquid/Liquid Interface

A strategy for the fast analysis of ion transfer/facilitated ion transfer toward a tiny (femtoliter) water-in-oil droplet has been established. This scenario is embodied by the fusion of a w/o microdroplet at the micro liquid/liquid (L/L) interface, with the use of Fourier transform fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FT-FSCV) to express the apparent half-wave potentials of anions or cations encapsulated inside the w/o microdroplet. First, the half-wave potential is in strict accordance with the transfer Gibbs free energy of either cations or anions. Second, the half-wave potential has been found to be positively proportional to the logarithmic concentration of ions, shedding thermodynamic insight into ion transfer. Third, as an instance of multivalent biopolymers, the transfer of protamine inside the single w/o microdroplet has been investigated. Obvious discrepancies in the behaviors of the fusion impacts at different pH, as well as in the absence and presence of the cationic surfactant DNNS^-, are revealed. The internal mechanism of protamine transfer has been thoroughly investigated. This work proposes a strategy to sensitively and quickly determine the transfer Gibbs energy and the concentration of ions encapsulated in a single microdroplet, and it provides the possibility of analyzing the interfacial transfer properties of trace biomacromolecules inside an aqueous micro- or nanoscale droplet.

Electrogeneration of a Free-Standing Cytochrome c-Silica Matrix at a Soft Electrified Interface

Interactions of a protein with a solid-liquid or a liquid-liquid interface may destabilize its conformation and hence result in a loss of biological activity. We propose here a method for the immobilization of proteins at an electrified liquid-liquid interface. Cytochrome c (Cyt c) is encapsulated in a silica matrix through an electrochemical process at an electrified liquid-liquid interface. Silica condensation is triggered by the interfacial transfer of cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium, at the lower end of the interfacial potential window. Cyt c is then adsorbed on the previously electrodeposited silica layer, when the interfacial potential, Δowϕ, is at the positive end of the potential window. By cycling of the potential window back and forth, silica electrodeposition and Cyt c adsorption occur sequentially as demonstrated by in situ UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy. After collection from the liquid-liquid interface, the Cyt c-silica matrix is characterized ex situ by UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, confocal Raman microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy, showing that the protein maintained its tertiary structure during the encapsulation process. The absence of denaturation is further confirmed in situ by the absence of electrocatalytic activity toward O2 (observed in the case of Cyt c denaturation). This method of protein encapsulation may be used for other proteins (e.g., Fe-S cluster oxidoreductases, copper-containing reductases, pyrroloquinoline quinone-containing enzymes, or flavoproteins) in the development of biphasic bioelectrosynthesis or bioelectrocatalysis applications.

Detection of perfluorooctane sulfonate by ion-transfer stripping voltammetry at an array of microinterfaces between two immiscible electrolyte solutions

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a category of persistent environmental contaminants that have been linked to health issues in humans. In this work, we investigate the detection of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS-), one such PFAS, by ion-transfer voltammetry at an array of microinterfaces between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (μITIES). Cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) indicated the ion-transfer behaviour and detection of PFOS-, with the latter enabling detection at picomolar concentrations. Using a 5 min preconcentration time, during which PFOS- was preconcentrated into the organic phase of the μITIES array, a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.03 nM (0.015 μg L-1) in aqueous electrolyte was achieved. This performance is attributed to the enhanced mass transport (radial diffusion) to the μITIES that occurs during preconcentration. To investigate the potentiality for applications of this analytical approach to environmental samples, measurements in a range of water matrices were investigated. Drinking water, laboratory tap water and seawater matrices were assessed by spiking with PFOS- over the 0.1-1 nM range. A matrix effect was observed, with changes in sensitivity and LOD relative to those in pure aqueous electrolyte solutions. Such matrix effects need to be considered in designing applications of these PFOS- measurements to environmental samples. The results presented here indicate that DPSV at a μITIES array can form the basis for a fast and sensitive screening method for PFOS- contamination that is suited to portable and on-site applications.

Secondary Structural Changes in Proteins as a Result of Electroadsorption at Aqueous-Organogel Interfaces

The electroadsorption of proteins at aqueous-organic interfaces offers the possibility to examine protein structural rearrangements upon interaction with lipophilic phases, without modifying the bulk protein or relying on a solid support. The aqueous-organic interface has already provided a simple means of electrochemical protein detection, often involving adsorption and ion complexation; however, little is yet known about the protein structure at these electrified interfaces. This work focuses on the interaction between proteins and an electrified aqueous-organic interface via controlled protein electroadsorption. Four proteins known to be electroactive at such interfaces were studied: lysozyme, myoglobin, cytochrome c, and hemoglobin. Following controlled protein electroadsorption onto the interface, ex situ structural characterization of the proteins by FTIR spectroscopy was undertaken, focusing on secondary structural traits within the amide I band. The structural variations observed included unfolding to form aggregated antiparallel β-sheets, where the rearrangement was specifically dependent on the interaction with the organic phase. This was supported by MALDI ToF MS measurements, which showed the formation of protein-anion complexes for three of these proteins, and molecular dynamic simulations, which modeled the structure of lysozyme at an aqueous-organic interface. On the basis of these findings, the modulation of protein secondary structure by interfacial electrochemistry opens up unique prospects to selectively modify proteins.

Direct label-free electrochemical detection of proteins using the polarized oil/water interface

Voltammetric behaviors of various globular proteins, including cytochrome c, ribonuclease A, lysozyme, albumin, myoglobin, and alpha-lactalbumin, were studied at the polarized 1,2-dichloroethane/water (DCE/W) interface in the presence of four different anionic surfactants, that is, dinonylnaphthalenesulfonate (DNNS), bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (Aerosol-OT; AOT), bis(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7-dodecafluoroheptyl)sulfosuccinate (BDFHS), and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (BEHP). When the W phase was acidic (pH = approximately 3.4), the surfactants (except for BEHP) added to DCE facilitated the adsorption of the above proteins to the DCE/W interface and gave a well-developed voltammetric wave due to the adsorption/desorption of the proteins. This voltammetric wave, which we here call "protein wave", is promising for direct label-free electrochemical detection of proteins. The current for the adsorption of a protein to the interface showed a linear dependence on the protein concentration in the presence of excess surfactant. The foot potential at which the protein wave appeared in cyclic voltammetry showed different values depending on the natures of the protein and surfactant. Multivariate analysis for the foot potentials determined for different proteins with different surfactants revealed that the protein selectivity should depend on the charged, polar, and nonpolar surface areas of a protein molecule. On the basis of these voltammetric studies, it was shown in principle that online electrochemical separation/determination of proteins could be performed using a two-step oil/water-type flow-cell system.