Design and characterization of chemically modified electrodes with iron(III) porphyrinic-based polymers: study of their reactivity toward nitrites and nitric oxide in aqueous solution

Electrochemical Detection of Gasotransmitters: Status and Roadmap

Gasotransmitters, including nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), are a class of gaseous, endogenous signaling molecules that interact with one another in the regulation of critical cardiovascular, immune, and neurological processes. The development of analytical sensing mechanisms for gasotransmitters, especially multianalyte mechanisms, holds vast importance and constitutes a growing area of study. This review provides an overview of electrochemical sensing mechanisms with an emphasis on opportunities in multianalyte sensing. Electrochemical methods demonstrate good sensitivity, adequate selectivity, and the most well-developed potential for the multianalyte detection of gasotransmitters. Future research will likely address challenges with sensor stability and biocompatibility (i.e., sensor lifetime and cytotoxicity), sensor miniaturization, and multianalyte detection in biological settings.

An Fe-organic framework/arginine-glycine-aspartate peptide-modified sensor for electrochemically detecting nitric oxide released from living cells

Nitric oxide (NO) is a crucial cell-signaling molecule utilized in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Monitoring cellular levels of NO requires a sensor with sufficient sensitivity, transient recording capability, and biocompatibility. Owing to the large surface area and high catalytic activity of the metal-organic framework, Fe-BTC was used for the modification of screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). This study investigates the electrochemical sensing of NO on modified SPEs. Additionally, the introduction of a cell-adhesive molecule, arginine-glycine-aspartate peptide (RGD), considerably improved the cytocompatibility, resulting in superior cell attachment and growth on the SPE. The Fe-BTC/RGD-modified SPE (Fe-BTC/RGD/SPE) exhibited electrocatalytic NO oxidation at 0.8 V, demonstrating a linear response with a detection limit of 11.88 nM over a wide concentration range (0.17-47.37 μM) and a response time of approximately 0.9 s. Subsequently, the as-obtained Fe-BTC/RGD/SPE was successfully utilized for the real-time detection of NO released from human endothelial cells cultured on the electrode. Therefore, the study undertaken shows remarkable potential of Fe-BTC/RGD/SPE for practical applications in biological processes and clinical diagnostics.

A metal-organic framework with multienzyme activity as a biosensing platform for real-time electrochemical detection of nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide

A Metal-Organic Framework (MOFs) with large surface area, exposed active site, excellent catalytic performance and high chemical stability has been used as an artificial enzyme and designed for nonenzymatic electrochemical sensors. Here, a strategy of using an enhanced electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of nitic oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was designed via a nano-metalloporphyrinic metal-organic framework (NporMOF(Fe)) as an electrode material. By taking advantage of the small size, high surface area and exposed Fe active site, the obtained NporMOF(Fe) displays excellent electrocatalytic activity toward NO and H2O2. The NporMOF(Fe) modified electrode shows high sensing ability toward the in situ generated NO in NO2- containing phosphate buffer (PB) solution with a wide linear detection range of 5 μM to 200 μM and a very low detection limit of 1.3 μM. Moreover, NporMOF(Fe) exhibits high electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of H2O2 and the practical detection of H2O2 released from HeLa cells. Furthermore, the NporMOF(Fe) modified electrode shows excellent selectivity toward the detection of NO and H2O2 in the presence of other physiologically important analytes. This method shows excellent biosensing performance, implying the universal applicability of MOFs-based artificial nanozymes for biosensors and the potential application for third generation biosensors.

Selective electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide to hydroxylamine by atomically dispersed iron catalyst

Electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen oxides to value-added chemicals is a promising strategy for mitigating the human-caused unbalance of the global nitrogen-cycle, but controlling product selectivity remains a great challenge. Here we show iron-nitrogen-doped carbon as an efficient and durable electrocatalyst for selective nitric oxide reduction into hydroxylamine. Using in operando spectroscopic techniques, the catalytic site is identified as isolated ferrous moieties, at which the rate for hydroxylamine production increases in a super-Nernstian way upon pH decrease. Computational multiscale modelling attributes the origin of unconventional pH dependence to the redox active (non-innocent) property of NO. This makes the rate-limiting NO adsorbate state more sensitive to surface charge which varies with the pH-dependent overpotential. Guided by these fundamental insights, we achieve a Faradaic efficiency of 71% and an unprecedented production rate of 215 μmol cm-2 h-1 at a short-circuit mode in a flow-type fuel cell without significant catalytic deactivation over 50 h operation.

Electrochemical Biosensors Employing Natural and Artificial Heme Peroxidases on Semiconductors

Heme peroxidases are widely used as biological recognition elements in electrochemical biosensors for hydrogen peroxide and phenolic compounds. Various nature-derived and fully synthetic heme peroxidase mimics have been designed and their potential for replacing the natural enzymes in biosensors has been investigated. The use of semiconducting materials as transducers can thereby offer new opportunities with respect to catalyst immobilization, reaction stimulation, or read-out. This review focuses on approaches for the construction of electrochemical biosensors employing natural heme peroxidases as well as various mimics immobilized on semiconducting electrode surfaces. It will outline important advances made so far as well as the novel applications resulting thereof.

Electrochemical Atomic Force Microscopy and First-Principles Calculations of Ferriprotoporphyrin Adsorption and Polymerization

The adsorption and subsequent electrooxidative polymerization of ferriprotoporphyrin IX chloride (hemin; FePPCl) was investigated on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite, glassy carbon, and polycrystalline Pt electrodes using electrochemical atomic force microscopy, first-principles calculations, and cyclic voltammetry. Hemin was shown to readily adsorb to all three surfaces; however, it was more continuous over the carbon surfaces compared to the Pt surface. This disparity in adsorption appears to be a major contributing factor to differences observed between the electrodes following hemin electropolymerization. Despite differences in roughness and morphology, hemin polymerized as a continuous layer over each electrode surface. Periodic density functional theory calculations were used to model FePP (without Cl) on both the Pt(111) and graphite surfaces using the vdW-DF-optPBE functional to account for the dispersion interactions. Our calculations suggest that the FePP molecule chemisorbs to the Pt surface while at the same time exhibiting intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid groups, which are extended away from the surface. In contrast to FePP-Pt chemisorption, FePP was found to physisorb to graphite. The preferred spin state upon adsorption was found to be S = 2 on Pt(111), whereas on graphite, the high and intermediate spin states were nearly isoenergetic. Additionally, gas-phase calculations suggest that much of the surface roughness observed microscopically for the polymerized porphyrin layer may originate from the nonparallel stacking of porphyrin molecules, which interact with each other by forming four intermolecular hydrogen bonds and through dispersion interactions between the stacked porphyrin rings. Regardless of polymer thickness, the underlying electrode appears to be able to participate in at least some redox processes. This was observed for the hemin-polymerized Pt electrode using the 2H⁺/H₂ redox couple and was suspected to be due to some Pt surface atoms not being specifically coordinated to the hemin molecules and therefore available to react with H⁺ that was small enough to diffuse through the polymer layer.

A simple functional carbon nanotube fiber for in vivo monitoring of NO in a rat brain following cerebral ischemia

A simple ratiometric electrochemical biosensor for NO monitoring in rat brain following cerebral ischemia was developed based on a carbon nanotube fiber modified with hemin.

Application of a nitric oxide sensor in biomedicine

In the present study, we describe the biochemical properties and effects of nitric oxide (NO) in intact and dysfunctional arterial and venous endothelium. Application of the NO electrochemical sensor in vivo and in vitro in erythrocytes of healthy subjects and patients with vascular disease are reviewed. The electrochemical NO sensor device applied to human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the description of others NO types of sensors are also mentioned.

Characterization of electrodes chemically modified with Mn(III) porphyrin/polypyrrole films as catalytic surfaces for an azo dye

In this study we describe the electrochemical behavior of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2'-aminophenylporphyrin)manganese(III) chloride supported on a glassy carbon electrode, as well as the electrochemical preparation and characterization of thin films based on pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid. The electrocatalytic action of the electrode modified with the Mn(III) porphyrin toward an azo dye was tested, and the characteristic strong interaction between the incorporated metalloporphyrin and RR120 dye was verified.

Electrochemically driven introduction of copper ions into the ring of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H, 23H-porphyrin mechanically attached as solid microparticles to a graphite electrode

Upon cyclic electrochemical polarization, traces of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphyrin (H2TPP), which have been mechanically transferred to the surface of a paraffin-impregnated graphite electrode, incorporate copper ions from aqueous solution into the porphyrin ring to form CuTPP . The mechanism of formation of copper porphyrin and the catalytic action of the latter on the electroreduction of oxygen were studied by cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry. In solid CuTPP the Cu II/ Cu I system is electrochemically active according to the following insertion electrochemical reaction: [Formula: see text]. When the CuTPP is dissolved in organic solvents, the central copper ion does not show any electrochemical activity in the accessible potential range.

Electrochemical nitric oxide sensors for physiological measurements

The important biological roles of nitric oxide (NO) have prompted the development of analytical techniques capable of sensitive and selective detection of NO. Electrochemical sensing, more than any other NO detection method, embodies the parameters necessary for quantifying NO in challenging physiological environments such as blood and the brain. In this tutorial review, we provide a broad overview of the field of electrochemical NO sensors, including design, fabrication, and analytical performance characteristics. Both electrochemical sensors and biological applications are detailed.

Nanofibrous and nanotubular supports for the immobilization of metalloporphyrins as oxidation catalysts

Nanofibrous and nanotubular materials, natural and synthetic, are important alternative matrices for the immobilization of metallocomplexes, especially metalloporphyrins, as oxidation catalysts. The process permits a regular and controllable distribution of the active phase at the outer and/or inner surfaces of the tubes, promoting a special environment for the approximation of a substrate to the catalytic active species. The immobilization also prevents the molecular aggregation and bimolecular self-destruction reactions, facilitates the recovery and reuse of the catalyst, reduce de cost of material preparation and environmental concerns. A variety of nanofibrous and nanotubular structures are presented and specific examples of immobilization of iron porphyrins in different supports and their oxidation catalytic activities are presented and discussed.

Electrochemical Reduction of NO by Hemin Adsorbed at Pyrolitic Graphite

The mechanism of the electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide (NO) by hemin adsorbed at pyrolitic graphite was investigated. The selectivity of NO reduction was probed by combining the rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) technique with a newly developed technique called on-line electrochemical mass spectroscopy (OLEMS). These techniques show that NO reduction by adsorbed heme groups results in production of hydroxylamine (NH(2)OH) with almost 100% selectivity at low potentials. Small amounts of nitrous oxide (N(2)O) were only observed at higher potentials. The rate-determining step in NO reduction most likely consists of an electrochemical equilibrium involving a proton transfer, as can be derived from the Tafel slope value of 62 mV/dec and the pH dependence of -42 mV/pH. The almost 100% selectivity toward NH(2)OH distinguishes this system both from NO reduction on bare metal electrodes, which often yields NH(3), and from biological NO reduction in cytochrome P450nor, which yields N(2)O exclusively.

Amperometric nitrite sensor based on hemoglobin/colloidal gold nanoparticles immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode by a titania sol-gel film

A novel amperometric nitrite sensor was developed based on the immobilization of hemoglobin/colloidal gold nanoparticles on a glassy carbon electrode by a titania sol-gel film. The sensor shows a pair of well-defined and nearly reversible cyclic voltammogram peaks for Hb Fe(III)/Fe(II) with a formal potential (E degrees ') of -0.370 V, and the peak-to-peak separation at 100 mV s(-1) was 66 mV vs. Ag/AgCl (3.0 M KCl) in a pH 6.9 phosphate buffer solution. The formal potential of the Hb Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple shifted linearly with pH with a slope of -50.0 mV/pH, indicating that electron transfer accompanies single-proton transportation. The sensor exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic response to the reduction of nitrite. The reduction overpotential was 0.45 V below that obtained at a colloidal gold nanoparticles/TiO2 sol-gel film-modified GCE. The linear range for nitrite determination for the sensor was 4.0 x 10(-6) to 3.5 x 10(-4) M, with a detection limit of 1.2 x 10(-6) M. The stability, repeatability and selectivity of the sensor were also evaluated.

Electrochemical nitric oxide sensor preparation: a comparison of two electrochemical methods of electrode surface modification

Platinum electrodes modified with Mn(II) 5-(N-(8-pyrrole-yl-3,6-dioxa-1-aminooctane)phenylamide-10,15,20-trimethoxyphenylporphyrin (Mn(II)triOMeTCPPyP) using multi-sweep cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse amperometry were evaluated as electrocatalytic surfaces for the oxidation of nitric oxide. The electrodes modified using the pulse amperometric approach were more sensitive towards the detection of nitric oxide. The increased sensitivity led to the attainment of a wider linear dynamic range for the quantification of nitric oxide.

Electrochemical Generation of Free Nitric Oxide from Nitrite Catalyzed by Iron meso-Tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridiniumyl)porphyrin

Electrochemical generation of free nitric oxide (NO) from nitrite (NO(2)(-)) catalyzed by iron meso-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridiniumyl)porphyrin, [Fe(III)(TMPyP)](5+), has been developed in this study. To obtain free NO, a cathodic electrolysis and an anodic electrolysis were performed in two connected flow electrolytic cells in sequence. The flow electrolytic cell upstream was used for cathodic electrolysis, where the solution of [Fe(III)(TMPyP)](5+) and NO(2)(-) was reduced at -0.25 V (vs Ag/AgCl) into [Fe(II)(NO(2)(-))(2)(TMPyP)](2+) and [Fe(II)(NO)(TMPyP)](4+) in sequence. The flow electrolytic cell downstream was utilized for anodic electrolysis, where [Fe(II)(NO)(TMPyP)](4+) formed from the upstream cell was oxidized at +0.40 V (vs Ag/AgCl) into [Fe(III)(TMPyP)](5+) and free NO. Finally, NO was bubbled out from anodic electrolyte by argon gas. The mechanism and the optimum conditions for electrochemical generation of NO from NO(2)(-) catalyzed by [Fe(III)(TMPyP)](5+) were studied in detail by voltammetric and spectroelectrochemical methods.

Electrocatalytic Reductions of Nitrite, Nitric Oxide, and Nitrous Oxide by Thermophilic Cytochrome P450 CYP119 in Film-Modified Electrodes and an Analytical Comparison of Its Catalytic Activities with Myoglobin

Previous investigations of nitrite and nitric oxide reduction by myoglobin in surfactant film modified electrodes characterized several distinct steps in the denitrification pathway, including isolation of a nitroxyl adduct similar to that proposed in the P450nor catalytic cycle. To investigate the effect of the axial ligand on these biomimetic reductions, we report here a comparison of the electrocatalytic activity of myoglobin (Mb) with a thermophilic cytochrome P450 CYP119. Electrocatalytic nitrite reduction by CYP119 is very similar to that by Mb: two catalytic waves at analogous potentials are observed, the first corresponding to the reduction of nitric oxide, the second to the production of ammonia. CYP119 is a much more selective catalyst, giving almost exclusively ammonia during the initial half-hour of reductive electrolysis of nitrite. More careful investigations of specific steps in the catalytic cycle show comparable rates of nitrite dehydration and almost identical potentials and lifetimes for ferrous nitroxyl intermediate (Fe(II)-NO(-)) in CYP119 and Mb. The catalytic efficiency of nitric oxide reduction is reduced for CYP119 as compared to Mb, attributable to both a lower affinity of the protein for NO and a decreased rate of N-N coupling. Isotopic labeling studies show ammonia incorporation into nitrous oxide produced during nitrite reduction, as has been termed co-denitrification for certain bacterial and fungal nitrite reductases. Mb has a much higher co-denitrification activity than CYP119. Conversely, CYP119 is shown to be slightly more efficient at the two-electron reduction of N(2)O to N(2). These results suggest that thiolate ligation does not significantly alter the catalytic reactivity, but the dramatic difference in product distribution may suggest an important role for protein stability in the selectivity of biocatalysts.

Preparation and Characterization of Electrodes Modified with Metalloporphyrins. Application to Reduction of Nitrite

Six type-modified electrodes by electropolymerization of tetrakis(x-aminophenyl)porphyrins, where x = 2, 3 or 4, and their Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes in HCl solution were prepared and characterized by cyclic voltammetry, atomic force microscopy and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The morphology of the polymers depends on the position of the amino groups. The modified electrodes show interesting electrocatalytic activity toward reduction of nitrites. The catalytic behavior strongly depends on the nature of the metal and the position of the amino groups.