Oxidation at a sol–gel composite electrode doped with a dirhodium-substituted polyoxometalate for amperometric detection of peptides separated by HPLC

Polyoxometalates in Analytical Sciences

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have been used for spectrophotometric determinations of silicon and phosphorus under acidic conditions, referred to as the molybdenum yellow method and molybdenum blue method, respectively. Many POMs are redox active and exhibit fascinating but complicated voltammetric responses. These compounds can reversibly accommodate and release many electrons without exhibiting structural changes, implying that POMs can function as excellent mediators and can be applied to sensitive determination methods based on catalytic electrochemical reactions. In addition, some rare-earth-metal-incorporated POMs exhibit fluorescence, which enables sensitive determination by the enhancement and quenching of fluorescence intensities. In this review, various analytical applications of POMs are introduced, mainly focusing on papers published after 2000, except for the molybdenum yellow method and molybdenum blue method.

A survey of the different roles of polyoxometalates in their interaction with amino acids, peptides and proteins

This perspective provides a comprehensive description of the different roles of POMs in their interaction with relevant biological molecules.

Electrochemically assisted fabrication of size-exclusion films of organically modified silica and application to the voltammetry of phospholipids

Modification of electrodes with nm-scale organically modified silica films with pores diameters controlled at 10- and 50-nm is described. An oxidation catalyst, mixed-valence ruthenium oxide with cyano crosslinks or gold nanoparticles protected by dirhodium-substituted phosophomolybdate (AuNP-Rh2PMo11), was immobilized in the pores. These systems comprise size-exclusion films at which the biological compounds, phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin, were electrocatalytically oxidized without interference from surface-active concomitants such as bovine serum albumin. 10-nm pores were obtained by adding generation-4 poly(amidoamine) dendrimer, G4-PAMAM, to a (CH3)3SiOCH3 sol. 50-nm pores were obtained by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GC) with a sub-monolayer film of aminopropyltriethoxylsilane, attaching 50-nm diameter poly(styrene sulfonate), PSS, spheres to the protonated amine, transferring this electrode to a (CH3)3SiOCH3 sol, and electrochemically generating hydronium at uncoated GC sites, which catalyzed ormosil growth around the PSS. Voltammetry of Fe(CN)63- and Ru(NH3)63+ demonstrated the absence of residual charge after removal of the templating agents. With the 50-nm system, the pore structure was sufficiently defined to use layer-by-layer electrostatic assembly of AuNP-Rh2PMo11 therein. Flow injection amperometry of phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin demonstrated analytical utility of these electrodes.

Preparation and Electrocatalytic Application of Composites Containing Gold Nanoparticles Protected with Rhodium-Substituted Polyoxometalates

Substitution of a metal center of phosphomolybdate, PMo(12)O(40) (3-) (PMo(12)), or its tungsten analogue with dirhodium(II) and subsequent stabilization of gold nanoparticles, AuNPs, with Rh(2)PMo(11) is demonstrated. The AuNP-Rh(2)PMo(11) mediates oxidations but adsorbs too weakly for direct modification of electrode materials. Stability in quiescent solution was achieved by modifying glassy carbon (GC) with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and then electrostatically assembling AuNP-Rh(2)PMo(11). At GC|APTES|AuNP-Rh(2)PMo(11), cyclic voltammetry showed the expected set of three reversible peak-pairs for PMo(11) in the range -0.2 to 0.6 vs (Ag/AgCl)/V and the reversible Rh(II,III) couple at 1.0 vs (Ag/AgCl)/V. The presence of AuNPs increased the current for the reduction of bromate by a factor of 2.5 relative to that at GC|Rh(2)PMo(11), and the electrocatalytic oxidation of methionine displayed characteristics of synergism between the AuNP and Rh(II). To stabilize AuNP-Rh(2)PMo(11) on a surface in a flow system, GC was modified by electrochemically assisted deposition of a sol-gel with templated 10-nm pores prior to immobilizing the catalyst in the pores. The resulting electrode permitted determination of bromate by flow-injection amperometry with a detection limit of 4.0 × 10(-8) mol dm(-3).

Advances in the voltammetric analysis of small biologically relevant compounds

The problems associated with attempting to apply voltammetric techniques to the analysis of biologically relevant organics within complex media are identified and, through reviewing the very recent literature (1999-mid-2001), possible solutions are described. The boundaries of the search were limited to research targeted at the resolution of specific problems, associated with quantitative determinations. Various strategies have emerged to counter problems of poor sensitivity and selectivity and these have been summarized and critically appraised. Where possible, the characteristics of each approach have been distilled into a table format to ease comparison. Emphasis has been placed on the collation of information that will improve the intrinsic electrode response and as such should be of value to those interested in pursuing electroanalytical methodologies regardless of context.