Carbon Fiber Nanoelectrodes Modified by Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Machine-learning assisted multiplex detection of catecholamine neurotransmitters with a colorimetric sensor array

Catecholamine neurotransmitters (CNs), such as dopamine (DA), epinephrine (EP), norepinephrine (NEP), and levodopa (LD), are recognized as the primary biomarkers of a variety of neurological illnesses. Therefore, simultaneous monitoring of these biomarkers is highly recommended for clinical diagnosis and treatment. In this study, a high-performance colorimetric artificial tongue has been proposed for the multiplex detection of CNs. Different aggregation behaviors of gold nanoparticles in the presence of CNs under various buffering conditions generate unique fingerprint response patterns. Under various buffering conditions, the distinct acidity constants of CNs, and consequently their predominant species at a given pH, drive the aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The utilization of machine learning algorithms in this design enables classification and quantification of CNs in various samples. The response profile of the array was analyzed using the linear discriminant analysis algorithm for classification of CNs. This colorimetric sensor array is capable of accurately distinguishing between individual neurotransmitters and their combinations. Partial least squares regression was also applied for quantitation purposes. The obtained analytical figures of merit (FOMs) and linear ranges of 0.6-9 μM (R² = 0.99) for DA, 0.1-10 μM (R² = 0.99) for EP, 0.1-9 μM (R² = 0.99) for NEP and 1-70 μM (R² = 0.99) for LD demonstrated the potential applicability of the developed sensor array in precise and accurate determination of CNs. Finally, the feasibility of the array was validated in human urine samples as a complex biological fluid with LODs of 0.3, 0.5, 0.2, and 1.9 μM for DA, EP, NEP, and LD, respectively.

Carbon Anode in Carbon History

This study examines how the several major industries, associated with a carbon artifact production, essentially belong to one, closely knit family. The common parents are the geological fossils called petroleum and coal. The study also reviews the major developments in carbon nanotechnology and electrocatalysis over the last 30 years or so. In this context, the development of various carbon materials with size, dopants, shape, and structure designed to achieve high catalytic electroactivity is reported, and among them recent carbon electrodes with many important features are presented together with their relevant applications in chemical technology, neurochemical monitoring, electrode kinetics, direct carbon fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, electrochemical capacitors, and supercapattery.

A 3D-graphene fiber electrode embedded with nitrogen-rich-carbon-coated ZIF-67 for the ultrasensitive detection of adrenaline

A novel nitrogen-rich-carbon-coated ZIF-67 embedded three-dimensional-graphene (ZIF-67/NC/3DG) fiber was fabricated via a facile one-pot electrodeposition self-assembly method, and used as a prominent electrode for the non-enzymatic detection of adrenaline (Ad). In this design, the prepared ZIF-67 adsorbs Ad through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction, while polypyrrole functions as the precursor of the conductive NC that seamlessly connects ZIF-67 with the 3DG fiber electrode to ameliorate the poor conductivity of the ZIF-67 moiety and thus improve the sensitivity of the ZIF-67/NC/3DG fiber electrode for detecting Ad. The constructed fiber sensor shows a double linear response over the Ad concentration range of 0.06-95 μM with a high sensitivity of 44.6 mA mM-1 cm-2 and 95.0-5900 μM with a good sensitivity of 11.0 mA mM-1 cm-2, giving a low detection limit of 0.02 μM and excellent repeatability. The ZIF-67/NC/3DG fiber electrode was further successfully applied for the determination of Ad in a real sample of human serum, indicating that this fiber electrode is a promising miniaturized sensor for electrochemical analysis.

Microelectrode-Based Electrochemical Sensing Technology for in Vivo Detection of Dopamine: Recent Developments and Future Prospects

Dopamine (DA) is an essential type of neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. DA neurons usually exist as nuclei which are mainly found in the ventral tegmental area (VTN) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia and other diseases are all related to the abnormal metabolism of DA. Compared with traditional DA detection methods such as spectrophotometry and electrophoresis, electrochemical sensing technology has high detection efficiency, high sensitivity, fast and convenient real-time detection, which is recognized as the most effective method for measuring neurotransmitters in vivo. The working electrode of an electrochemical sensor can be generally divided into the conventional electrode and the microelectrode according to its size. The microelectrode shows excellent properties such as high sensitivity, high temporal resolution, and high spatial resolution while detecting DA, which makes it possible to detect neurotransmitters in vivo. In order to further investigate the role of DA in regulating action, emotion, and cognition, and to further clarify the relationship between DA abnormalities or lack and neurological diseases such as Parkinson, more and more researchers apply microelectrode-based electrochemistry sensing technology to detect DA in vivo. This article reviews recent applications of microelectrodes and the latest researches in DA detection in vivo, focusing on the following three types of microelectrodes: (1) non-nanomaterial-modified carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFE); (2) nanomaterial-modified microelectrodes; (3) microelectrode arrays (MEA).

Programming biosensing sensitivity by controlling the dimension of nanostructured electrode

Development of new nanostructured materials has shown high impact for improving the performance of chemical and biological sensors. In this work, we show that by controlling the dimensions of the gold flower microelectrode (GFME), it is possible to regulate detection sensitivity of a sensor for rapid analysis of chemical species. A ~13-fold increase in sensitivity was achieved by enlarging the dimension of GFMEs from 70 to 330 μm, whereas the response dynamics are dimension-independent, with the signal attaining saturation ~20 s. Due to the intrinsic nanostructure on the microelectrode surface, our GFME exhibits excellent anti-interference property when applied to detect dopamine (DA) in the presence of 10-fold excess of ascorbic acid (AA). The regulable sensitivity, fast response dynamics, and excellent anti-interference property will make GFME an ideal sensing platform for biomedical applications. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Electrodeposited Gold on Carbon-Fiber Microelectrodes for Enhancing Amperometric Detection of Dopamine Release from Pheochromocytoma Cells

Exocytosis is an ultrafast cellular process which facilitates neuron-neuron communication in the brain. Microelectrode electrochemistry has been an essential tool for measuring fast exocytosis events with high temporal resolution and high sensitivity. Due to carbon fiber's irreproducible and inhomogeneous surface conditions, however, it is often desirable to develop simple and reproducible modification schemes to enhance a microelectrode's analytical performance for single-cell analysis. Here we present carbon-fiber microelectrodes (CFEs) modified with a thin film of electrodeposited gold for the detection of exocytosis from rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12), a model cell line for neurosecretion. These new probes are made by a novel voltage-pulsing deposition procedure and demonstrate improved electron-transfer characteristics for catecholamine oxidation, and their fabrication is tractable for many different probe designs. When we applied the probes to the detection of catecholamine release, we found that they outperformed unmodified CFEs. Further, the improved performance was conserved at cells incubated with L-DOPA (l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), a precursor to dopamine that increases the quantal size of the release events. Future use of this method may allow nanoelectrodes to be modified for highly sensitive detection of exocytosis from chemical synapses.

Recent Advances in Materials, Devices, and Systems for Neural Interfaces

Technologies capable of establishing intimate, long-lived optical/electrical interfaces to neural systems will play critical roles in neuroscience research and in the development of nonpharmacological treatments for neurological disorders. The development of high-density interfaces to 3D populations of neurons across entire tissue systems in living animals, including human subjects, represents a grand challenge for the field, where advanced biocompatible materials and engineered structures for electrodes and light emitters will be essential. This review summarizes recent progress in these directions, with an emphasis on the most promising demonstrated concepts, materials, devices, and systems. The article begins with an overview of electrode materials with enhanced electrical and/or mechanical performance, in forms ranging from planar films, to micro/nanostructured surfaces, to 3D porous frameworks and soft composites. Subsequent sections highlight integration with active materials and components for multiplexed addressing, local amplification, wireless data transmission, and power harvesting, with multimodal operation in soft, shape-conformal systems. These advances establish the foundations for scalable architectures in optical/electrical neural interfaces of the future, where a blurring of the lines between biotic and abiotic systems will catalyze profound progress in neuroscience research and in human health/well-being.

Colorimetric Fingerprints of Gold Nanorods for Discriminating Catecholamine Neurotransmitters in Urine Samples

Catecholamine neurotransmitters, generally including dopamine (DA), epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NE) are known as substantial indicators of various neurological diseases. Simultaneous detection of these compounds and their metabolites is highly recommended in early clinical diagnosis. To this aim, in the present contribution, a high performance colorimetric sensor array has been proposed for the detection and discrimination of catecholamines based on their reducing ability to deposit silver on the surface of gold nanorods (AuNRs). The amassed silver nanoshell led to a blue shift in the longitudinal localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak of AuNRs, creating a unique pattern for each of the neurotransmitters. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and linear discriminate analysis (LDA) pattern recognition techniques were employed to identify DA, EP and NE. The proposed colorimetric array is able to differentiate among individual neurotransmitters as well as their mixtures, successfully. Finally, it was shown that the sensor array can identify these neurotransmitters in human urine samples.

The Electrochemical Behavior of Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes Modified with Carbon Nanotubes Using a Two-Step Electroless Plating/Chemical Vapor Deposition Process

Carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME) has been extensively applied in the biosensor and chemical sensor domains. In order to improve the electrochemical activity and sensitivity of the CFME, a new CFME modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), denoted as CNTs/CFME, was fabricated and investigated. First, carbon fiber (CF) monofilaments grafted with CNTs (simplified as CNTs/CFs) were fabricated in two key steps: (i) nickel electroless plating, followed by (ii) chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Second, a single CNTs/CF monofilament was selected and encapsulated into a CNTs/CFME with a simple packaging method. The morphologies of as-prepared CNTs/CFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of CNTs/CFMEs were measured in potassium ferrocyanide solution (K₄Fe(CN)₆), by using a cyclic voltammetry (CV) and a chronoamperometry method. Compared with a bare CFME, a CNTs/CFME showed better CV curves with a higher distinguishable redox peak and response current; the higher the CNT content was, the better the CV curves were. Because the as-grown CNTs significantly enhanced the effective electrode area of CNTs/CFME, the contact area between the electrode and reactant was enlarged, further increasing the electrocatalytic active site density. Furthermore, the modified microelectrode displayed almost the same electrochemical behavior after 104 days, exhibiting remarkable stability and outstanding reproducibility.

Using gold nanostars modified pencil graphite electrode as a novel substrate for design a sensitive and selective Dopamine aptasensor

For the first time, gold nanostars (GNS) were applied for electrostatic and covalent immobilizing a thiol modified Dopamine aptamer on the pencil graphite electrode and signal amplification. Dopamine aptamer was immobilized on the gold nanostars through electrostatic interaction between negatively charged phosphate groups of aptamer and positively charged gold nanostars and AuS well known covalent interaction. In the presence of Dopamine in the test solution, the charge transfer resistance (R_CT) on the electrode surface increased with the increase of the Dopamine concentration due to specific interaction between Dopamine aptamer and Dopamine molecules, which made a barrier for electrons and inhibited the electron-transfer. So, the proposed approach showed a high sensitivity and a wide linearity to Dopamine in the range from 1.0 (±0.1) to 100.0 (±0.3) ngL^-1 (ppt) with detection and quantification limits of 0.29 (±0.10) and 0.90 (±0.08) ngL^-1 (ppt), respectively. Finally, the sensor was successfully used for determination of Dopamine in biological (human blood plasma and urine) samples. The results open up the path for manufacturing cost effective aptasensors for other biomedical applications.

Electrochemical nanoprobes for the chemical detection of neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters, acting as chemical messengers, play an important role in neurotransmission, which governs many functional aspects of nervous system activity. Electrochemical probes have proven a very useful technique to study neurotransmission, especially to quantify and qualify neurotransmitters. With the emerging interests in probing neurotransmission at the level of single cells, single vesicles, as well as single synapses, probes that enable detection of neurotransmitters at the nanometer scale become vitally important. Electrochemical nanoprobes have been successfully employed in nanometer spatial resolution imaging of single nanopores of Si membrane and single Au nanoparticles, providing both topographical and chemical information, thus holding great promise for nanometer spatial study of neurotransmission. Here we present the current state of electrochemical nanoprobes for chemical detection of neurotransmitters, focusing on two types of nanoelectrodes, i.e. carbon nanoelectrode and nano-ITIES pipet electrode.

Determination of methotrexate and folic acid by ion chromatography with electrochemical detection on a functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotube modified electrode

A simple and sensitive method was developed for simultaneous determination of methotrexate (MTX) and folic acid (FA) by ion chromatography with electrochemical detection (IC-ECD). Quaternary amine functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (q-MWNTs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was used as an amperometric sensor to determine MTX and FA. The electrochemical behaviors of MTX and FA at the q-MWNTs/GCE were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Results indicated that this modified electrode exhibited electrocatalytic oxidation toward MTX and FA with high sensitivity, stability and long life. Good separation of MTX and FA was demonstrated by IC on an anion-exchange column with phosphate buffer solution (PBS) as eluent. Under the optimal conditions, the linear ranges were from 0.01 to 20mg/L for both MTX and FA with correlation coefficients r ≥ 0.9994. The obtained detection limits (LODs) for MTX and FA were 0.2 and 0.4 μg/L (S/N=3), respectively. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of MTX and FA in plasma and urine of patients of rheumatoid arthritis.

Special Feature — Nanobiotechnology/Nanomedicine

Applications of Nanomedicine.

A Comprehensive Overview of the Development and Prospects of Nanobiotechnology in China.

Nanobiotechnology in the Republic of Korea.

Nanomedicine: Prospective Diagnostic and Therapeutic Potentials.

Nanotechnology: What it is and how it can be Applied in Healthcare.

Nanoelectrodes for biological measurements

Nanoelectrodes are electrodes with a critical dimension in the range of one to hundreds of nanometers and include individual electrodes, nanoelectrode ensembles, and arrays. Metallic nanowires, carbon nanotubes, magnetic nanoparticles, and metal oxide nanowires have been employed to fabricate nanoelectrodes and platforms. In this review, applications of single electrodes, nanoelectrode arrays, and ensembles are briefly evaluated, with emphasis on biological analysis. Nanoelectrodes offer great advantages in numerous areas of biological investigations, particularly in single cells studies, fabrication of microchips, design of coordinated biosensors, and in addressable patterned electrodes. Consequently, nanoelectrodes have immense potential in the development of efficient, specific, sensitive, and intelligent sensors. In conjunction with the rapidly evolving, cost-effective fabrication and materials development approaches, these sensors can be used as direct, point-of-care clinical devices, enabling more personalized medical care. The development and application of nanodevices in biology and medicine will have enormous implications for society and human health.

Enhancement of dopamine sensing by layer-by-layer assembly of PVI-dmeOs and Nafion on carbon nanotubes

In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were modified to further improve their performance in electrochemical sensing of dopamine (DA) levels. After a redox polymer, poly(vinylimidazole) complexed with Os(4, 4'-dimethyl- 2, 2-bipyridine)(2)Cl (termed PVI-dmeOs) was electrodeposited on multi-wall CNTs (MWCNTs), Nafion and PVI-dmeOs films were successfully layer-by-layer (LBL) assembled on the hydrophilic surface of the as-prepared PVI-dmeOs/CNTs nanocomposites through electrostatic interactions. The LBL assembly was proved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemistry and UV-vis spectroscopy measurements. LBL assembly of Nafion/PVI-dmeOs films on CNTs significantly enhanced their linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) response sensitivity to DA, with a maximum enhancement for three Nafion/PVI-dmeOs film-modified MWCNTs. The LSV peak current density of (Nafion/PV I-dmeOs)(3)/CNT electrodes in response to 10 and 50 microM DA solutions was about 7.3 and 3.9 times those for bare CNTs. At the (Nafion/PV I-dmeOs)(3)/CNT electrodes, the limit of detection (LOD) (signal-to-noise ratio: 3) was 0.05 microM DA, the linear range was 0.1-10 microM DA (with a linear regression coefficient of 0.97) and the DA-sensing sensitivity was 8.15 microA cm( - 2) microM( - 1). The newly fabricated (Nafion/PV I-dmeOs)(3)/CNT electrodes may be developed as an ideal biosensor for direct and in situ measurement of DA levels.

A single carbon fiber microelectrode with branching carbon nanotubes for bioelectrochemical processes

Carbon fiber electrodes are greatly promising for microelectronic applications including high performance biosensors, miniaturized transmitters, and energy storage and generation devices. For biosensor applications, one drawback of using carbon fiber microelectrodes, especially single fiber electrodes, is the weak electronic signals, a consequence of low surface area of fibers, which ultimately limit the sensitivity of the sensors. In this paper, we report a novel single fiber microelectrode with branched carbon nanotubes for enhanced sensing performance. The fiber microelectrode was prepared from carbonization of cellulose fibers. Upon introduction of carbon nanotubes, the carbon fibers exhibited a significant increase in the specific surface area from <10 to 36.4 m(2)/g (determined by the BET method). A single fiber electrode with such a hierarchical structure was examined for redox reactions of coenzyme NAD(H) which is useful to mediate the assays and transformations of a broad range of biochemicals. Experimental results showed that carbon nanotubes enhanced the redox reactions on surfaces of the electrode by reducing the oxidation potential of NAD(H) from 0.8 to 0.55 V. The single carbon fiber with branched nanotubes was also examined for the detection of glycerol, and the results showed linear responding signals in a concentration range of 40-250 microM. These results are comparable to the properties of fossil-based carbon materials, and thus our cellulose-based carbon electrodes provide a potentially sustainable alternative in bioelectrochemical applications.

Determination of Dopamine in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid by Nafion and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Film Modified on Carbon Fiber Microelectrode

Carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME) modified by Nafion and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was studied by voltammetric methods in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution at pH 7.4. The Nafion-SWNTs/CFME modified microelectrode exhibited strongly enhanced voltammetric sensitivity and selectivity towards dopamine (DA) determination in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA). Nafion-SWNTs film accelerated the electron transfer reaction of DA, but Nafion film as a negatively charged polymer restrained the electrochemical response of AA. Voltammetric techniques separated the anodic peaks of DA and AA, and the interference from AA was effectively excluded from DA determination. Linear calibration plots were obtained in the DA concentration range of 10 nM - 10 μM and the detection limit of the anodic current was determined to be 5 nM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The study results demonstrate that DA can be determined without any interference from AA at the modified microelectrode, thereby increasing the sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility and stability.