Optochemical Sensor for Ammonia Based on a Lipophilized pH Indicator in a Hydrophobic Matrix

Abstract

An optical sensor for the determination of ammonia in water based on ion pairing has been investigated. A pH-sensitive dye is immobilized as an ion pair in a silicone matrix. The colour of the dye changes from yellow to blue depending on the concentration of ammonia in the sample solution. This change is reversible. The concentration of ammonia can be determined by measuring the transmittance at a given wavelength.

All measurements were performed with a dual-beam optical meter. The measurement range was from 5.9 × 10^?7 to 1 × 10^?3 M (0.01 to 17 mg/l) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer of pH 8. The detection limit was 10 μg/l. The response times at a flow rate of 2.5 ml/min were 4 min for t₉₀ and 10 min for t₁₀₀ at a change from 41.9 to 82.5 μM ammonia and 12 min for t₉₀ and 48 min for t₁₀₀ at a change from 160 to 0 μM ammonia. The operational lifetime of the ammonia sensor was limited to a period of a few days only. A continuous decrease in baseline signal and relative signal change was observed over the whole measurement. The storage stability was more than 10 months (dry). With respect to possible application of the ammonia sensor to environmental analysis, the influence of pH, typical interferences, such as amines and various detergents on the sensor response was investigated. No interference due to pH was observed in the range from pH 5 to pH 9. With methyl- and ethylamine the response was not completely reversible. The sensor was affected by cationic detergents, but not by anionic or neutral detergents.     

Electrocatalysis via Direct Electrochemistry of Myoglobin Immobilized on Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles

The direct electron transfer between immobilized myoglobin (Mb) and colloidal gold modified carbon paste electrode was studied. The Mb immobilized on the colloidal gold nanoparticles displayed a pair of redox peaks in 0.1 M pH 7.0 PBS with a formal potential of –(0.108 ± 0.002) V (vs. NHE). The response showed a surface‐controlled electrode process with an electron transfer rate constant of (26.7 ± 3.7) s ^?1 at scan rates from 10 to 100 mV s^?1 and a diffusion‐controlled process involving the diffusion of proton at scan rates more than 100 mV s^?1. The immobilized Mb maintained its activity and could electrocatalyze the reduction of both hydrogen peroxide and nitrite. Thus, the novel renewable reagentless sensors for hydrogen peroxide and nitrite were developed, respectively. The activity of Mb with respect to the pseudo peroxidase with a K_M^app value of 0.65 mM could respond linearly to hydrogen peroxide concentration from 4.6 to 28 μM. The sensor exhibited a fast amperometric response to NO₂^? reduction and reached 93% of steady‐state current within 5 s. The linear range for NO₂^? determination was from 8.0 to 112 μM with a detection limit of 0.7 μM at 3σ.     

Amino oxidase amperometric biosensor for polyamines

An improved amino oxidase enzyme electrode has been constructed and applied to the determination of the amount of polyamines present in real samples. The electrode is based on the amperometric detection of H₂O₂ produced in the enzymatic oxidation of polyamines by amino oxidase. Amino oxidase from soybean seedlings, characterized by an extremely high activity for cadaverine and putrescine, was used. The enzyme was immobilized in an agarose matrix in the presence of glutaraldehyde and bovine serum albumin on the surface of a Pt electrode. Cadaverine, in concentrations between 0.5 and 500 μM, can be quantitatively determined by use of the amino oxidase electrode, the linear calibration range being 0.5–10 μM. The lower detection limit was 0.2 μM and the response time was 15 to 60 s. Putrescine showed similar behaviour. The maximum current response for cadaverine was 5.1 μA/cm², with an apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m′) of 0.175 mM. The sensor response was stable for more than 32 hours of continuous operation at room temperature and, in the presence of fish or meat homogenates, no change in the signal-to-noise ratio was observed. The long-term stability, pH and temperature response of the biosensor has also been studied.     

An integrated reaction-retention and spectrophotometric detection flow system for the determination of nickel

An integrated flow-through photometric sensor for the determination of nickel in real samples of various origins has been developed. The sensor is based on the reaction of Ni(II) with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) immobilized on a cationic resin which was placed in a flow-cell using a spectrophotometer tuned at 566 nm as detector. The Ni(II) ion from the sample injected into the carrrier stream (pH = 5.0) of a monochannel continuous flow system reacts with the immobilized chromogenic reagent to form a red chelate which remains on the active solid support and generates the analytical signal. When this reached its maximum value the Ni(II)-PAN chelate was destroyed using 1 M H₂SO₄ as eluents, leaving the sorbed PAN untouched. The response of the sensor was linear in the three concentration ranges assayed: 0.3–4.0, 0.1–1.6 and 0.05–0.8 μg mL^–1 for sample volumes of 100, 400 and 800 μL, respectively, and the R.S.D.(%) (n = 10) were 1.80(100 μL), 3.04(400 μL) and 2.29(800 μL). The sensor showed an excellent selectivity which could also be increased with a simple on-line modification to avoid interference from copper. It was applied to a variety of real samples with very good results in all cases.     

Synthesis of PtxSn/MWCNTs and their Application in Non‐enzymatic Glucose and Hydrogen Peroxide Sensors

Pt_xSn/MWCNTs (x=1, 2, 3) nanocomposites were synthesized by chemical reduction. Comparing all of the materials, the results revealed that the best material was Pt₃Sn/MWCNTs. The sensor based on Pt₃Sn/MWCNTs exhibited excellent catalytic activities towards glucose and hydrogen peroxide. Sensing of glucose had a double‐linear range: one was between 50 μM and 550 μM, the other was between 1.35 mM and 16.35 mM. These were due to the fact that more and more intermediate species were adsorbed onto the electrode surface with increasing concentration of glucose, which limited the following glucose oxidation. Meanwhile, the sensor also had a linear response range between 0.05 mM and 18.95 mM for hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, the glucose and hydrogen peroxide sensors exhibited excellent selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. Thus the sensors had potential utilities in the detection of glucose and hydrogen peroxide.     

Amperometric NADH Biosensor Based on Magnetic Chitosan Microspheres/Poly(thionine) Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

Novel magnetic chitosan‐coated microspheres (MCMSs) were prepared by modifying carbon‐coated iron magnetic nanoparticles with chitosan. An amperometric dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) sensor was constructed based on immobilizing MCMS on the surface of a polythionine (PTH) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The fabrication of MCMS/PTH film and its electrocatalytic effect on electrochemical oxidation of NADH were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and voltammetric methods. It was found that the resulting integrated films of PTH and MCMS exhibit high electrocatalytic response to NADH by significantly reduce its overpotential. The effects of the experimental variables on the amperometric determination of NADH such as solution pH and working potential were investigated for optimum analytical performance. This electrochemical sensor had a fast response to NADH which was less than 10 s. Linear response ranges of 2–10 μM and 10–100 μM and a detection limit of 0.51 μM (S/N=3) were obtained under the optimum conditions. Moreover, the selectivity, stability and reproducibility of this biosensor was evaluated with satisfactory results.     

An amperometric biosensor based on acetylcholinesterase immobilized onto iron oxide nanoparticles/multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified gold electrode for measurement of organophosphorus insecticides

An acetylcholinesterase (AChE) purified from maize seedlings was immobilized covalently onto iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄NP) and carboxylated multi walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNT) modified Au electrode. An organophosphorus (OP) biosensor was fabricated using this AChE/Fe₃O₄/c-MWCNT/Au electrode as a working electrode, Ag/AgCl as standard and Pt wire as an auxiliary electrode connected through a potentiostat. The biosensor was based on inhibition of AChE by OP compounds/insecticides. The properties of nanoparticles modified electrodes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The synergistic action of Fe₃O₄NP and c-MWCNT showed excellent electrocatalytic activity at low potential (+0.4 V). The optimum working conditions for the sensor were pH 7.5, 35 °C, 600 μM substrate concentration and 10 min for inhibition by pesticide. Under optimum conditions, the inhibition rates of OP pesticides were proportional to their concentrations in the range of 0.1–40 nM, 0.1–50 nM, 1–50 nM and 10–100 nM for malathion, chlorpyrifos, monocrotophos and endosulfan respectively. The detection limits were 0.1 nM for malathion and chlorpyrifos, 1 nM for monocrotophos and 10 nM for endosulfan. The biosensor exhibited good sensitivity (0.475 mA μM⁻¹), reusability (more than 50 times) and stability (2 months). The sensor was suitable for trace detection of OP pesticide residues in milk and water.     

A Nitrite Biosensor Based on Coimmobilization of Nitrite Reductase and Viologen‐Modified Polysiloxane on Glassy Carbon Electrode

Copper containing nitrite reductase (Cu‐NiR) and viologen‐modified sulfonated polyaminopropylsiloxane (PAPS‐SO₃H‐V) were co‐immobilized on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by hydrophilic polyurethane (HPU) drop‐coating, and the electrode was tested as a reagentless electrochemical biosensor for nitrite detection. The newly synthesized PAPS‐SO₃H‐V as an electron transfer (ET) mediator between electrode and NiR was effective, and could be effectively immobilized in HPU membrane. The NiR and PAPS‐SO₃H‐V co‐immobilized GCE used as a nitrite biosensor showed the following performance factors: sensitivity=12.0 nA μM^?1, limit of detection (LOD)=60 nM (S/N=3), linear response range=0–18 μM (r²=0.996) and response time (t_90%)=60 s, respectively. Lineweaver–Burk plot shows that apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K is 101 μM. Storage stability of the sensor is 51 days (80% of initial activity) in condition of storing in ambient air at room temperature. The sensor showed a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.2% (n=5) even in condition of injection of 1 μM nitrite. Interference study showed that common anions in water sample such as chlorate, chloride, sulfate and sulfite do not interfere with the nitrite detection. However, nitrate interfered with a relative sensitivity of 80% due to inherent character of the enzyme used.     

A promising dehydrogenase-based bioanode for a glucose biosensor and glucose/O2 biofuel cell

A new type of dehydrogenase-based amperometric glucose biosensor was constructed using glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) which was immobilized on the edge-plane pyrolytic graphite (EPPG) electrode modified with poly(phenosafranin)-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (PPS-SWCNTs). The PPS-SWCNT-modified EPPG electrode was prepared by electropolymerization of phenosafranin on the EPPG electrode which had been previously coated with SWCNTs. The performance of the GDH/PPS-SWCNT/EPPG bioanode was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and amperometry in the presence of glucose. The GDH/PPS-SWCNT/EPPG electrode possesses promising characteristics as a glucose sensor: a wide linear dynamic range of 50 to 700 μM, low detection limit of 0.3 μM, fast response time (1-2 s), high sensitivity (96.5 μA cm(-2) mM(-1)), and anti-interference and anti-fouling abilities. Moreover, the performance of the GDH/PPS-SWCNT/EPPG bioanode was tested in a glucose/O(2) biofuel cell. The maximum power density delivered by the assembled glucose/O(2) biofuel cell could reach 64.0 μW cm(-2) at a cell voltage of 0.3 V with 40 mM glucose.     

Voltammetric Determination of Allura Red AC onto Carbone-paste Electrode Modified by Silica with Embedded Cetylpyridinium Chloride

In current study the carbon-paste electrode modified by silica with embedded cetylpyridinium chloride for determination of Allura Red AC have been developed. The optimal conditions were determined to be for the square-wave voltammetric quantification: pH=2, E_ads=300 mV, t_ads=300 s, amplitude – 40 mV, frequency – 25 Hz and potential scan rate is 250 mV sec⁻¹. The calibration plot has linearity in the concentration ranges 0.04–0.2 μM and 0.2–1.00 μM. The LOD and LOQ are equal to 0.005 μM and 0.015 μM respectively. The crafted sensor has been applied successfully to model solutions and in jelly candies analysis with RSD no more than 10 %.     

Development of a Simple and Inexpensive Optical Absorption One‐Shot Sensor Membrane for Detection and Determination of Cyanide Ions in Water Samples

A new one‐shot optical cyanide ion sensor is proposed for determination of cyanide ions. The sensor was constructed by immobilizing crystal violet (CV) on triacetylcellulose membrane. The sensing mechanism involves reaction between cyanide ions and the immobilized CV at pH = 5.4, which results in a decrease in absorbance of the membrane at 600 nm. The sensor shows sufficient repeatability, reproducibility, operational lifetime of 3 weeks, and a response of less then 10 min under the optimum conditions and response time of 8 min. Cyanide can be determined in the concentration range of 50.0‐800 μg mL^‐1 with a detection limit of 5.0 μg mL^‐1. Most ions do not interfere with the determination of cyanide ions. The proposed sensor was successfully applied to the determination of cyanide in spiked water samples.     

Bioelectrochemical response of a choline biosensor fabricated by using polyaniline

On the basis of the isoelectric point of an enzyme and the doping principle of conducting polymers, choline oxidase was doped in a polyaniline film to form a biosensor. The amperometric detection of choline is based on the oxidation of the H₂O₂ enzymatically produced on the choline biosensor. The response current of the biosensor as a function of temperature was determined from 3 to 40°C. An apparent activation energy of 22.8 kJ·mol⁻¹ was obtained. The biosensor had a wide linear response range from 5 × 10⁻⁷ to 1 × 10⁻⁴ M choline with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 and a detection limit of 0.2 μM, and had a high sensitivity of 61.9 mA·M⁻¹·cm⁻² at 0.50 V and at pH 8.0. The apparent Michaelis constant and the optimum pH for the immobilized enzyme are 1.4 mM choline and 8.4, respectively, which are very close to those of choline oxidase in solution. The effect of selected organic compounds on the response of the choline biosensor was studied.     

Amperometric Biosensor for Hydrogen Peroxide,Using Supramolecularly Immobilized Horseradish Peroxidase on the β‐Cyclodextrin‐Coated Gold Electrode

Horseradish peroxidase, previously modified with 1‐adamantane moieties, was supramolecularly immobilized on gold electrodes coated with perthiolated β‐cyclodextrin. The functionalized electrode was employed for the construction of an amperometric biosensor device for hydrogen peroxide using 1 mM hydroquinone as electrochemical mediator. The biosensor exhibited a fast amperometric response (6 s) and a good linear response toward H₂O₂ concentration between 12 μM and 450 μM. The biosensor showed a sensitivity of 1.02 mA/M cm², and a very low detection limit of 5 μM. The electrode retained 97% of its initial electrocatalytic activity after 30 days of storage at 4 ⁰C in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0.     

A hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on horseradish peroxidase/poly(L-leucine)/polydopamine modified glassy carbon electrode

A simple and practical sensor of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was designed successfully. The mixture of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and chitosan (Chit) are effectively immobilized on the surface of poly-L-leucine/polydopamine modified glassy carbon electrode (PL-LEU/PDA/GCE). Under the optimum conditions, the biosensor based on HRP exhibits a fast amperometric response (within 3 s) to H₂O₂. The linear response range of the sensor is 0.5–952.0 μmol L^–1, with the detection limit of 0.1 μmol L^–1 (S/N = 3) and the sensitivity of 0.23 A L moL^–1 cm^–2. The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (k _M ^app) of the biosensor is evaluated to be 0.12 mmol L^–1, which suggests that the HRP-Chit/PL-LEU/PDA/GCE shows a higher affinity for H₂O₂. The sensor exhibits good sensitivity, selectivity, stability and reproducibility. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of H₂O₂ in practical samples.     

Fiber-Optic biosensor for urea based on sensing of ammonia gas

A fiber-optic biosensor for urea is described. This biosensor is based on the immobilization of urease at the sensing tip of a fluorescence-based ammonia gas-sensing fiber-optic chemical sensor. Urease is immobilized on a Teflon membrane by the well known bovine serum albumin (BSA)/glutaraldehyde cross-linking method. The indicator solution for this biosensor is composed of 0.145 M sodium chloride, 5.00 mM ammonium chloride, 9.4 μM 2′,7′-bis(carboxyethyl)-5 (and 6)-carboxyfluorescein and 0.9 μM 5 (and 6)-carboxyfluorescein. The steady-state and dynamic response properties of the sensor have been established. Results show that the urease/BSA protein layer has a significant effect on sensor response and recovery times. Also, the fluorescence-based sensor has been found to be faster than a conventional potentiometric ammonia gas-sensing electrode. In addition, the fluorescence sensor responds significantly quicker than a similar absorbance-based fiber-optic urea biosensor. The utility of the resulting urea biosensor for the determination of urea in diluted serum samples is demonstrated.     

Development of Nonenzymatic Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor Based on Successive Pd‐Ag Electrodeposited Nanoparticles on Glassy Carbon Electrode

A novel strategy to fabricate hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) sensor was developed by electrodepositing palladium? silver nanoparticles (NPs) on a glassy carbon electrode. The morphology of the modified electrode was characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result of electrochemical experiments showed that such constructed sensor had a favorable catalytic ability, high sensitivity, excellent selectivity towards reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The response to H₂O₂ is linear in the range between 0.30 μM to 2.50 mM, and the detection limit is 0.1 μM (at an S/N of 3).     

Mediatorless Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Based on Horseradish Peroxidase Immobilized on 4‐Carboxyphenyl Film Electrografted on Gold Electrode

A novel method to fabricate a third‐generation hydrogen peroxide biosensor was reported. The electrode was first derivatized by electrochemical reduction of in situ generated 4‐carboxyphenyl diazonium salt (4‐CPDS) in acidic aqueous solution yielded stable 4‐carboxyphenyl (4‐CP) layer. The horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme was then covalently immobilized by amidation between NH₂ terminus of enzyme and COOH terminus of 4‐CP film making use of the carbodiimide chemistry. Electrodeposition conditions used to control electrode functionalization density and film electron transfer kinetics were assessed by chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The immobilized HRP displayed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) without any mediators. The effect of various operational parameters was explored for optimum analytical performance. The reported biosensor exhibited fast amperometric response (within 5 s) to H₂O₂. The detection limit of the biosensor was 5 μM, and linear range was from 20 μM to 20 mM. Furthermore, the biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and long‐term stability.     

Amperometric Detection of Catechol and Catecholamines by Immobilized Laccase from DeniLite

DeniLite laccase immobilized Pt electrode was used for detection of catechol and catecholamines. The enzymatically oxidized substrates were measured amperometrically. The sensitivities are 210, 75, 60 and 45 nA/μM with the upper limits of linear ranges of 58, 40, 55 and 55 μM and the detection limits (S/N=3) of 0.07, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 μM for catechol, dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NEPI) and epinephrine (EPI), respectively. The response time (t_90%) is about 2 seconds for each substrate and the long‐term stability is around 40–50 days with retaining 80% of initial activity. The very fast response and the remarkable long‐term stability are the principal advantages of this sensor. In case of catechol, the pH response of the sensor is mainly determined by enzyme's pH profile, however, in case of catecholamines, both enzyme's pH profile and reversibility of the substrate are operated and the optimal pHs for NEPI and EPI shift towards acidic range compared to that for DA. The presence of ascorbic acid (<50 μM) did not interfere with the measurement.     

An enzymatic flow injection method for the determination of oxygen

An enzymatic flow injection method for the determination of dissolved oxygen is described. Oxygen from the sample is reduced quantitatively to hydrogen peroxide in a packed-bed reactor containing immobilized glucose oxidase β-d-Glucose is used as a cosubstrate. The effluent is mixed with a stream containing chromogens and fed into a second reactor containing immobilized peroxidase. The coloured product formed is monitored spectrophotometrically. The response is linear from the detection limit (2–5 μM O₂ to air-saturated samples (0.3 mM O₂) when the peak areas are plotted versus the O₂ content in the samples (50 μl). The maximum speed for 1% carry-over is 60 samples per hour and the results are available 25 s after the start of sampling. Broadening of the peak is caused by adsorption of the coloured product in the peroxidase reactor.     

Fibre-optic pesticide biosensor based on covalently immobilized acetylcholinesterase and thymol blue

A fibre-optic based on immobilized acetylcholinesterase is described and its application in the detection of carbamate and organophosphate pesticides through enzyme inhibition measurements is discussed. The bioactive component of the sensor consists of acetylcholinesterase covalently immobilized on preactivated isothiocyanate glass mixed with thymol blue indicator bound on aminopropyl glass and the sensor was constructed by packing a thin layer of the glass bead mixture at the tip of a bifurcated fibre-optic sensor head, which was then integrated with a flow-through cell. The response of the sensor to acetylcholine was highly reproducible (RSD<2%) and readily reversible. The sensor exhibited a linear response to acetylcholine in the concentration range 2.5-25 mM (r(2)=0.992). Inhibition plots obtained for test organophosphate (paraoxon) and carbamate (carbofuran) pesticides exhibited concentration-dependent behaviour and showed linear profiles in the concentration ranges 5x10(-8)-5x10(-7) M for carbofuran and 5x10(-7)-5x10(-6) M for paraoxon. The detection limits, calculated at I(10%), are 1.5x10(-8) M (3.1 ppb) and 1.1x10(-7) M (24.7 ppb) for carbofuran and paraoxon, respectively. The regeneration of paraoxon-inhibited sensor was possible using 2-pyrimidine aldoxime, while repetitive substrate injection was necessary to reactivate the carbofuran-inhibited optrode. The factors affecting the inhibition and reactivation processes were investigated.