Preparation and characterization of Prussian blue nanowire array and bioapplication for glucose biosensing

Prussian blue nanowire array (PBNWA) was prepared via electrochemical deposition with polycarbonate membrane template for effective modification of glassy carbon electrode. The PBNWA electrode thus obtained was demonstrated to have high-catalytic activity for the electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide in neutral media. This enabled the PBNWA electrode to show rapid response to H₂O₂ at a low potential of −0.1 V over a wide range of concentrations from 1 × 10⁻⁷ M to 5 × 10⁻² M with a high sensitivity of 183 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻². Such a low-working potential also substantially improved the selectivity of the PBNWA electrode against most electroactive species such as ascorbic acid and uric acid in physiological media. A detection limit of 5 × 10⁻⁸ M was obtained using the PBNWA electrode for H₂O₂, which compared favorably with most electroanalysis procedures for H₂O₂. A biosensor toward glucose was then constructed with the PBNWA electrode as the basic electrode by crosslinking glucose oxidase (GOx). The glucose biosensor allowed rapid, selective and sensitive determination of glucose at −0.1 V. The amperometric response exhibited a linear correlation to glucose concentration through an expanded range from 2 × 10⁻⁶ M to 1 × 10⁻² M, and the response time and detection limit were determined to be 3 s and 1 μM, respectively.     

Yeast cells sucrose biosensor based on a potentiometric oxygen electrode

A new microbial biosensor based on an immobilised microorganisms (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and a potentiometric oxygen electrode is described. Determination is based on the respiratory activity of the microorganism in presence of different sugars (sucrose and glucose). A response time of ca. 4 min for the steady-state method and 2 min for the initial slope method was obtained. Potentiometric detection has the advantage of an extended calibration range and a low detection limit. The calibration curve for sucrose was linear in the range 1×10⁻⁵ to 3×10⁻² M. This biosensor was used for selective monitoring of sucrose in the presence of glucose, using a second anti-interference enzymatic layer with glucose oxidase (GOD) and catalase (CAT). Interference of glucose in the determination of sucrose decreases from 15% for a microbial biosensor to a maximum 3.5% for the hybrid biosensor. The hybrid biosensor was used to determine sucrose in soft drinks. A good correlation between the results for the biosensor and a spectrophotometric method with dinitrosalicylic acid was achieved.     

A colloidal suspension of nanostructured poly(N-butyl benzimidazole)-graphene sheets with high oxidase yield for analytical glucose and choline detections

A colloidal suspension of nanostructured poly(N-butyl benzimidazole)-graphene sheets (PBBIns-Gs) was used to modify a gold electrode to form a three-dimensional PBBIns-Gs/Au electrode that was sensitive to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the presence of acetic acid (AcOH). The positively charged nanostructured poly(N-butyl benzimidazole) (PBBIns) separated the graphene sheets (Gs) and kept them suspended in an aqueous solution. Additionally, graphene sheets (Gs) formed “diaphragms” that intercalated Gs, which separated PBBIns to prevent tight packing and enhanced the surface area. The PBBIns-Gs/Au electrode exhibited superior sensitivity toward H₂O₂ relative to the PBBIns-modified Au (PBBIns/Au) electrode. Furthermore, a high yield of glucose oxidase (GOD) on the PBBIns-Gs of 52.3 mg GOD per 1 mg PBBIns-Gs was obtained from the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged PBBIns-Gs and negatively charged GOD. The non-destructive immobilization of GOD on the surface of the PBBIns-Gs (GOD-PBBIns-Gs) retained 91.5% and 39.2% of bioactivity, respectively, relative to free GOD for the colloidal suspension of the GOD-PBBIns-Gs and its modified Au (GOD-PBBIns-Gs/Au) electrode. Based on advantages including a negative working potential, high sensitivity toward H₂O₂, and non-destructive immobilization, the proposed glucose biosensor based on an GOD-PBBIns-Gs/Au electrode exhibited a fast response time (5.6 s), broad detection range (10 μM to 10 mM), high sensitivity (143.5 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²) and selectivity, and excellent stability. Finally, a choline biosensor was developed by dipping a PBBIns-Gs/Au electrode into a choline oxidase (ChOx) solution for enzyme loading. The choline biosensor had a linear range of 0.1 μM to 0.83 mM, sensitivity of 494.9 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻², and detection limit of 0.02 μM. The results of glucose and choline measurement indicate that the PBBIns-Gs/Au electrode provides a useful platform for the development of oxidase-based biosensors.     

In situ chemo-synthesized multi-wall carbon nanotube-conductive polyaniline nanocomposites: characterization and application for a glucose amperometric biosensor

A new glucose amperometric biosensor, based on electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles onto the surface of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT)-polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites, and then immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD) with covalent interaction and adsorption effect, was constructed in this paper. Firstly, the MWNT-PANI nanocomposites had been synthesized by in situ polymerization and were characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and ultraviolet and visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra. The assembled process of the modified electrode was probed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Chronoamperometry was used to study the electrochemical performance of the resulting biosensor. The glucose biosensor exhibited a linear calibration curve over the range from 3.0 μM to 8.2 mM, with a detection limit of 1.0 μM and a high sensitivity of 16.1 μA mM⁻¹. The biosensor also showed a short response time (within 5 s). Furthermore, the reproducibility, stability and interferences of the biosensor were also investigated.     

Nanocomposite based on depositing platinum nanostructure onto carbon nanotubes through a one-pot, facile synthesis method for amperometric sensing

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were deposited onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) through direct chemical reduction without any other stabilizing agents. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry were employed to characterize the morphology of the as-prepared nanocomposite (noted as Pt NPs-MWNTs) and further identify the Pt NPs on the surface of MWNTs. The nanocomposite demonstrated the ability to electrocatalyze the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide and substantially raises the response current. A sensitivity of 591.33 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² was obtained at Pt NPs-MWNTs modified electrode. Thus, we immobilized glucose oxidase (GOD) as a model enzyme on the nanocomposite-based electrode with a thin layer of Nafion to fabricate a glucose biosensor, which showed sensitive and fast response to glucose. The influence of the GOD loading was investigated and the biosensor with an enzyme loading concentration of 10 mg/mL shows optimal performance for glucose detection, that is, a detection limit of 3 μM and a response time of 3 s, respectively.     

Electrochemical study of mono-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene capped on gold nanoparticles: Characterization and application to the design of glucose amperometric biosensor

A novel amperometric glucose sensor based on inclusion complex of mono-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene capped on gold nanoparticles (GNPs/CD-Fc) and glucose oxidase (GOD) was described. The inclusion complex of mono-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene capped on gold nanoparticles played an effective role of an electron shuttle and allowed the detection of glucose at 0.25 V (versus SCE), with dramatically reduced interference from easily oxidizable constituents. The sensor (GNPs/CD-Fc/GOD) showed a relatively fast response time (5 s), low detection limit (15 μM, S/N = 3), and high sensitivity (ca. 18.2 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻²) with a linear range of 0.08-11.5 mM of glucose. The excellent sensitivity was possibly attributed to the presence of the GNPs/CD-Fc film that can provide a convenient electron tunneling between the protein and the electrode. In addition, the biosensor demonstrated high anti-interference ability, stability and natural life. The good stability and natural life can be attributed to the following two aspects: on the one hand, the fabrication process was mild and no damage was made on the enzyme molecule, on the other hand, the GNPs possessed good biocompatibility that could retain the bioactivity of the enzyme molecules immobilized on the electrode.     

Seed-mediated synthesis of copper nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes and their application in nonenzymatic glucose biosensors

In this paper, for the first time, Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs) were prepared by seed-mediated growth method with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) playing the role of seeds. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and AuNPs were first dropped on the surface of glassy carbon (GC) electrode, and then the electrode was immersed into growth solution that contained CuSO₄ and hydrazine. CuNPs were successfully grown on the surface of the CNTs. The modified electrode showed a very high electrochemical activity for electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in alkaline medium, which was utilized as the basis of the fabrication of a nonenzymatic biosensor for electrochemical detection of glucose. The biosensor can be applied to the quantification of glucose with a linear range covering from 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 5 × 10⁻³ M and a low detection limit of 3 × 10⁻⁸ M. Furthermore, the experiment results also showed that the biosensor exhibited good reproducibility and long-term stability, as well as high selectivity with no interference from other oxidable species.     

Development of glucose amperometric biosensor based on a novel attractive enzyme immobilization matrix: amino derivative of thiacalix[4]arene

Calixarenes and their derivatives may be a promising material for enzyme immobilization owing to their particular configuration, unique molecule recognition function and aggregation properties. In this paper, p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene tetra-amine (TC4TA) was first used as enzyme immobilization material. This attractive material was exploited for the mild immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) to develop glucose amperometric biosensor. GOD was strongly adsorbed on the TC4TA modified electrode to form TC4TA/GOD composite membrane. The adsorption mechanism was driven from the covalent bond between amino-group of TC4TA and carboxyl group of GOD and molecule recognition function of TC4TA. Amperometric detection of glucose was evaluated by holding the modified electrode at 0.60 V (versus SCE) to oxidize the hydrogen peroxide generated by the enzymatic reaction. The sensor (TC4TA/GOD) showed a relative fast response (response time was about 5 s), low detection limit (20 μM, S/N = 3), and high sensitivity (ca. 10.2 mA M⁻¹ cm⁻²) with a linear range of 0.08–10 mM of glucose, as well as a good operational and storage stability. In addition, optimization of the biosensor construction, the effects of the applied potential as well as common interfering compounds on the amperometric response of the sensor were investigated and discussed herein.     

Amperometric choline biosensors prepared by layer-by-layer deposition of choline oxidase on the Prussian blue-modified platinum electrode

An amperometric choline biosensor was developed by immobilizing choline oxidase (ChOx) in a layer-by-layer (LBL) multilayer film on a platinum (Pt) electrode modified with Prussian blue (PB). 6-O-Ethoxytrimethylammoniochitosan chloride (EACC) was used to prepare the ChOx LBL films. The choline biosensor was used at 0.0 V versus Ag/AgCl to detect choline and exhibited good characteristics such as relative low detection limit (5 × 10⁻⁷ M), short response time (within 10 s), high sensitivity (88.6 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²) and a good selectivity. The results were explained based on the ultrathin nature of the LBL films and the low operating potential that could be due to the efficient catalytic reduction of H₂O₂ by PB. In addition, the effects of pH, temperature and applied potential on the amperometric response of choline biosensor were evaluated. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant was found to be (0.083 ± 0.001) ×10⁻³ M. The biosensor showed excellent long-term storage stability, which originates from a strong adsorption of ChOx in the EACC multilayer film. When the present choline biosensor was applied to the analysis of phosphatidylcholine in serum samples, the measurement values agreed satisfactorily with those by a hospital method.     

Composite film of carbon nanotubes and chitosan for preparation of amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor

A new amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide was developed based on cross-linking horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by glutaraldehyde with multiwall carbon nanotubes/chitosan (MWNTs/chitosan) composite film coated on a glassy carbon electrode. MWNTs were firstly dissolved in a chitosan solution. Then the morphology of MWNTs/chitosan composite film was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that MWNTs were well soluble in chitosan and robust films could be formed on the surface. HRP was cross-linked by glutaraldehyde with MWNTs/chitosan film to prepare a hydrogen peroxide biosensor. The enzyme electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity and rapid response for H₂O₂ in the absence of a mediator. The linear range of detection towards H₂O₂ (applied potential: −0.2 V) was from 1.67 × 10⁻⁵ to 7.40 × 10⁻⁴ M with correction coefficient of 0.998. The biosensor had good repeatability and stability for the determination of H₂O₂. There were no interferences from ascorbic acid, glucose, citrate acid and lactic acid.     

A novel amperometric biosensor for the detection of nitrophenol

We report on a novel amperometric biosensor for detecting phenolic compounds based on the co-immobilization of horseradish-peroxidase (HRP) and methylene blue (MB) with chitosan on Au-modified TiO₂ nanotube arrays. The titania nanotube arrays were directly grown on a Ti substrate using anodic oxidation first; a gold thin film was then coated onto the TiO₂ nanotubes by an argon plasma technique. The morphology and composition of the fabricated Au-modified TiO₂ nanotube arrays were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Cyclic voltammetry and amperometry were used to study the proposed electrochemical biosensor. The effect of pH, applied electrode potential and the concentration of H₂O₂ on the sensitivity of the biosensor have been systemically investigated. The performance of the proposed biosensor was tested using seven different phenolic compounds, showing very high sensitivity; in particular, the linearity of the biosensor for the detection of 3-nitrophenol was observed from 3 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.2 × 10⁻⁴ M with a detection limit of 9 × 10⁻⁸ M (based on the S/N = 3).     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase entrapped in nano gold particles-ionic liquid-N,N-dimethylformamide composite film on glassy carbon electrode and glucose sensing

The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) entrapped in nano gold particles (NAs)-N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluophosphate (BMIMPF₆) composite film on a glassy carbon electrode (NAs-DMF-GOD (BMIMPF₆)/GC) has been investigated for first time. The immobilized GOD exhibits a pair of well-defined reversible peaks in 0.050 M pH 5 phosphate solutions (PS), resulting from the redox of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) in GOD. The peak currents are three times as large as those of GOD-NAs-DMF film coated GC electrode (i.e. NAs-DMF-GOD (water)/GC). In addition, the NAs-DMF-GOD (BMIMPF₆) composite material has higher thermal stability than NAs-DMF-GOD (water). Results show that ionic liquid BMIMPF₆, DMF and NAs are requisite for GOD to exhibit a pair of stable and reversible peaks. Without any of them, the peaks of GOD become small and unstable. Upon the addition of glucose, the peak currents of GOD decrease and a new cathodic peak occurs at −0.8 V (versus SCE), which corresponds to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) generated by the catalytic oxidation of glucose. The peak current of the new cathodic peak and the glucose concentration show a linear relationship in the ranges of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ M and 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁵ M. The kinetic parameter I_max of H₂O₂ is estimated to be 1.19 × 10⁻⁶ A and the apparent K_m (Michaelis-Menten constant) for the enzymatic reaction is 3.49 μM. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of glucose in human plasma and beer samples, and the average recoveries are 97.2% and 99%, respectively.     

A novel protocol for ultra-trace detection of pesticides: Combined electrochemical reduction of Ellman's reagent with acetylcholinesterase inhibition

This paper proposed a novel method for ultra-trace detection of pesticides combining electrochemical reduction of Ellman's reagent with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. The amperometric biosensor, fabricated by immobilizing AChE on multi-walled carbon nanotubes-chitosan (MWCNTs-Chi) nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode, enjoyed high sensitivity owing to the excellent conductivity and favourable biocompatibility of MWCNTs-Chi nanocomposites. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of the biosensor was further enhanced using the electrochemical reduction signal of DTNB for determination. Under optimum conditions, methyl parathion was detected based on its inhibition effect on AChE activity and the subsequent change in electrochemical reduction response of DTNB. Good relationship was obtained between the reduction current and pesticide concentration in the ranges of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.0 × 10⁻¹² M with a detection limit of 7.5 × 10⁻¹³ M (S/N = 3). Moreover, the proposed protocol was successfully employed for the determination of methyl parathion in water and soil samples.     

A novel amperometric sensor for the detection of difenidol hydrochloride based on the modification of Ru(bpy)3 on a glassy carbon electrode

An amperometric sensor for the detection of difenidol, a tertiary amine-containing analyte, was proposed. Ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/Nafion composite film was suggested to modify the glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrode was shown to be an excellent amperometric sensor for the detection of difenidol hydrochloride. The linear range is from 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 3.3 × 10⁻⁵ M with a correlation coefficient of 0.998. The limit of detection was 5 × 10⁻⁷ M, which was obtained through experimental determination based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three. The sensor was employed to the determination of the active ingredients in the tablets containing difenidol hydrochloride.     

Microwave plasma treated carbon nanotubes and their electrochemical biosensing application

A convenient microwave plasma treatment method with ammonia precursor was proposed to enhance the solubility of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The SEM, XRD and FTIR spectra clearly demonstrated that the carbon skeleton structure of the resultant ammonia plasma-treated CNTs (ammonia PT-CNTs) was not destroyed and amine groups of different forms were successfully coupled to CNTs in the MWP treatment process. The ammonia PT-CNTs have excellent solubility in water and are insoluble in nonpolar tetrahydrofuran, and the cyclic voltammograms suggest that the enhanced wetting properties clearly favor faster electron transfer kinetics on the ammonia PT-CNT electrodes. By choosing glucose oxidase as a model enzyme, the application of the ammonia PT-CNTs in construction of biosensors was further investigated. Due to the biocompatibility and electron transfer capability of the ammonia PT-CNTs, the resultant GOD biosensor displayed a good sensing performance. The biosensor has a fast response of less than 10 s, and the response current linearly increases with the glucose concentration in the range of 1.2 × 10⁻⁴ to 7.5 × 10⁻³ M with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ M.     

Modification of polypyrrole nanowires array with platinum nanoparticles and glucose oxidase for fabrication of a novel glucose biosensor

A novel glucose biosensor, based on the modification of well-aligned polypyrrole nanowires array (PPyNWA) with Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) and subsequent surface adsorption of glucose oxidase (GOx), is described. The distinct differences in the electrochemical properties of PPyNWA–GOx, PPyNWA–PtNPs, and PPyNWA–PtNPs–GOx electrodes were revealed by cyclic voltammetry. In particular, the results obtained for PPyNWA–PtNPs–GOx biosensor showed evidence of direct electron transfer due mainly to modification with PtNPs. Optimum fabrication of the PPyNWA–PtNPs–GOx biosensor for both potentiometric and amperometric detection of glucose were achieved with 0.2 M pyrrole, applied current density of 0.1 mA cm⁻², polymerization time of 600 s, cyclic deposition of PtNPs from −200 mV to 200 mV, scan rate of 50 mV s⁻¹, and 20 cycles. A sensitivity of 40.5 mV/decade and a linear range of 10 μM to 1000 μM (R² = 0.9936) were achieved for potentiometric detection, while for amperometric detection a sensitivity of 34.7 μA cm⁻² mM⁻¹ at an applied potential of 700 mV and a linear range of 0.1–9 mM (R² = 0.9977) were achieved. In terms of achievable detection limit, potentiometric detection achieved 5.6 μM of glucose, while amperometric detection achieved 27.7 μM.     

Integrated multienzyme electrochemical biosensors for monitoring malolactic fermentation in wines

Integrated amperometric biosensors for the determination of l-malic and l-lactic acids were developed by coimmobilization of the enzymes l-malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and diaphorase (DP), or l-lactate oxidase (LOX) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), respectively, together with the redox mediator tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), on a 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-modified gold electrode by using a dialysis membrane. The electrochemical oxidation of TTF at +100 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl), and the reduction of TTF⁺ at −50 mV were used for the monitoring of the enzyme reactions involved in l-malic and l-lactic acid determinations, respectively. Experimental variables concerning the biosensors composition and the detection conditions were optimized for each biosensor. Good relative standard deviation values were obtained in both cases for the measurements carried out with the same biosensor, with no need of cleaning or pretreatment of the bioelectrodes surface, and with different biosensors constructed in the same manner. After 7 days of continuous use, the MDH/DP biosensor still exhibited 90% of the original sensitivity, while the LOX/HRP biosensor yielded a 91% of the original response after 5 days. Calibration graphs for l-malic and l-lactic were obtained with linear ranges of 5.2 × 10⁻⁷ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁵ and 4.2 × 10⁻⁷ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁵ M, respectively. The calculated detection limits were 5.2 × 10⁻⁷ and 4.2 × 10⁻⁷ M, respectively. The biosensors exhibited a high selectivity with no significant interferences. They were applied to monitor malolactic fermentation (MLF) induced by inoculation of Lactobacillus plantarum CECT 748^T into a synthetic wine. Samples collected during MLF were assayed for l-malic and l-lactic acids, and the results obtained with the biosensors exhibited a very good correlation when plotted against those obtained by using commercial enzymatic kits.     

Mediator-free amperometric determination of glucose based on direct electron transfer between glucose oxidase and an oxidized boron-doped diamond electrode

A mediator-free glucose biosensor, termed a “third-generation biosensor,” was fabricated by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD) directly onto an oxidized boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. The surface of the oxidized BDD electrode possesses carboxyl groups (as shown by Raman spectra) which covalently cross-link with GOD through glutaraldehyde. Glucose was determined in the absence of a mediator used to transfer electrons between the electrode and enzyme. O₂ has no effect on the electron transfer. The effects of experimental variables (applied potential, pH and cross-link time) were investigated in order to optimize the analytical performance of the amperometric detection method. The resulting biosensor exhibited fast amperometric response (less than 5 s) to glucose. The biosensor provided a linear response to glucose over the range 6.67×10⁻⁵ to 2×10⁻³ mol/L, with a detection limit of 2.31×10⁻⁵ mol/L. The lifetime, reproducibility and measurement repeatability were evaluated and satisfactory results were obtained.     

Electrochemiluminescence biosensor for the assay of small molecule and protein based on bifunctional aptamer and chemiluminescent functionalized gold nanoparticles

An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for simultaneous detection of adenosine and thrombin in one sample based on bifunctional aptamer and N-(aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) functionalized gold nanoparticles (ABEI-AuNPs) was developed. A streptavidin coated gold nanoparticles modified electrode was utilized to immobilize biotinylated bifunctional aptamer (ATA), which consisted of adenosine and thrombin aptamer. The ATA performed as recognition element of capture probe. For adenosine detection, ABEI-AuNPs labeled hybridization probe with a partial complementary sequence of ATA reacted with ATA, leading to a strong ECL response of N-(aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) enriched on ABEI-AuNPs. After recognition of adenosine, the hybridization probe was displaced by adenosine and ECL signal declined. The decrease of ECL signal was in proportion to the concentration of adenosine over the range of 5.0 × 10⁻¹²–5.0 × 10⁻⁹ M with a detection limit of 2.2 × 10⁻¹² M. For thrombin detection, thrombin was assembled on ATA modified electrode via aptamer–target recognition, another aptamer of thrombin tagged with ABEI-AuNPs was bounded to another reactive site of thrombin, producing ECL signals. The ECL intensity was linearly with the concentration of thrombin from 5 × 10⁻¹⁴ M to 5 × 10⁻¹⁰ M with a detection limit of 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁴ M. In the ECL biosensor, adenosine and thrombin can be detected when they coexisted in one sample and a multi-analytes assay was established. The sensitivity of the present biosensor is superior to most available aptasensors for adenosine and thrombin. The biosensor also showed good selectivity towards the targets. Being challenged in real plasma sample, the biosensor was confirmed to be a good prospect for multi-analytes assay of small molecules and proteins in biological samples.     

Determination of nitrite using sensors based on nickel phthalocyanine polymer modified electrodes

An amperometric nitrite sensor based on a polymeric nikel tetraaminothphalocyanine (p-NiTAPc) film coated glassy carbon (GC) electrode was developed. The mechanism of catalysis on the surface of the electrode was discussed. The sensor exhibited fast respond towards nitrite with a detection limit of 1×10⁻⁷ M and a linear concentration range of 5×10⁻⁷ to 8×10⁻³ M. The possible interference from several common ions was tested. The proposed method was successfully applied in the detection of nitrite in real samples.