Electrochemical behavior of natural and biosynthetic polynucleotides at the pyrolytic graphite electrode A new probe for studies of polynucleotide structure and reactions

The electrochemical oxidation of natural and biosynthetic polynucleotides at a pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE) has been studied under differential pulse voltammetric conditions. Denatured DNA, ribosomal and transfer RNA give two voltammetric peaks. The first (more negative peak, peak G) corresponds to electrochemical oxidation of guanine residues where-as the second, more positive peak (peak A) corresponds to electrochemical oxidation of adenine residues. Native DNA gives rise only to a small peak A, peak G being totally absent. Denatured DNA and its voltammetric oxidation product are both strongly adsorbed at the PGE. Differential pulse voltammetric oxidation of natural and biosynthetic polynucleotides may provide a valuable technique for probing A-T and G-C regions during structural and conformational changes of these molecules and for following their interactions with other solution species.     

Electroanalytical Exploitation of Nitroso Phenyl Modified Carbon‐Thiol Interactions: Application to the Low Voltage Determination of Thiols

The electrochemical generation of nitrosophenyl groups covalently attached to graphite powder (nitrosophenylcarbon) from carbon powder chemically modified with nitrophenyl groups and their subsequent reaction with thiols (glutathione, cysteine and homocysteine) has been investigated as a method by which the later can be quantified. The modified carbon powder was immobilized onto a basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode and characterized by cyclic voltammetry by scanning between 1.0 V and ?1.0 V vs. SCE in phosphate buffer (pH 7). Square wave voltammetry (SWV) was used for the determination of thiols and the SWV parameters were optimized. The nitrosophenylcarbon is electrogenerated from nitrophenylcarbon and can chemically oxidize thiols to disulfides. Subsequent reduction of nitrosophenylcarbon to phenylhydroxylaminecarbon during the square wave voltammetric process leads to a decrease in the reductive current. This can be correlated to the concentration of thiol present within the medium. The cyclic voltammetric responses of basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode, edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode, glassy carbon electrode and boron‐doped diamond electrode in the direct oxidation of thiols were also investigated and all were found to have a significantly higher overpotential compared to the described method using nitrosophenylcarbon.     

Edge Plane Pyrolytic Graphite Electrodes for Halide Detection in Aqueous Solutions

The behavior of chloride, bromide and iodide at edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes has been explored in aqueous acid solutions. The voltammetric response in each case has been compared with that of basal plane pyrolytic graphite, glassy carbon and boron‐doped diamond. The electrochemical oxidation of chloride is found to only occur on boron‐doped diamond while the electrochemical reversibility for the oxidation of bromide on edge plane pyrolytic graphite is similar to that seen at glassy carbon whilst being superior to basal plane pyrolytic graphite and boron‐doped diamond. In the case of iodide oxidation, edge plane and basal plane pyrolytic graphite and glassy carbon display similar electrode kinetics but are all superior to boron‐doped diamond. The analytical possibilities were examined using the edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode for both iodide and bromine where is was found that, based on cyclic voltammetry, detection limits in the order of 10^?6 M are possible.     

Nanodiamond Decorated with Silver Nanoparticles as a Sensitive Film Modifier in a Jeweled Electrochemical Sensor: Application to Voltammetric Determination of Thioridazine

Nanodiamond? graphite (NDG) decorated with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs‐NDG) was prepared and used to construct a novel sensitive sensor for the voltammetric determination of thioridazine (TR). The results indicate a remarkable increase in the oxidation peak currents together with a negative shift in the oxidation peak potentials, in comparison to the bare pyrolytic graphite electrode. Remarkable enhancement in microscopic area of the electrode along with strong adsorption of TR on the surface of the modified electrode resulted in a considerable increase in the peak current of TR. The surface morphology and the nature of the composite film deposited on PGE were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Experimental variables, such as the deposited amount of the modifier suspension, pH of the supporting electrolyte, the accumulation potential and time are optimized by monitoring the CV responses of TR. Under the optimal conditions, the modified electrode showed a wide linear response to the concentration of TR in the range of 0.08–100 µM with a detection limit of 0.01 µM. The prepared modified electrode showed several advantages: simple preparation method, high stability and uniformity in the composite film, high sensitivity, long‐term stability and remarkable voltammetric reproducibility in response to TR. The modified electrode can be successfully applied for accurate determination of trace amounts of TR in pharmaceutical and clinical preparations.     

Detection and determination of xanthine in xanthosine by electrochemical methods

Xanthine and xanthosine are oxidized voltammetrically at the pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE) at different potentials. The difference between the peak potentials of xanthine and xanthosine becomes most pronounced at pH 7–8. The presence of small amounts of xanthine in xanthosine samples is readily detected by linear sweep voltammetry at the PGE by the appearance of the voltammetric peak of xanthine. Xanthine present in xanthosine can be determined by controlled potential coulometric oxidation of the xanthine. The reproducibility of the method is ± 5–10%.     

Oxidation of 2-aminoquinoline at a stationary pyrolytic graphite electrode

The oxidation of 2-aminoquinoline was studied at a stationary pyrolytic graphite electrode in methanol-phosphate buffer at 25°C using various electroanalytical techniques. In the entire pH range (2.2–10.4), 2-aminoquinoline is oxidized and exhibits a well defined oxidation peak following a 2e^?, 2H⁺ process to give, 2,2′-azoquinoline as the major product. The linear relationship between peak current at a pyrolytic graphite electrode and concentration indicated that 2-aminoquinoline can be determined in the concentration range 0.1–1.0 mM. On the basis of cyclic voltammetry, spectral studies and controlled-potential coulometry, a mechanism of the electrode process is proposed.     

Electrochemical oxidation of sulphapyridine at a pyrolytic graphite electrode

The electrochemical oxidation of sulphapyridine at a pyrolytic graphite electrode was studied over a wide pH range. Sulphapyridine is oxidized in an irreversible reaction involving two electrons and two protons to give an electroactive product. On the basis of voltammetric, spectral and coulometric studies and product identification, a tentative mechanism is suggested.     

Electrochemical Determination of Pyrogallol at Conducting Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) Film‐Modified Screen‐Printed Carbon Electrodes

The electrochemical oxidation of pyrogallol at electrogenerated poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) film‐modified screen‐printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) was investigated. The voltammetric peak for the oxidation of pyrogallol in a pH 7 buffer solution at the modified electrode occurred at 0.13 V, much lower than the bare SPCE and preanodized SPCE. The experimental parameters, including electropolymerization conditions, solution pH values and applied potentials were optimized to improve the voltammetric responses. A linear calibration plot, based on flow‐injection amperometry, was obtained for 1–1000 µM pyrogallol, and a slope of 0.030 µA/µM was obtained. The detection limit (S/N=3) was 0.63 µM.     

Oxidation of Sanguinarine and Its Dihydro‐Derivative at a Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode Using Ex Situ Voltammetry. Study of the Interactions of the Alkaloids with DNA

This study describes the oxidation of sanguinarine (SG) and its metabolite dihydrosanguinarine (DHSG) on the surface of a basal‐plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE). Since both alkaloids strongly adsorb onto the surface of pyrolytic graphite, measurements were performed using ex situ voltammetric methods, adsorptive transfer (AdT) cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square‐wave voltammetry (SWV). Oxidation peaks of SG (peak A) and DHSG (peak A*) were observed around the potential of +0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl), depending on the experimental conditions. The voltammetric peaks A and A* are probably related to the oxidation of N‐methylphenanthridine nitrogenous heterocycle of SG and oxidation of DHSG back to SG, respectively. The electrochemical results and optimized AdT SWV were subsequently applied to the study of the interactions of SG and DHSG with DNA in vitro. Analysis of the alkaloid/DNA interactions was based on observing heights of oxidation peaks A and A* after incubation of SG and/or DHSG with supercoiled (sc) DNA [pBSK_(?)]. Electrochemical study of the interactions was supported and complemented with measurements using gel electrophoresis (Topoisomerase I scDNA relaxation assay) and steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The results suggest that SG intercalates into the double‐stranded structure of scDNA (the SG/base pair ratio is max. 1/4) while increased binding affinity was observed for quaternary cation (SG⁺). DHSG which, unlike SG⁺, does not possess a strictly planar molecular structure, did not show intercalative DNA binding in any of the three methods applied.     

Adsorptive Voltammetric Behaviors of Resveratrol at Graphite Electrode and its Determination in Tablet Dosage Form

The adsorptive voltammetric behavior of resveratrol was studied at a graphite electrode in B‐R buffer (pH = 6.0) solution using adsorptive cyclic voltammetric technique. The oxidation of resveratrol is an irreversible adsorption controlled process. The oxidation mechanism was proposed and discussed in this work. The dependence of the current on pH and the concentration and nature of buffer were investigated to optimize the experimental conditions for the determination of resveratrol. It was found that in the range of 8.0 × 10^?9 ～ 2.0 × 10^?6 mol/L, the currents measured by differential pulse voltammetries presented a good linear property as a function of the concentrations of resveratrol. In addition, validation parameters, such as reproducibility, sensitivity and recovery were evaluated as well. The proposed method was also successfully applied for the determination of resveratrol in Chinese patent medicine with good results.     

Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Studies on the Interaction of Gatifloxacin,Moxifloxacin and Sparfloxacin with DNA and Their Analytical Applications

The electrochemical oxidation of the three fluoroquinolone drugs FQs: gatifloxacin GTF, moxifloxacin MXF and sparfloxacin SPF, at the bare and DNA‐modified glassy carbon electrodes has been studied by voltammetric techniques. The three FQs showed one irreversible oxidation peak at potential range 0.85–0.91 V vs. Ag‐AgCl, in phosphate buffer of pH 7.0. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and UV‐absorption spectroscopic techniques were employed to probe the interaction between the FQs and calf thymus double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ds CT‐DNA). From electrochemical data, the binding constant between DNA and the gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin and sparfloxacin are calculated to be 3228, 2596 and 2857 M^?1 respectively. Based on electrochemical and spectroscopic results, the mode of binding of fluoroquinolone to DNA through combined effect of intercalation and electrostatic interaction was concluded. A detection scheme based on a preconcentration and differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) determination at dsDNA modified glassy carbon electrode (DNA/GCE) was proposed for the trace determination of the studied analytes. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of the FQs in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Improved Sensing of Capsaicin with TiO2 Nanoparticles Modified Epoxy Graphite Electrode

The presented research focuses on the electrochemical determination of capsaicin, a lipophilic alkaloid which originates hotness in chili peppers. An electrochemical sensor based on epoxy‐graphite composite with the modification of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles is developed for the determination of this alkaloid. The measurements were carried out in glycine buffer at pH 2.5 using cyclic voltammetry. Two linear concentration ranges were obtained from 6 to 75 μM (R=0.99) and from 12 to 138 μM, with a detection limit of 5.34 μM and 11.3 μM capsaicin, for 1^st and 2^nd oxidation peak, respectively. The main advantage of developed sensor is its repeatability and robustness against fouling; the relative standard deviation (RSD) value was 2.53 % (n=10). This voltammetric sensing procedure has successfully been applied to quantify capsaicin in various real samples such as hot chili sauce and pharmaceutical preparations.     

Electrochemical Study of Gliclazide and Its Complexation with β‐Cyclodextrin

The electrochemical oxidation of gliclazide has been investigated at glassy carbon electrode in phosphate buffer solutions over the pH range 2.7–11.8 using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Gliclazide exhibited one anodic peak in the pH range of 2.7–6.3 and a second peak was produced above pH 6.3. The oxidation processes have been shown to be irreversible and diffusion controlled. The formation of an inclusion complex of gliclazide with β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) has been investigated by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry. A phase solubility study with spectrophotometric detection has been also applied. The stability constant of the complex was determined to be 839 and 360 M^?1 using the differential pulse voltammetric method and the phase solubility method, respectively.     

Voltammetry of Benzo[a]pyrene in Aqueous and Nonaqueous Media: Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric Determination at Pencil Graphite Electrode

A detailed study of the electrochemical oxidation of Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) at the glassy carbon and pencil graphite electrodes was carried out in aqueous and nonaqueous media. Using square‐wave stripping mode, the compound yielded a well‐defined voltammetric response at pencil graphite electrode in acetate buffer, pH 4.8 at +1.13 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) (a preconcentration step being carried out at a fixed potential of +0.70 V for 180 s). The process could be used to determine BaP concentrations in the range 0.25–1.25 μM, with a detection limit of 0.027 μM (6.82 μg L^?1). The applicability to assay of spiked human urine samples was also illustrated.     

Electrochemical reduction of 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid. mechanism and analytical applications

The electrochemical reduction of 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid has been studied at the dropping mercury electrode (DME) and the pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE). At the DME the single polarographic reduction wave observed at pH 6–11 involves a direct 4e—2H⁺ reduction of the carbon-halogen bond to give hydurilic acid and chloride. The state of hydration or ionization of the 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid has no effect on the electrochemical reaction. At the PGE, 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid shows two voltammetric peaks. Peak I_c, observed between pH 5 and 7, arises from an overall 4e—2H⁺ reduction of 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid via a mechanism that involves initial electron attack at a carbonyl group alpha to a carbon-halogen bond with simultaneous elimination of chloride ion. The peak II_c process involves an initial 2e—1H⁺ reduction of a partially hydrated form of 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid with only one unhydrated halocarbonyl moiety available for reaction. Attack is again via the carbonyl group with simultaneous elimination of chloride and formation of 5-chlorohydurilic acid. A chemical dehydration step then occurs with a rate constant of ca. 0.24 s^?1 at pH 8.2, with formation of a further reducible halocarbonyl group. This is again reduced in an overall 2e—2H⁺ reaction to give hydurilic acid and chloride ion. The peak II_c process hence proceeds via an ECE mechanism. The different mechanisms observed for reduction of 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid at mercury and pyrolytic graphite electrodes are unusual. Analytical methods have been developed for the polarographic determination of 5,5′-dichlorohydurilic acid via its reduction wave at the DME, and for the voltammetric determination of hydurilic acid via its first oxidation peak at the PGE.     

The Quantitative Detection of Phenylephrine in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Spiked Human Urine by Voltammetry

A voltammetric method was used for the quantitative detection of phenylephrine in pharmaceutical preparations and spiked human urine. The electrochemical measurements were carried out in various buffer solutions in the pH range from 0.51 to 12.00 on ultra-trace graphite electrode (UTGE) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques. The dependence of pH on the oxidation peak current and peak potential was investigated. Britton–Robinson buffer (pH 8.02) was selected for analytical purposes. The peak was established to be diffusion controlled nature of electrode. A linear calibration curve for DPV analysis was constructed in the phenylephrine concentration range from 8 × 10^–6 to 1 × 10^–4 M. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were obtained as 2.07 × 10^–7 M and 6.91 × 10^–6 M respectively. The repeatability, accuracy and precision of the developed technique were checked in spiked urine and pharmaceutical preparations.     

Electrochemical Determination of Boric Acid Using the Boric Acid–Tiron Complexation System

For monitoring the boron concentration in reverse osmosis (RO) water produced by desalination plants, a voltammetric determination method for the amount of electrochemically inactive boron has been developed by using the complexation with 4,5‐dihydroxybenzene‐1,3‐disulfonic acid (Tiron). Cyclic voltammetric measurements showed the oxidation peak of boric acid–Tiron 1 : 1 complex at 920 mV. This peak was successfully applied to the determination of boron in RO water with the LOD of 0.1 mg B dm^?3 by using differential pulse voltammetry. The redox and acid–dissociation behaviors of Tiron and its boron complex are found to depend on the properties of pH buffer reagent.     

A Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for Voltammetric Determination of Ganciclovir Based on Au‐ZnS Nanocomposite

An electrode modified with ZnS and gold nanoparticles (Au‐ZnS NPs) is introduced for highly sensitive voltammetric determination of ganciclovir (GCV). Surface structure and topography of the modified electrode was studied by SEM, EDX and XRD techniques. Electrochemical oxidation of GCV was investigated by cyclic (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) in Briton‐Robinson buffer solution (pH 1.5). The results showed that electrochemical oxidation of GCV at the Au‐ZnS modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) is irreversible and exhibited diffusion controlled electrode process over the pH range from 1.0 to 6.0. The oxidation potential peak and pH relationship showed that electrons and protons were transferred simultaneously over the electrochemical oxidation process. Using the proposed sensor, the linear calibration curves were obtained in the ranges of 0.04–1.50 μM and 1.5–70.0 μM with detection limit of 0.01 μM GCV by SWV technique. The modified electrode was successfully applied as a sensitive, reproducible and repeatable sensor for determination of the trace amount of GCV in human serum, urine and cymevene vials. Reasonable results were obtained from comparing the measurements of the real samples by the new sensor to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a standard method.     

The Direct Electrochemical Oxidation of Ammonia in Propylene Carbonate: A Generic Approach to Amperometric Gas Sensors

The direct electrochemical oxidation of ammonia in propylene carbonate is reported for the first time. The voltammetric responses at glassy carbon, boron‐doped diamond, edge and basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes are explored and compared with the outcome indicating that the optimum electrode substrate for analytical purposes in this solvent is glassy carbon. Proof‐of‐concept is shown for the amperometric detection of ammonia using basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes abrasively modified with glassy carbon spheres. Given the significantly lower vapor pressure of propylene carbonate in comparison to water the implications for extending the life‐time of practical sensors are evident. Propylene carbonate shows a wide potential window with glassy carbon electrodes permitting this approach to be used for a potential diversity of gaseous analytes.     

Differential pulse voltammetric oxidation of polyinosinic acid and its components

The differential pulse voltammetric oxidation of polyinosinic acid (poly(I)), inosine-5'-monophosphate, inosine and hypoxanthine at a pyrolytic graphite electrode has been studied. Poly(I) gives a single, pH-dependent voltammetric oxidation peak which is well separated from the single peak observed for very low concentrations of hypoxanthine. An electroanalytical method for the detection and determination of trace amounts of hypoxanthine in poly(I) samples is described.