Electrochemiluminescence DNA sensor based on Ru(bpy) 3 2+ -doped silica nanoparticle labeling and proximity-dependent surface hybridization assay

A new electrochemiluminescence (ECL) method based on the proximity-dependent surface hybridization assay and Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-doped silica nanoparticles (Ru-DSNPs) as labels were proposed for detecting DNA. The hybridization process involves two steps: firstly, the 3′ thiolated capture probe was self-assembled on the gold electrode. Secondly, the proximity-dependent surface hybridization assay was carried out. This proximity-dependent surface hybridization assay depended on the simultaneous recognition of a target DNA by a capture probe and Ru-DSNP-labeled probe and the formation of a duplex complex, which results in the luminophor approach to the electrode surface. Thus, sensitive ECL signals were obtained. Under optimum conditions, the intensity of the ECL of Ru-DSNPs was linearly related to the concentration of the target sequence in the range of 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ to 2.0 × 10⁻¹¹ mol/L. The detection limit was 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ mol/L (S/N = 3).     

DNA sensor by using electrochemiluminescence of acridinium ester initiated by tripropylamine

It was found that tripropylamine (TPA) could be used as a coreactant to initiate the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of acridinium NHS ester (AE NHS) labels attached to DNA. The radicals generated in the electro-oxidation process of TPA reacted with AE NHS to form the excited N-methylacridone, giving rise to light emission. The AE/TPA ECL system was for the first time used as the detection system for developing an ECL-based DNA sensor. In the protocol, streptavidin-modified gold nanoparticles were firstly immobilized onto a thiol-treated gold electrode. The streptavidin could specifically interact with the biontinylated capture DNA. Afterwards, the target DNA and the AE-labeled report DNA were conjugated onto the electrode step by step due to the hybridization reactions, and a sandwich-type sensor was fabricated. The ECL signals of the sensor were obtained under pulse potential condition in alkaline solution containing 50.0 mmol L⁻¹ TPA. Under optimized experimental conditions, the linear range of the DNA sensor for the determination of the target DNA was from 5.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ to 5.0 × 10⁻¹² mol L⁻¹. The detection limit (S/N = 3) was 3.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ mol L⁻¹. Moreover, the sensor could specifically recognize the target DNA against one base-pair mismatched sequences, two base-pair mismatched sequences, and the noncomplementary sequences. It is of great application potential in clinic analysis.     

Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) Determination of Ephedrine with a Self-Assembly Multilayer Ni(II)-Polyluminol Modified Electrode

By combining the layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly technique with the electrochemical polymerization method, multilayer Ni(II)-polyluminol films were modified on the surface of a vaseline-impregnated graphite electrode. It was found that, compared with an electrode modified by direct electrochemical polymerization, this modified electrode offered a suitable ECL reaction micro-environment created by the special multilayer films, which was beneficial to the ephedrine hydrochloride enhancing effect for luminol ECL intensity. The ECL enhancing effect of ephedrine hydrochloride on the electro-oxidation luminol was improved on this modified electrode. Based on this finding, a new sensitive ECL method was developed for ephedrine hydrochloride determination under the optimal conditions. At the same time, a new idea is proposed for improving the analytical performance of the luminol ECL system by modifying the ECL reaction micro-environment with the layer-by-layer self- assembly method. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the ephedrine hydrochloride concentration in the range of 2.0 × 10⁻⁸–7.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ was proportional to the enhanced ECL signal, and it offered an 8.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ detection limit for ephedrine hydrochloride.     

New electrochemiluminescent biosensors combining polyluminol and an enzymatic matrix

Performant reagentless electrochemiluminescent (ECL) (bio)sensors have been developed using polymeric luminol as the luminophore. The polyluminol film is obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV) on a screen-printed electrode either in a commonly used H₂SO₄ medium or under more original near-neutral buffered conditions. ECL responses obtained after performing polymerization either at acidic pH or at pH 6 have been compared. It appears that polyluminol formed in near-neutral medium gives the best responses for hydrogen peroxide detection. Polymerization at pH 6 by cyclic voltammetry gives a linear range extending from 8 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.3 × 10⁻⁴ M H₂O₂ concentrations. Based on this performant sensor for hydrogen peroxide detection, an enzymatic biosensor has been developed by associating the polyluminol film with an H₂O₂-producing oxidase. Here, choline oxidase (ChOD) has been chosen as a model enzyme. To develop the biosensor, luminol has been polymerized at pH 6 by CV, and then an enzyme-entrapping matrix has been formed on the above modified working electrode. Different biological (chitosan, agarose, and alginate) and chemical (silica gels, photopolymers, or reticulated matrices) gels have been tested. Best performances have been obtained by associating a ChOD-immobilizing photopolymer with the polyluminol film. In this case, choline can be detected with a linear range extending from 8 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.3 × 10⁻⁴ M. This paper is based on the results presented in a poster that received a Poster Award on the occasion of XIII International Symposium on Luminescence Spectrometry in Bologna, Italy, on September, 7th-11th, 2008.     

Simultaneous determination of uric acid and ascorbic acid at a ferrocenium–thioglycollate modified electrode

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMS) of chemisorbed thioglycollate on a gold electrode surface have been used as a base interface for the electrostatic adsorption of ferrocenium ion. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to evaluate the electrochemical properties of the supramolecular film. The bare gold electrode failed to distinguish the oxidation peaks of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 7.0), while the ferricinium–thioglycollate modified electrode could separate them efficiently. In differiential pulse voltammetric measurements, the prepared gold electrode could separate AA and UA signals, allowing the simultaneous determination of AA and UA. Under optimal conditions and within the linear range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 5.0 × 10⁻⁴ M, the detection limits of AA and UA achieved were 2.0 × 10⁻⁷ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ M, respectively. The applicability of the prepared electrode was demonstrated by measuring AA and UA in human urine without any pretreatment. Figure Fabrication process for the modified electrode     

Development of electrochemical DNA biosensor for Trichoderma harzianum based on ionic liquid/ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan/gold electrode

Electrochemical DNA biosensor was successfully developed by depositing the ionic liquid (e.g., 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([EMIM][Otf])), ZnO nanoparticles, and chitosan (CHIT) nanocomposite membrane on a modified gold electrode (AuE). The electrochemical properties of the [EMIM][Otf]/ZnO/CHIT/AuE for detection of DNA hybridization were studied. Under optimal conditions using cyclic voltammetry, the target DNA sequences could be detected in the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁸ to 1.82 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹, and with the detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁹ mol L⁻¹. This DNA biosensor detection approaches provide a quick, sensitive, and convenient method to be used in the identification of Trichoderma harzianum.     

Immobilization of Hemoglobin on the Gold Colloid Modified Pretreated Glassy Carbon Electrode for Preparing a Novel Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor

A novel hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) biosensor was developed by immobilizing hemoglobin on the gold colloid modified electrochemical pretreated glassy carbon electrode (PGCE) via the bridging of an ethylenediamine monolayer. This biosensor was characterized by UV-vis reflection spectroscopy (UV-vis), electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The immobilized Hb exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen peroxide. The Michaelis–Menten constant (K _m) was 3.6 mM. The currents were proportional to the H₂O₂ concentration from 2.6 × 10⁻⁷ to 7.0 × 10⁻³ M, and the detection limit was as low as 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ M (S/N = 3).     

Electrochemical behavior and determination of epinephrine at a mercaptoacetic acid self-assembled gold electrode

The electrochemical behavior of epinephrine (EP) at a mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode was studied. The MAA/Au electrode is demonstrated to promote the electrochemical response of epinephrine by cyclic voltammetry. The possible reaction mechanism is also discussed. The diffusion coefficient D of EP is 6.85 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹. In 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer (pH 7.20), a sensitive oxidation peak was observed at 0.177 V, and the peak current is proportional to the concentration of EP in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁵–2.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. The detection limit is 5 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The modified electrode is highly stable and can be applied to the determination of EP in practical injection samples. The method is simple, quick, sensitive and accurate.     

Electrochemical behaviors of GMP based on solid-phase extractionon at Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTLC) modified glass carbon electrode

Guanosine-5′-monophosphate (GMP) was investigated the electrochemical behaviors based on solid-phase extractionon (SPE) at Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTLC) modified glass carbon electrode. Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTLC) was proved as a new sorbent for SPE of GMP, which showed an irreversible adsorption oxidation process on the HTLC/GCE with the oxidation peak potential located at 1.15 V (vs. SCE) in a pH 5.0 acetate buffer solution. Influencing factors of the electrochemical behavior of GMP on the HLTC/GCE were optimized and kinetic parameters were calculated. Under the optimal conditions, with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), a linear relationship was obtained between the oxidation peak current and the GMP concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10^− 6 to 8.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ with the detection limit as 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The modified electrode surface has very good reproducibility and stability.     

Selective determination of uric acid in the presence of ascorbic acid using a penicillamine self-assembled gold electrode

The electrochemical behaviors of uric acid (UA) at the penicillamine (Pen) self-assembled monolayers modified gold electrode (Pen/Au) have been studied. The Pen/Au electrode is demonstrated to promote the electrochemical response of UA by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The diffusion coefficient D of UA is 6.97 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹. In differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) measurements, the Pen/Au electrode can separate the UA and ascorbic acid (AA) oxidation potentials by about 120 mV and can be used for the selective determination of UA in the presence of AA. The detection limit was 1 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. The modified electrode shows excellent sensitivity, good selectivity and antifouling properties.     

Fabrication of gold nanoparticles/polypyrrole composite-modified electrode for sensitive hydroxylamine sensor design

A highly sensitive hydroxylamine (HA) electrochemical sensor is developed based on electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles with diameter of 8 nm on the pre-synthesized polypyrrole matrix and formed gold nanoparticles/polypyrrole (GNPs/PPy) composite on glassy carbon electrode. The electrochemical behavior and electrocatalytic activity of the composite-modified electrode are investigated. The GNPs/PPy composite exhibits a distinctly higher electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of HA than GNPs with twofold enhancement of peak current. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity is attributed to the synergic effect of the highly dispersed gold metal particles and PPy matrix. The overall numbers of electrons involved in HA oxidation, the electron transfer coefficient, catalytic rate constant, and diffusion coefficient are investigated by chronoamperometry. The sensor presents two wide linear ranges of 4.5 × 10⁻⁷–1.2 × 10⁻³ M and 1.2 × 10⁻³–19 × 10⁻³ M with the detection limit of 4.5 × 10⁻⁸ M (s/n = 3). In addition, the proposed electrode shows excellent sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, and stability properties.     

An electrochemiluminescence sensor for determination of durabolin based on CdTe QD films by layer-by-layer self-assembly

This work reported for the first time the use of flow injection electrochemiluminescence (FI-ECL) sensor for the determination of durabolin in an aqueous system based on CdTe quantum dot (QD) films. Aqueous CdTe colloidal solutions were prepared using thioglycolic acid as a capping agent. Zetasizer Nano ZS (Malvern, UK) was employed to characterize the size of CdTe QDs. The UV–vis and photoluminescence spectra of samples were systematically characterized. Indium tin oxide (ITO) slide glass was modified with CdTe QDs by layer-by-layer self-assembly. CdTe QD films were packed into a homemade cell and used as a recognizer of the FI-ECL sensor to determine durabolin. The intensive anodic ECL emission was obtained at a starting potential of +1.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in a carbonate bicarbonate buffer solution with a pH of 9.93 at an ITO electrode. The ECL intensity was correlated linearly with the concentration of durabolin over the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁸–1.0 × 10⁻⁵ g mL⁻¹, and the detection limit was 2.5 × 10⁻⁹ g mL⁻¹. The relative standard deviation for the determination of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ durabolin was 1.04% (n = 11). This simple and sensitive sensor revealed good reproducibility for ECL analysis. As a result, the new FI-ECL sensor had been successfully applied to the determination of durabolin in food samples. This strategy could be easily realized and opened new avenues for the applications of QDs in ECL biosensing.     

Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at a penicillamine self-assembled gold electrode

The fabrication and electrochemical characteristics of a penicillamine (PCA) self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode were investigated. The electrode can enhance the electrochemical response of uric acid (UA), and the electrochemical reaction of UA on the PCA electrode has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Some electrochemical parameters, such as diffusion coefficient, standard rate constant, electron transfer coefficient and proton transfer number have been determined for the electrochemical behavior on the PCA self-assembled monolayer electrode. The electrode reaction of UA is an irreversible process, which is controlled by the diffusion of UA with two electrons and two protons transfer at the PCA/Au electrode. In phosphate buffer (pH 5.0), the peak current is proportional to the concentration of UA in the range of 6.0 × 10⁻⁵–7.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ and 2.0 × 10⁻⁵–7.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ for the cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry methods with the detection limits of 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ and 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The method can be applied to determine UA concentration in real samples.     

Electrochemical investigations of the reaction mechanism and kinetics between NADH and riboflavin immobilised on amorphous zirconium phosphate

Electrochemical investigations of the reaction mechanism and kinetics between riboflavin immobilised on zirconium phosphate (ZPRib) in carbon paste and NADH showed results yielding reliable information about aspects on the mechanism of the electron transfer reaction between the flavin and NADH. The formal potential (E°′) of the adsorbed riboflavin was −220 mV versus SCE at pH 7.0. A shift about 250 mV towards a more positive potential compared with its value in solution was assigned to the interaction between the basic nitrogen of riboflavin and the acid groups of ZP. The invariance of the E°′ with the pH of the contacting solution and the effect of different buffer constituents were attributed to the protection effect of ZP over the riboflavin. The electrocatalytic oxidation of NADH at the electrode was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode methodology using a potential of −50 mV versus SCE. The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant, k _obs, was 816 M⁻¹ s⁻¹ and the Michaelis-Menten constant, K _M, was 1.8 mM (confirming a charge transfer complex intermediate in the reaction) for an electrode with a riboflavin coverage of 6.8 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol cm⁻². This drastic increase in the reaction rate between NADH and the immobilised riboflavin was assigned to the shift of the E°′. A surprising effect with addition of calcium or magnesium ion to the solution was also observed. The E°′ was shifted to −150 mV versus SCE and the reaction rate for NADH oxidation increased drastically. Received: 22 February 1999 / Accepted: 10 March 1999     

Simultaneous voltammetric measurement of ascorbic acid and dopamine on poly(caffeic acid)-modified glassy carbon electrode

A poly(caffeic acid) thin film was deposited on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode by potentiostatic technique in an aqueous solution containing caffeic acid. The poly(caffeic acid)-modified electrode was used for the determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), and their mixture by cyclic voltammetry. This modified electrode exhibited a potent and persistent electron-mediating behavior followed by well-separated oxidation peaks toward AA and DA at a scan rate of 10 mV s⁻¹ with a potential difference of 135 mV, which was large enough to determine AA and DA individually and simultaneously. The catalytic peak current obtained was linearly dependent on the AA and DA concentrations in the range of 2.0 × 10⁻⁵−1.2 × 10⁻³ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁶−4.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ in 0.15 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer (pH 6.64). The detection limits for AA and DA were 9.0 × 10⁻⁶ and 4.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The modified electrode shows good sensitivity, selectivity, and stability and has been applied to the determination of DA and AA in real samples with satisfactory results.     

Probing traces of hydrogen peroxide by use of a biosensor based on mediator-free DNA and horseradish peroxidase immobilized on silver nanoparticles

A new electrochemical biosensor for determination of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) has been developed by immobilizing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on silver colloids (nanosilver) and use of a DNA-functionalized interface. In the presence of the DNA and the nanosilver the immobilized HRP gives a pair of well-defined redox peaks with an electron-transfer rate constant of 3.27 ± 0.91 s⁻¹ in pH 7.0 PBS. The presence of DNA also provides a biocompatible microenvironment for enzyme molecules, greatly amplifies the amount of HRP molecules immobilized on the electrode surface, and improves the sensitivity of the biosensor. Under optimum conditions the biosensor has electrocatalytic activity in the reduction of hydrogen peroxide with linear dependence on H₂O₂ concentration in the range 1.5 × 10⁻⁶ to 2.0 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹; the detection limit is 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The value of HRP in the composite membrane was found to be 1.62 mmol L⁻¹. These results suggest that the properties of the complex film, with its bioelectrochemical catalytic activity, could make it useful for development of bioelectronic devices and for investigation of protein electrochemistry at functional interfaces.     

Electrochemical methods for simultaneous determination of trace amounts of dopamine and uric acid using a carbon paste electrode incorporated with multi-wall carbon nanotubes and modified with α-cyclodextrine

In this work, we investigate the electrochemical activity of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) using both a bare and a modified carbon paste electrode as the working electrode, with a platinum wire as the counter electrode and a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) as the reference electrode. The modified carbon paste electrode consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (>95%) treated with α-cyclodextrine, resulting in an electrode that exhibits a significant catalytic effect toward the electro-chemical oxidation of DA in a 0.2-M Britton–Robinson buffer solution (pH 5.0). The peak current increases linearly with the DA concentration within the molar concentration ranges of 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ M and 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ to 1.9 × 10⁻⁴ M. The detection limit (signal to noise >3) for DA was found to be 1.34 × 10⁻⁷ M, respectively. In this work, voltammetric methods such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronocuolometry, differential pulse and square wave voltammetry, and linear sweep and hydrodynamic voltammetry were used. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the redox properties of the modified electrode at various scan rates. The diffusion coefficient (D, cm² s⁻¹ = 3.05 × 10⁻⁵) and the kinetic parameters such as the electron transfer coefficient (α = 0.51) and the rate constant (k, cm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹ = 1.8 × 10³) for DA were determined using electrochemical approaches. By using differential pulse voltammetry for simultaneous measurements, we obtained two peaks for DA and UA in the same solution, with the peak separation approximately 136 mV. The average recovery was measured at 102.45% for DA injection.     

NADH screen-printed electrodes modified with zirconium phosphate,Meldola blue,and Reinecke salt. Application to the detection of glycerol by FIA

Bulk screen-printed electrodes (bSPEs) modified with zirconium phosphate (ZrP) and Meldola blue (MB) and by electrochemical deposition of a Reineckate film (bMBZrPRs-SPEs) have been constructed and used as NADH sensors. Cyclic voltammetric investigation of these bulk electrochemically modified screen-printed electrodes revealed stable catalytic activity in oxidation of the reduced form of the coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Flow-injection analysis (FIA) coupled with amperometric detection confirmed the improved stability of the bMBZrPRs-SPEs (10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ NADH, %RSD = 4.2, n = 90, pH 7.0). Other conditions, for example applied working potential (+50 mV relative to Ag|AgCl), flow rate (0.30 mL min⁻¹) and pH-dependence (range 4.0–10.0) were evaluated and optimized. A glycerol biosensor, prepared by immobilizing glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) on the working electrode area of a bMBZrPRs-SPE, was also assembled. The biosensor was most stable at pH 8.5 (%RSD = 5.6, n = 70, 0.25 mmol L⁻¹ glycerol). The detection and quantification limits were 2.8 × 10⁻⁶ and 9.4 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, respectively, and the linear working range was between 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹. To assess the effect of interferences, and recovery by the probe we analyzed samples taken during fermentation of chemically defined grape juice medium and compared the results with those obtained by HPLC.     

Enzyme biosensor based on the immobilization of HRP on SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/BSA/Au composite nanoparticles

In this work, an enzyme biosensor based on the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on SiO₂/BSA/Au/thionine/nafion-modified gold electrode was fabricated successfully. Firstly, nafion was dropped on the surface of the gold electrode to form a nafion film followed by chemisorption of thionine (Thi) as an electron mediator via the ion-exchange interaction between the Thi and nafion. Subsequently, the SiO₂/BSA/Au composite nanoparticles were assembled onto Thi film through the covalent bounding with the amino groups of Thi. Finally, HRP was immobilized on the SiO₂/BSA/Au composite nanoparticles due to the covalent conjugation to construct an enzyme biosensor. The surface topographies of the SiO₂/BSA/Au composite nanoparticles were investigated by using scanning electronic microscopy. The stepwise self-assemble procedure of the biosensor was further characterized by means of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The enzyme biosensor showed high sensitivity, good stability and selectivity, a wide linear response to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the range of 8.0 × 10^-6 ∼ 3.72 × 10^-3 mol/L, with a detection limit of 2.0 × 10^-6 mol/L. The Michaelies-Menten constant K_M^app K_M^{app} value was estimated to be 2.3 mM.     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence aptamer-based biosensor for the determination of cocaine

A novel electrogenerated chemiluminescence aptamer-based (ECL-AB) biosensor for the determination of a small molecule drug is designed employing cocaine-binding aptamer as molecular recognition element for cocaine as a model analyte and ruthenium complex served as an ECL label. A 5′-terminal cocaine-binding aptamer with the ECL label at 3′-terminal of the aptamer was utilized as an ECL probe. The ECL-AB biosensors were fabricated by immobilizing the ECL probe onto a gold electrode surface via thiol-Au interactions. An enhanced ECL signal is generated upon recognition of the target cocaine, attributed to a change in the conformation of the ECL probe from random coil-like configuration on the probe-modified film to three-way junction structure, in close proximity to the sensor interface. The integrated ECL intensity versus the concentration of cocaine was linear in the range from 5.0 × 10⁻⁹ to 3.0 × 10⁻⁷ M. The detection limit was 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ M. This work demonstrates that the combination of a highly binding aptamer to analyte with a highly sensitive ECL technique to design ECL-AB biosensor is a great promising approach for the determination of small molecule drugs.