Electrochemical typing of blood using affinity membranes

Human blood group substance of the ABO system was immobilized in a mebrane matrix. The membrane-bound blood group substance retained its binding ability against the corresponding antibody (agglutinin) in serum. The transmembrane potential changed drastically with the agglutination of the membrane-bound blood group substance. Electrochemical typing of blood was performed with sera, using a pair of membranes with immobilized A- and B-type blood group substances. The blood type was determined by measuring the transmembrane potential across these membranes before and after the agglutination reaction. A possible re-use of the membrane-bound blood group substance by treatment with galactose is discussed.     

DNA hole transport on an electrode: application to effective photoelectrochemical SNP typing

A useful feature of DNA is that long-range hole transport through DNA is readily achieved. Photostimulated long-range hole transport through DNA has prospective use in the development of a conceptually new electrochemical single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing method for use as a versatile platform for gene diagnostics and pharmacogenetics. We have applied artificial DNAs designed for photostimulated long-range hole transport through DNA to SNP typing. By hybridizing photosensitizer-equipped DNA probes, immobilized on gold working electrodes, with a target DNA strand containing an SNP site, we observed a cathodic photocurrent, which markedly changed depending on the nature of the base at the specific site. The use of a combination of hole-transporting bases constitutes a very powerful method for a single-step electrochemical assay applicable to SNP typing of all types of sequences.     

Acetaldehyde as an Intermediate in the Electroreduction of Carbon Monoxide to Ethanol on Oxide‐Derived Copper

Oxide‐derived copper (OD‐Cu) electrodes exhibit unprecedented CO reduction performance towards liquid fuels, producing ethanol and acetate with >50 % Faradaic efficiency at ?0.3 V (vs. RHE). By using static headspace‐gas chromatography for liquid phase analysis, we identify acetaldehyde as a minor product and key intermediate in the electroreduction of CO to ethanol on OD‐Cu electrodes. Acetaldehyde is produced with a Faradaic efficiency of ≈5 % at ?0.33 V (vs. RHE). We show that acetaldehyde forms at low steady‐state concentrations, and that free acetaldehyde is difficult to detect in alkaline solutions using NMR spectroscopy, requiring alternative methods for detection and quantification. Our results represent an important step towards understanding the CO reduction mechanism on OD‐Cu electrodes.     

Amperometric biosensor for rapid measurement of 3-hydroxybutyrate in undiluted whole blood and plasma

A simple, rapid (< 30 s) electrochemical method for the determination of 3-hydroxybutyrate in whole blood or plasma is described, which uses NAD⁺-dependent d-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase immobilized at novel platinized carbon electrodes. The steady-state oxidation current produced by enzymatically generated NADH is measured at + 150 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. Enzyme electrodes produced by direct adsorption were stable for at least 3 months. Undiluted whole blood measurement with the sensor was compared with routine spectrophotometric analysis of plasma and perchloric acid extracts of whole blood.     

Probing Biomolecular Interactions at Conductive and Semiconductive Surfaces by Impedance Spectroscopy: Routes to Impedimetric Immunosensors,DNA‐Sensors,and Enzyme Biosensors

Impedance spectroscopy is a rapidly developing electrochemical technique for the characterization of biomaterial‐functionalized electrodes and biocatalytic transformations at electrode surfaces, and specifically for the transduction of biosensing events at electrodes or field‐effect transistor devices. The immobilization of biomaterials, e.g., enzymes, antigens/antibodies or DNA on electrodes or semiconductor surfaces alters the capacitance and interfacial electron transfer resistance of the conductive or semiconductive electrodes. Impedance spectroscopy allows analysis of interfacial changes originating from biorecognition events at electrode surfaces. Kinetics and mechanisms of electron transfer processes corresponding to biocatalytic reactions occurring at modified electrodes can be also derived from Faradaic impedance spectroscopy. Different immunosensors that use impedance measurements for the transduction of antigen‐antibody complex formation on electronic transducers were developed. Similarly, DNA biosensors using impedance measurements as readout signals were developed. Amplified detection of the analyte DNA using Faradaic impedance spectroscopy was accomplished by the coupling of functionalized liposomes or by the association of biocatalytic conjugates to the sensing interface providing biocatalyzed precipitation of an insoluble product on the electrodes. The amplified detections of viral DNA and single‐base mismatches in DNA were accomplished by similar methods. The changes of interfacial features of gate surfaces of field‐effect transistors (FET) upon the formation of antigen‐antibody complexes or assembly of protein arrays were probed by impedance measurements and specifically by transconductance measurements. Impedance spectroscopy was also applied to characterize enzyme‐based biosensors. The reconstitution of apo‐enzymes on cofactor‐functionalized electrodes and the formation of cofactor‐enzyme affinity complexes on electrodes were probed by Faradaic impedance spectroscopy. Also biocatalyzed reactions occurring on electrode surfaces were analyzed by impedance spectroscopy. The theoretical background of the different methods and their practical applications in analytical procedures were outlined in this article.     

Probing Second Harmonic Components of pH‐Sensitive Redox Processes in a Mesoporous TiO2‐Nafion Film Electrode with Fourier‐Transformed Large‐Amplitude Sinusoidally Modulated Voltammetry

Electrochemical processes in mesoporous TiO₂‐Nafion thin films deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes are inherently complex and affected by capacitance, Ohmic iR‐drop, RC‐time constant phenomena, and by potential and pH‐dependent conductivity. In this study, large‐amplitude sinusoidally modulated voltammetry (LASMV) is employed to provide access to almost purely Faradaic‐based current data from second harmonic components, as well as capacitance and potential domain information from the fundamental harmonic for mesoporous TiO₂‐Nafion film electrodes. The LASMV response has been investigated with and without an immobilized one‐electron redox system, ferrocenylmethyltrimethylammonium⁺. Results clearly demonstrate that the electron transfer associated with the immobilized ferrocene derivative follows two independent pathways i) electron hopping within the Nafion network and ii) conduction through the TiO₂ backbone. The pH effect on the voltammetric response for the TiO₂ reduction pathway (ii) can be clearly identified in the 2^nd harmonic LASMV response with the diffusion controlled ferrocene response (i) acting as a pH independent reference. Application of second harmonic data derived from LASMV measurement, because of the minimal contribution from capacitance currents, may lead to reference‐free pH sensing with systems like that found for ferrocene derivatives.     

Simultaneous forward and reverse ABO blood group typing using a paper-based device and barcode-like interpretation

A new platform of a paper-based analytical device (PAD) for simultaneous forward and reverse ABO blood group typing has been reported. This platform can overcome the discrepancy results as influenced by the individual haematocrit. The test and the control of non-haemagglutination on each channel were performed in parallel. The PAD was fabricated by printing six parallel channels with wax onto Whatman No. 4 filter paper. An LF1 blood separation membrane was used for the separation of plasma from whole blood for reverse grouping. The blood group was identified by haemagglutination of the corresponding antigen–antibody. For forward grouping, Anti-A, -B and –A,B were treated on the test line of PAD, and inactivated Anti-A, -B and –A,B were immobilized on the control line. For reverse grouping, 30% standard A-cells, B- and O- were added to the test channel after plasma separation, and O-cells were used as a control. Then, 0.9% normal saline (NSS) containing 1% Tween-20 was bi-functionally used for dilution of the blood sample and elution of the non-agglutinated RBCs within the channels. The distance of agglutinated RBCs in each test line was compared with the distance of non-agglutinated RBCs in the parallel control line. The forward and reverse patterns of blood groups A, B, AB and O were a barcode-like chart in which the results can be visually analysed. The PAD has excellent reproducibility when 10 replications of the A, B, AB or O blood groups were performed. The results of both forward and reverse grouping were highly correlated with conventional methods compared with the slide method and tube method, respectively (n = 76). Thus, this ABO typing PAD holds great potential for future applications in blood typing point-of-care testing.     

Electrochemical Condensation of Methylviologen on Specifically‐adsorbed Anion Layers

The adsorption of methylviologen dications (MV²⁺) on single‐crystalline Au electrodes in both H₂SO₄ and HClO₄ was examined. MV²⁺ strongly interacted with sulfate and bisulfate anions adsorbed on the Au(111) electrode surface in 0.05 M H₂SO₄ under a controlled potential of 1.25 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). A characteristic non‐Faradaic current was observed at 1.10 V vs. RHE. When adsorption of MV²⁺ was carried out in 0.1 M HClO₄, the electrochemical response of MV²⁺ was less than that obtained in H₂SO₄. The results show that the formation of a highly ordered sulfate/bisulfate adlayer plays an important role in the formation of condensed MV²⁺ layers. Examination of polycrystalline Au and Au(100) electrodes revealed a poor electrochemical response due to the surface roughness of the Au substrate, but the electrochemical detection was applicable to polycrystalline Au electrodes. A systematic investigation of the structural dependency of viologen derivatives showed that molecular size is important for electrostatic interactions with a highly ordered sulfate/bisulfate adlayer. The findings of the present study demonstrate successful detection of MV²⁺ at a concentration of ≤1 pM with a non‐Faradaic current.     

Electrochemical Parameters of Phenoxazine Derivatives in Solution and at Monolayer‐Modified Gold Electrodes

Electrochemical properties of β‐(10‐phenoxazinyl) propylamine (APPX) and β‐(10‐phenoxazinyl) propionic acid (PPX) have been studied in solution, and in immobilized state on gold electrodes modified with monolayers of cystamine and mercaptoundecanoic acid. A reversible diffusion‐controlled process of APPX and PPX was observed at a bare gold electrode. The electrochemical conversion of both compounds at modified gold electrodes was a quasi‐reversible diffusion‐controlled process. The redox potential of immobilized APPX (443 mV) was similar to the potential in solution, while the value of the immobilized PPX was 131 mV higher than in solution. The immobilized mediators were electrocatalytically active in the fungal peroxidase‐catalyzed hydrogen peroxide reduction.     

Electrophoretic phenotyping of erythrocyte enzymes.

Erythrocyte acid phosphatase (EAP), esterase D (ESD) and phosphoglucomutase (PGM) phenotypes among the erythrocyte enzyme types of blood groups are surveyed and a modified cellulose acetate membrane isoelectric focusing (CAM-IEF) method for their exploration is described. The phenotyping procedures are usually classified as either equilibrium or non-equilibrium IEF. Equilibrium IEF, which is based on differences in pI values, includes three methods: (i) a narrow pH range of carrier ampholytes, (ii) a relatively narrow pH range of carrier ampholytes containing chemical separators and (iii) immobilized pH gradient gels. Among the three methods, immobilized pH gradients provides a better resolution of isozymes. Conversely, the disadvantages of immobilized pH gradients include longer focusing times and complex gel preparations. Moreover, immobilized pH gradients are unsuitable for stain analysis because of the insensitivity of PGM1 detection. A hybrid IEF system and a commercial immobilized pH gradient dry plate have overcome these problems. However, EAP typing is extremely expensive and ESD typing is not well distinguished by hybrid IEF. As each method has both merits and demerits, the most suitable technique should be selected based on the kind of erythrocyte enzyme types and sample conditions. On the other hand, non-equilibrium IEF is a rapid method because isozymes are detected on the basis of their charge differences under non-equilibrium conditions. Moreover, the appropriate addition separators increases the charge difference and provides a good resolution within a shorter time. Addition of more separators produces a narrow pH range in the gel and takes a substantially longer time to reach the optimum pH range for charge difference.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Determination of glucose in blood by flow injection analysis and an immobilized glucose oxidase column

A flow-injection system for glucose determination is described. Glucose oxidase is immobilized on controlled porosity glass (CPG) and used in a glass column (2.5 mm diameter × 2.5 cm). The hydrogen peroxide produced by the enzymatic reaction (? 1 × 10^?6 M) is detected by the current produced in a flow-through cell, with two platinum electrodes having a potential difference of 0.6 V. Glucose (0–20 mmol l^?1) can be determined in blood plasma either with a dialyser in the system or, better, by incorporating a column of copper(II) diethyldithiocarbamate on CPG before the enzyme column. The results compared well with those obtained by a conventional analyser system. The glucose oxidase column showed little change in activity over a 10-month period.     

Direct Electrochemistry of Heme Proteins on Electrodes Modified with Didodecyldimethyl Ammonium Bromide and Carbon Black

A novel matrix based on commercially available carbon black (CB) N220 and didodecyldimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) was shown to be a reliable support for direct electron transfer reactions between screen printed electrode (SPE) and Fe(III)‐heme proteins. Cytochrome c (cyt c), myoglobin (Mb), horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and cytochromes P450 (CYP 51A1, CYP 3A4, CYP 2B4) generated well‐shaped cyclic voltammograms on SPE/CB/DDAB electrodes (both in solution and in immobilized state). The attractive performance characteristics of CB modified electrodes are advantageous over single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SW CNT) based ones. The achieved direct electrochemistry of heme proteins on CB/DDAB‐modified electrodes provided successful elaboration of the immunosensor for cardiac Mb. The immunosensor showed applicability for diagnostics of myocardial infarction displaying significant difference in cardiac Mb content of human blood plasma samples taken from the corresponding patients.     

Biomass‐Derived Carbon Materials as Prospective Electrodes for High‐Energy Lithium‐ and Sodium‐Ion Capacitors

Biomass‐derived carbon materials have received special attention as efficient, low‐cost, active materials for charge‐storage devices, regardless of the power system, such as supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries. In this Minireview, we discuss the influence of biomass‐derived carbonaceous materials as positive or negative electrodes (or both) in high‐energy hybrid lithium‐ion configurations with an organic electrolyte. In such hybrid configurations, the electrochemical activity is completely different to conventional electrical double‐layer capacitors; that is, one of the electrodes undergoes a Faradaic reaction, whilst the counter electrode undergoes a non‐Faradaic reaction, to achieve high energy density. The use of a variety of biomass precursors with different properties, such as surface functionality, the presence of inherent heteroatoms, tailored meso‐/microporosity, high specific surface area, various degrees of crystallization, calcination temperature, and atmosphere, are described in detail. Sodium‐ion capacitors are also discussed, because they are an important alternative to lithium‐ion capacitors, owing to the low abundance and high cost of lithium. The electrochemical performance of carbonaceous electrodes in supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries are not discussed.     

A specific enzyme electrode for urea

A truly specific, simple enzyme electrode is described for the assay of urea in blood serum. The sensor used is the newly developed air-gap electrode of R??i?ka and Hansen, and has advantages of speed of response and specificity over earlier enzyme electrodes for urea. Potassium, sodium and ammonium ions and other organic and inorganic species present in blood do not interfere. Linear curves are obtained from 2 · 10^-2M to 1 · 10^-4M urea with slopes close to Nernstian (about 0.90 pH/decade). Urea in blood was assayed with an accuracy of 2.2% and a precision of 2.0% with immobilized urease; only 3–5 min is required per assay. The electrode was used for a month and almost 500 assays with excellent results. Since the sensor never touches the sample solution, problems caused by blood components which block membrane pores are avoided.     

On-chip electrophoretic accumulation of DNA oligomers and streptavidin

A micro-chamber for electrophoretic accumulation of charged biomolecules has been designed and evaluated. The system is based on a chip with an array of planar focusing electrodes. Particular attention was devoted to a design which enables penetration of a large sample volume by the electric field of the focusing electrodes. General design principles for a cylindrically symmetrical arrangement of the focusing electrodes were derived. Accumulation of DNA oligomers and streptavidin in aqueous solution was demonstrated. The concentration of biomolecules in the centre of the chip was enhanced by up to a factor of 200. The major fraction of the total charge delivered during electrophoretic accumulation results from Faradaic processes. The maximum charge density deliverable without visible gas formation was determined. By careful control of the voltage and current density applied to the electrodes, evolution of gas bubbles could be avoided for the time required to accumulate analyte molecules in the centre of the micro-chamber. On-chip electrophoretic accumulation of biomolecules can be applied to sample pre-conditioning in lab-on-a-chip devices for analysis of DNA and protein samples.     

Preparation and characterization of superporous agarose-reticulated vitreous carbon electrodes as platforms for electrochemical bioassays

Three-dimensional flow-through electrodes were fabricated using superporous agarose (SPA) and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) composite materials that were suitable as a platform for sandwich assays. These SPA-RVC composite electrodes were fabricated by fitting a SPA-RVC composite cylinder inside a graphite tube and subsequently fixing the graphite tube onto a polypropylene micropipette tip. The electrode design allows for ease in reagent/washing steps involved in sandwich assay protocols and could easily be made portable. The electrode materials were characterized with respect to pore-size distribution, total free volume, ligament and bulk densities of the RVC, and physical structural characteristics. Coulometric detection of redox molecules such as K(3)Fe(CN)(6) and 4-aminophenol was possible using SPA-RVC electrodes by the trapping of these redox molecules inside the SPA-RVC electrodes. Avidin affinity molecules were covalently immobilized onto the SPA matrix inside the RVC electrodes by periodate-activation followed by reductive amination. The amount of avidin immobilized inside the SPA-RVC electrodes was (5+/-0.06)x10(-11) mol, which was determined by saturating the avidin sites with biotinylated fluorescein (b-fluo) and subsequently determining the amount of immobilized b-fluo via a standard addition method using fluorescence spectroscopy. Non-specific binding of labeled enzymes such as biotinylated alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP) onto the SPA-RVC electrodes without avidin capture sites was determined to be less than 1% compared to the specific binding of b-ALP on avidinylated SPA-RVC electrodes.     

PAMAM Dendrimers‐Based DNA Biosensors for Electrochemical Detection of DNA Hybridization

Gold electrodes were modified with submonolayers of mercaptoacetic acid (RSH) and further reacted with poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers (generation 4.0) to obtain thin films, on which DNA probe was later immobilized to afford a stable recognition layers. The characterization of the PAMAM/RSH‐modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance measurement. Differential pulse voltammogram (DPV) measurement was used to monitor DNA hybridization with daunomycin (DNR) as indicator. Experiments carried out with these novel materials not only showed an improved DNA attachment quantity on the dendrimers‐modified electrodes compared to DNA sensors with oligonucleotides directly immobilized on Au electrodes, but also exhibited a high selectivity, sensitivity and stability for the measurement of DNA hybridization.     

Whole cell environmental biosensor on diamond

A whole-cell environmental biosensor was fabricated on a diamond electrode. Unicellular microalgae Chlorella vulgaris was entrapped in the bovine serum albumin (BSA) membrane and immobilized directly onto the surface of a diamond electrode for heavy metal detection. We found that the unique surface properties of diamond reduce the electrode fouling problem commonly encountered with metal electrodes. The cell-based diamond biosensor can attain a detection limit of 0.1 ppb for Zn(2+) and Cd(2+), and exhibits higher detection sensitivity and stability compared to platinum electrodes.     

Direct electrochemical hydrogenation of toluene at Pt electrodes in a microemulsion electrolyte solution

In the present study, we demonstrated a new concept for the direct electrochemical hydrogenation of toluene using an acidic microemulsion electrolyte with active Pt electrodes to pave the way for efficient methylcyclohexane mass production. We have achieved a Faradaic efficiency of 80% for the toluene/methylcyclohexane conversion at a Pt black electrode, under galvanostatic conditions and in a one-compartment cell. The reaction rate and selectivity of the toluene reduction were found to depend strongly on the surface structure of the Pt electrodes.     

Characterization of genetic variants of human serum transferrin by isoelectric focusing: comparison between conventional and immobilized pH gradients, and application to a protocol for paternity testing

The polymorphism of transferrin (Tf) is currently being studied by isoelectric focusing in carrier ampholyte-generated pH gradients, carrier ampholyte-separator pH gradients or in immobilized pH gradients. Details for obtaining reproducible results with each of the three procedures are outlined. The effectiveness of pretreatment of serum samples with ferrous/ferric salts is discussed, and incubation times optimized after spectrophotometric measurement of the monoferric Tf conversion. Most of the presently available commercial batches of carrier ampholytes do not reliably discriminate the six common TfC subtypes. Resolution of C1, C3 and C2 was achieved by adding 20 to 90 mM HEPES slab gels prepared with various carrier ampholytes. Isoelectric focusing in carrier ampholyte-separator pH gradients cannot be recommended as a standard typing procedure because the results strongly depend on the batch of carrier ampholytes. Tf subtype resolution was only achieved by using isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradients with pH slopes reliably reproducible from one experiment to another. Two major shortcomings of immobilized pH gradients are a marked tendency to protein precipitation at the application site and an interaction of proteins with the charged matrix. A protocol for Tf subtyping in immobilized pH gradients is described, based on prior desialylation of samples instead of pretreatment with iron. Sample entry into the matrix was optimized by addition of 5 mM Tris to the gels, and initially running them at low voltage. Recommendations are provided for the application of Tf typing for paternity testing.