Fabrication of Active Horseradish Peroxidase Micropatterns with a High Resolution by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

We used a new reactive species OH^? to fabricate active horseradish peroxidase (HRP) micropatterns with a high resolution by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) coupled with a carbon fiber disk electrode as the SECM tip. In this method, except for active HRP micropatterns predesigned other regions on a HRP‐immobilized substrate were deactivated by OH^? generated at the tip held at ?1.7 V in 1.0 mol/L KCl containing 2.0×10^?3 mol/L benzoquinone (BQ) (pH 8.0). The feedback mode of SECM with a tip potential of ?0.2 V was used to characterize the active HRP micropatterns in 1.0 mol/L KCl containing 2.0×10^?3 mol/L BQ and 2.0×10^?3 mol/L H₂O₂.     

Electrochemical behavior of horseradish peroxidase on WS2 nanosheet‐modified electrode and electrocatalytic investigation

In this paper, a WS₂ nanosheet was modified on the surface of a carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE), and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was further fixed on the electrode with a Nafion film. Direct electrochemistry and bioelectrocatalysis of HRP incorporated on the modified electrode were investigated in detail. On Nafion/HRP/WS₂/CILE, a pair of well‐defined quasi‐reversible redox peaks appeared on the cyclic voltammogram, indicating that the presence of the WS₂ nanosheet on the electrode surface could provide a specific interface with large surface area for HRP and its direct electron transfer rate was greatly enhanced. The formal potential (E⁰) obtained was –0.179 V, which was the typical feature of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) in HRP. The electron transfer coefficient (α) and the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k_s) of HRP were calculated as 0.44 and 1.01 s^–1, respectively. This HRP‐modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of trichloroacetic acid and NaNO₂ with a wide linear range and low detection limit. Real samples were detected by this proposed method, indicating the successful fabrication of a new third‐generation electrochemical enzyme sensor utilizing the WS₂ nanosheet.     

Immobilization of Enzymes on the Nano‐Au Film Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode for the Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide and Glucose

A new enzyme‐based amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide was developed relying on the efficient immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to a nano‐scaled particulate gold (nano‐Au) film modified glassy carbon electrode (GC). The nano‐Au film was obtained by a chitosan film which was first formed on the surface of GC. The high affinity of chitosan for nano‐Au associated with its amino groups resulted in the formation of nano‐Au film on the surface of GC. The film formed served as an intermediator to retain high efficient and stable immobilization of the enzyme. H₂O₂ was detected using hydroquinone as an electron mediator to transfer electrons between the electrode and HRP. The HRP immobilized on nano‐Au film maintained excellent electrocatalytical activity to the reduction of H₂O₂. The experimental parameters such as the operating potential of the working electrode, mediator concentration and pH of background electrolyte were optimized for best analytical performance of amperometry. The linear range of detection for H₂O₂ is from 6.1×10^?6 to 1.8×10^?3 mol L^?1 with a detection limit of 6.1 μmol L^?1 based on signal/noise=3. The proposed HRP enzyme sensor has the features of high sensitivity (0.25 Almol^?1cm^?2), fast response time (t_90%≤10 s) and a long‐term stability (>1 month). As an extension, glucose oxidase (GOD) was chemically bound to HRP‐modified electrode. A GOD/HRP bienzyme‐modified electrode formed in this way can be applied to the determination of glucose with satisfactory performance.     

Amplified Electrochemical Immunosensor for Calmodulin Detection Based on Gold‐Silver‐Graphene Hybrid Nanomaterials and Enhanced Gold Nanorods Labels

Calmodulin (CaM) is an important intracellular calcium‐binding protein. It plays a critical role in a variety of biological and biochemical processes. In this paper, a new electrochemical immunosensing protocol for sensitive detection of CaM was developed by using gold‐silver‐graphene (AuAgGP) hybrid nanomaterials as protein immobilization matrices and gold nanorods (GNRs) as enhanced electrochemical labels. Electrode was first modified with thionine‐chitosan film to provide an immobilization support for gold‐silver‐graphene hybrid nanomaterials. The hybrid materials formed an effective matrix for binding of CaM with high density and improved the electrochemical responses as well. Gold nanorods were prepared for the fabrication of enhanced labels (HRP‐Ab₂‐GNRs), which provided a large capacity for HRP‐Ab₂ immobilization and a facile pathway for electron transfer. With two‐step immunoassay format, the HRP‐Ab₂‐GNRs labels were introduced onto the electrode surface, and produced electrochemical responses by catalytic reaction of HRP toward enzyme substrate of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the presence of thionine. The proposed immunosensor showed an excellent analytical performance for the detection of CaM ranging from 50 pg mL^?1 to 200 ng mL^?1 with a detection limit of 18 pg mL^?1. The immunosensor has also been successfully applied to the CaM analysis in two cancer cells (HepG2 and MCF‐7) with high sensitivity, which has shown great potency for improving clinic diagnosis and treatment for cancer study.     

Development of an Amperometric Immunosensor for the Quantification of Staphylococcus aureus Using Self‐Assembled Monolayer‐Modified Electrodes as Immobilization Platforms

Amperometric immunosensors for the detection and quantification of S. aureus using MPA self‐assembled monolayer modified electrodes for the immobilization of the immunoreagents are reported. Two different immunosensor configurations were compared. A competitive mode, in which protein A‐bearing S. aureus cells and antiRbIgG labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) compete for the binding sites of RbIgG immobilized onto the 3‐mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) modified electrode, was evaluated. Moreover, a sandwich configuration in which S. aureus cells were immobilized onto the MPA SAM, and RbIgG and antiRbIgG labeled with HRP were further linked to the electrode surface, was also tested. In both cases, TTF was used as the redox mediator of the HRP reaction with H₂O₂, and it was co‐immobilized onto the MPA‐modified gold electrode. After optimization of the working variables for both configurations, the analytical performance of the amperometric measurements carried out at 0.00 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) showed that the competitive immunosensor exhibited a lower limit of detection (1.6×10⁵ S. aureus cells mL^?1), as well as a better repeatability and reproducibility of the measurements.     

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy for Electrochemical Detection of Single‐base Mismatches by Tagging Ferrocenecarboxylic Acid as a Redox Probe to DNA

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was employed for sensitive detection of single base mismatches (SBMs) in a sandwiched dsDNA. Ferrocenecarboxylic acid (Fc), covalently conjugated to the dsDNA, was oxidized to Fc⁺ via the DNA‐mediated charge transfer from the underlying gold substrate, and reduced back to Fc by SECM tip generated ferrocyanide. The electrocatalytic oxidation of SECM tip‐generated ferrocyanide was sensitive to presence, as well as the type of SBMs. Apparent standard rate constants (k⁰_app) values for different SBMs, both near the electrode surface and far from it, were evaluated by SECM. The method can detect SBMs independent of their position in dsDNA.     

Fabrication and Use of Dual‐function Iridium Oxide Coated Gold SECM Tips. An Application to pH Monitoring above a Copper Electrode Surface during Nitrate Reduction.

The fabrication of a gold microelectrode modified with iridium oxide film (IrO_x) and its use as tip with a dual function in SECM experiments is reported. The defective structure of the coating onto the microelectrode surface was used as strategy to combine the advantages of both amperometric (for current‐distance determination) and potentiometric (for pH sensing) SECM operation modes. Approach curves, using oxygen and hexaammineruthenium(III) as redox mediators, were obtained without significant loss of the performance and reproducibility of the potentiometric pH response. This allowed the precise positioning of the proposed tip above a substrate in SECM experiments and, subsequently, to monitor pH at the substrate surface. The IrO_x modified microelectrode was applied successfully in SECM experiments involving the local proton consumption during the nitrate reduction at a copper cathode surface.     

Rapid and sensitive DNA target detection using enzyme amplified electrochemical detection based on microchip

A rapid and sensitive DNA targets detection using enzyme amplified electrochemical detection (ED) based on microchip was described. We employed a biotin‐modified DNA, which reacted with avidin‐conjugated horseradish peroxidase (avidin–HRP) to obtain the HRP‐labeled DNA probe and hybridized with its complementary target. After hybridization, the mixture containing dsDNA‐HRP, excess ssDNA‐HRP, and remaining avidin–HRP was separated by MCE. The separations were performed at a separation voltage of +1.6 kV and were completed in less than 100 s. The HRP was used as catalytic labels to catalyze H₂O₂/o‐aminophenol reaction. Target DNA could be detected by the HRP‐catalyzed reduction with ED. With this protocol, the limits of quantification for the hybridization assay of 21‐ and 39‐mer DNA fragments were of 8×10^?12 M and 1.2×10^?11 M, respectively. The proposed method has been applied satisfactorily in the analysis of Escherichia coli genomic DNA. We selected the detection of PCR amplifications from the gene of E. coli to test the real applicability of our method. By using an asymmetric PCR protocol, we obtained ssDNA targets of 148 bp that could be directly hybridized by the single‐stranded probe and detected with ED.     

Controllable Release and High‐Efficiency Collection of Hydrogen Peroxide: Application on the Quantitative Investigation of Biomolecule Oxidation Induced by Reactive Oxygen Species

Hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical, both important members of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) family, can cause serious oxidative damages in biological systems. In order to proclaim and prevent oxidation stress, researches on the biomolecule oxidation induced by H₂O₂ or OH^. are in crucial need. However, due to the high reactivity of ROS, traditional methods are difficult to achieve the in situ quantitative investigations on those reactions involving ROS. In this work, using scanning electrochemical microscopy technique (SECM) in a tip generation‐substrate collection mode (TG‐SC), the controllable release and the high‐efficiency collection of electrogenerated H₂O₂ were achieved. Compared to ex situ fluorescence method, SECM improved the collection efficiency approximately two times larger. Based on it, SECM combined with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was employed to in situ monitor the protein oxidation (taking Cu₁₂⁺? MT as a model) induced by H₂O₂. OH^., which was generated from the interaction between H₂O₂ and Cu₁₂⁺? MT, can attack the peptide chain and induced the unrepairable protein oxidation damage. The whole process was quantitatively characterized by SPR, and the linear relationship between SPR dip shift and the amounts of released H₂O₂ was successfully built. Our work proves that the combined SECM‐SPR technique can realize the in situ quantitative determinations of the biomolecule oxidation induced by ROS, which affords an avenue for further elucidation on the mechanisms of oxidation stress in organisms.     

Electrocatalysis of Horseradish Peroxidase Immobilized on Cobalt Nanoparticles Modified ITO Electrode

Abstract

It is the first time that Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was successively immobilized on the magnetic cobalt nanoparticles modified ITO (indium tin oxide) electrode. Morphologies of electrode surface were featured by the field emission‐scanning electron microscope (FSEM). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to characterize the modified process of electrode. Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of HRP immobilized on nano‐Co/ITO were investigated. The biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, good stability, and excellent electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H₂O₂. Under the optimized experimental conditions, a calibration curve over 2.0×10^?9～2.0×10^?8 mol l^?1 and 2.0×10^?7～2.0×10^?6 mol l^?1, with a limit of detection of 1.9×10^?9 mol l^?1 was obtained. The apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant (K _M ^app ) for HRP/nano‐Co/ITO electrode was calculated to be 0.79 mmol l^?1, indicating a higher affinity of HRP attached on the modified electrode.     

Novel Amperometric Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Based on Horseradish Peroxidase Azide Covalently Immobilized on Ethynyl‐Modified Screen‐Printed Carbon Electrode via Click Chemistry

A novel, simple and versatile protocol for covalent immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on screen‐printed carbon electrode (SPCE) based on the combination of diazonium salt electrografting and click chemistry has been successfully developed. The ethynyl‐terminated monolayers are obtained by diazonium salt electrografting, then, in the presence of copper (I) catalyst, the ethynyl modified surfaces reacted efficiently and rapidly with horseradish peroxidase bearing an azide function (azido‐HRP), thus forming a covalent 1,2,3‐triazole linkage by means of click chemistry. All the experimental results suggested that HRP was immobilized onto the electrode surface successfully without denaturation. Furthermore, the immobilized HRP showed a fast electrocatalytic reduction for H₂O₂. A linear range from 5.0 to 50.0 µM in a phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) with detection limit of 0.50 µM and sensitivity of 0.23 nA/µM were obtained. The heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant K_ct was 1.52±0.22 s^?1 and the apparent Michaelis? Menten constant was calculated to be 0.028 mM. The HRP‐functionalized electrode demonstrated a good reproducibility and long‐term stability.     

基于酶标抗体和媒介体共吸附于金胶壳聚糖膜的PSA免疫传感器的制备

本文研制了一种用金胶壳聚糖仿生膜来同时固定四甲基联苯胺（TMB）和酶标抗体的新型电化学免疫传感器,用于检测血清肿瘤标志物前列腺特异性抗原（PSA）的含量。固定的TMB作为电子传递媒介体,在扫速小于45 mV/s时,电极表现为一个表面控制过程,而在扫速大于45 mV/s时则表现为一个扩散控制过程。将固定有酶标抗体和TMB的免疫传感器与待测PSA抗原一起培育,在该传感器上形成的免疫复合物通过TMB-H₂O₂-HRP电化学体系进行了测定。在优化实验条件下,PSA的线性检测范围为5-30 ng·mL^-1,检测限为1.0 ng·mL^-1。该PSA免疫传感器制备方法简单,成本低廉,具有较好的稳定性和重现性。     

A Prostate Specific Antigen Immunosensor Based on Biotinylated‐Antibody/Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex: Fabrication and Electrochemical Studies

Immobilization of biomolecules with a proper orientation is considered as a basis for diverse biotechnological applications. Herein, we report a host‐guest inclusion complexation between β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) and biotin as a versatile approach for the immobilization of biomolecules. As a practical application, a sandwich‐type electrochemical immunosensor was designed for the determination of prostate specific antigen (PSA). The immunosensor was fabricated by in situ electropolymerization of poly(N‐acetylaniline) onto a rGO‐modified Pt electrode. Then, β‐CD was covalently grafted onto the over‐oxidized polymer backbone. For improving the efficiency of the assay, AuNPs were casted on the polymeric film, on the surface of which thionine (TH) as an electron mediator was covalently immobilized. Using a host‐guest inclusion complexation between β‐CD and biotin, a β‐CD/biotin‐Ab₁/PSA/Ab₂‐horseradish peroxidase (HRP) sandwich was formed on the electrode surface. The analytical signal was produced via electrochemical reduction of TH_ox, generated by biocatalytic oxidation of the TH_red in the presence of HRP/H₂O₂. Under optimal conditions, the proposed sensor responded linearly to PSA in the range from 10.0 pg mL⁻¹ to 25.0 ng mL⁻¹, with a low detection limit of 6.7 pg mL⁻¹ (S/N=3). Kinetic parameters of the interaction of β‐CD with Ab₁ were also investigated. Finally, the applicability of the immunosensor was successfully investigated for the detection of PSA in human serum samples.     

Direct Electron Transfer of Horseradish Peroxidase in Gellan Gum–Hydrophilic Ionic Liquid Gel Film

A new composite film of microbial exocellular polysaccharide‐gellan gum (GG) and hydrophilic room temperature ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF₄) was firstly used as an immobilization matrix to entrap horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and its properties were studied by UV/vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that BMIMBF₄ could promote the electron transfer between HRP and electrode surface, and the existence of GG could successfully immobilize BMIMBF₄ on the electrode surface with improved stability. HRP–BMIMBF₄–GG/GCE exhibited a pair of well‐defined and quasireversible cyclic voltammetric peaks in 0.1 M pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solutions at 1.8 V/s, which was the characteristic of HRP Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couples. The formal potentials (E°′) was ?0.368 V (vs. SCE) and the peak‐to‐peak potential separation (ΔE_P) was 0.058 V. The peak currents were five times as large as those of HRP–GG/GCE. The average surface coverage (Γ*) and the apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant (K_m) were 4.5×10^?9 mol/cm² and 0.67 μM, respectively. The electron transfer rate constant was estimated to be 15.8 s^?1. The proposed electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The linear dynamic range for the detection of H₂O₂ was 0.05–0.5 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9945 and the detection limit was estimated at about 0.02 μM (S/N=3). BMIMBF₄–GG composite film was promising to immobilize other redox enzymes or proteins and attain their direct electrochemistry.     

Localization of proteins in paint cross-sections by scanning electrochemical microscopy as an alternative immunochemical detection technique

The qualitative identification of proteinaceous substances, as well as their location within a complex paint stratigraphy, is one of the most challenging issues in the characterization of painting materials. Nevertheless, information on paint components represent a crucial task for studies concerning both the ancient painting techniques adopted and the state of conservation, being fundamental investigations for the selection of appropriate conservation actions. The present research was aimed at developing a new detection approach for the immunochemical localization of ovalbumin in paint cross-sections based on the use of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The immunochemical analyses were performed using an anti-ovalbumin primary antibody and a secondary antibody labelled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). SECM measurements were performed in feedback mode using benzoquinone (BQ)/hydroquinone (H₂Q) redox couple. In presence of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), HRP catalyzes the re-oxidation of H₂Q to BQ and the increment of BQ concentration in correspondence of the target protein was detected by SECM through the electrochemical reduction of the regenerated BQ at the microelectrode. Indeed, the localization of ovalbumin was possible thanks to a clear discrimination of SECM currents, achieved by the comparison of the measurements recorded before and after H₂O₂ administration, based on the HRP on/off approach. The method was evaluated both on samples from standard mocks-up and on a historical sample, collected from a Renaissance wood painting. The obtained results were promising, foreseeing a wider application of SECM on cultural heritage researches.     

Determination of Xenoestrogenic Compounds Using a Nanostructured Biosensing Device

A ternary composite material based on Prussian blue, single‐walled carbon nanotubes and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate was prepared and tested for electrochemical detection of H₂O₂. The sensor allows amperometric detection of H₂O₂ at ?0.05 V, with a sensitivity of 137 mA M^?1?cm^?2. The nanocomposite provides a favorable microenvironment for immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Determination of xenoestrogenic compounds was performed by enzymatic oxidation at the surface of modified screen printed biosensor in the presence of H₂O₂. The developed electrochemical biosensors exhibited high sensitivity, low detection limits, good operational and storage stability, for detection of 4‐t‐butylphenol, 4‐t‐octylphenol, 4‐n‐nonylphenol and 4‐n‐nonylphenol ethoxylate.     

The Modification of Screen‐Printed Carbon Electrodes with Amino Group and Its Application to Construct a H2O2 Biosensor

Electrooxidation of thionine on screen‐printed carbon electrode gives rise to the modification of the surface with amino groups for the covalent immobilization of enzymes such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The biosensor was constructed using multilayer enzymes which covalently immobilized onto the surface of amino groups modified screen‐printed carbon electrode using glutaraldehyde as a bifunctional reagent. The multilayer assemble of HRP has been characterized with the cyclic voltammetry and the faradaic impedance spectroscopy. The H₂O₂ biosensor exhibited a fast response (2 s) and low detection limit (0.5 μM).     

Disposable amperometric magneto-immunosensor for direct detection of tetracyclines antibiotics residues in milk

The preparation and performance of a disposable amperometric magneto-immunosensor, involving the use of a selective capture antibody immobilized on the surface of protein G-functionalized magnetic beads (ProtG-MBs) and screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs), for the specific detection and quantification of tetracyclines (TCs) residues in milk is reported. A direct competitive immunoassay using a tracer with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for the enzymatic labeling was performed. The amperometric response measured at −0.2 V vs. the silver pseudo-reference electrode of the SPCE upon the addition of H₂O₂ in the presence of hydroquinone (HQ) as redox mediator was used as transduction signal. The developed methodology showed very low limits of detection (in the low ppb level) for 4 tetracycline antibiotics tested in untreated milk samples, and a good selectivity against other antibiotic residues frequently detected in milk and dairy products. The usefulness of the magneto-immunosensor was demonstrated by analyzing UHT whole milk samples spiked with 44 ng mL⁻¹ tetracycline (TC) as well as a reference milk containing a certified oxytetracycline (OTC) content. These features, together with the short analysis time (30 min), the simplicity, and easy automation and miniaturization of the required instrumentation make the developed methodology a promising alternative in the development of devices for on-site analysis.     

A Sequence‐Selective Electrochemical DNA Biosensor Based on HRP‐Labeled Probe for Colorectal Cancer DNA Detection

Abstract

A highly‐sensitive sequence‐selective DNA sensor based on HRP‐labeled probe to detect specific K‐ras gene which is highly associated with colorectal cancer has been reported. Capture probe modified with–SH was first chemically adsorbed on the gold electrode through self‐assembly. Then, the hybridization of a complementary nucleic acid (target DNA:K‐ras gene) and HRP labeled oligonucleotide detection probe occurred in a sandwich way. Finally, H₂O₂ electroreduction current catalyzed by HRP was measured amperometrically in the presence of hydroquinon as mediator. The sequence selectivity is double guaranteed by the complementary hybridization of target DNA with capture and detection probes. The experimental conditions were optimized. The linear range is 1.17×10^?11～1.17×10^?7 mol l^?1 with a detection limit of 5.85×10^?12 mol l^?1. The electrode with capture probe can be reused after regeneration in boiling water.     

Fabrication of Immunosensor Based on Polyaniline,Fullerene‐C60 and Palladium Nanoparticles Nanocomposite: An Electrochemical Detection Tool for Prostate Cancer

Present work demonstrates the fabrication of new and facile sandwich‐type electrochemical immunosensor based on palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs), polyaniline (PANI) and fullerene‐C₆₀ nanocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrode (PdNP@PANI‐C₆₀/GCE) for ultrasensitive detection of Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) biomarker. PdNP@PANI‐C₆₀ was electrochemically synthesized on GCE and used as an electroactive substrate. PdNP@PANI‐C₆₀ was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Primary antibody anti‐PSA (Ab1) was covalently immobilized on PdNP@PANI‐C₆₀/GCE using NHS/EDC linkers. In the presence of PSA antigen, horseradish peroxidase secondary antibody (HRP‐Ab2) was brought into the surface of the electrode, developing stable amplified signals of H₂O₂ reduction. Under the optimal conditions, a linear curve for determination of PSA at the proposed immunosensor was 1.6×10^?4 ng.mL^?1 to 38 ng.mL^?1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.95×10^?5 ng.mL^?1. The proposed immunosensor was successfully validated in serum and urine samples towards PSA detection with satisfactory and acceptable results.