Mediated glucose enzyme electrodes by cross-linking films of osmium redox complexes and glucose oxidase on electrodes

Here, we report on a novel, versatile approach for the preparation of mediated enzyme electrodes, demonstrated using cross-linked films of glucose oxidase and a range of functionalised osmium complexes on graphite electrodes. Response of enzyme electrodes are optimised by evaluation of glucose response as a function of variation in ratios of [Os(2,2′-bipyridine)₂(4-aminomethyl pyridine)Cl]⁺ redox mediator, polyallylamine support and glucose oxidase enzyme cross-linked using a di-epoxide reagent in films on graphite. Lowering of the redox potential required to mediate glucose oxidation is achieved by synthesis of complexes using (4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine) or (4,4′-dimethoxy-2,2′-bipyridine) as a ligand instead of (2,2′-bipyridine). Enzyme electrodes prepared using the complexes based on dimethoxy- or dimethyl-substituted bipyridines provide glucose oxidation current densities of 30 and 70 μA?cm^?2 at 0.2 and 0.35 V applied potential compared to 120 μA?cm^?2 at 0.45 V for the initial enzyme electrode, under pseudo-physiological conditions in 5 mM glucose, with stability of signals proving inadequate for long-term operation. Current output and stability may be improved by selection of alternate anchoring and cross-linking methodology, to provide enzyme electrodes capable for application to long-term glucose biosensors and anodes in enzymatic fuel cells.

High performance bioanode based on direct electron transfer of fructose dehydrogenase at gold nanoparticle-modified electrodes

The direct electron transfer reaction of fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) from Gluconobacter sp. on alkanethiol-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was examined. AuNP-modified electrodes were simply fabricated by depositing citrate-reduced gold nanoparticles onto a gold electrode and carbon fiber paper and then covering the surface with a self-assembled monolayer of alkanethiols. The immobilization of AuNPs provided a large effective surface area for the adsorption of FDH. Catalytic oxidation currents based on the direct electron transfer reaction of FDH were observed from a potential about ?100 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl, 3 M NaCl) in the presence of d-fructose without a mediator. The current density reached as high as 14.3 ± 0.93 mA/cm² (at +500 mV), which was achieved in the presence of 200 mM d-fructose by immobilization of FDH on 2-mercaptoethanol-modified AuNP/carbon fiber paper electrodes.     

Direct electron transfer reaction of glucose oxidase at bare silver electrodes and its application in analysis

The direct electron transfer reaction of glucose oxidase (GOx) at a bare silver electrode is verified. The electron transfer number n = 2, electron transfer coefficient α = 0.45 and rate constant of the electrochemical reaction K_s = 0.1 s⁻¹ are obtained. This communication presents a multimolecular adsorption model to explain the properties of the direct electron reaction between GOx and bare silver electrodes. The residual valence force may be an important factor to ensure a direct electron transfer reaction on the bare electrode. On the basis of the experimental fact that only biologically active GOx exhibits electrochemical activity in solution, a facile analytical method for analyzing the active GOx concentration is developed. The results determined correspond very well to that of a spectrometric method.     

Direct electron transfer of PQQ-glucose dehydrogenase at modified carbon nanotubes electrodes

In order to establish efficient enzyme-electrode-contacts for the pyrroloquinoline quinone dependent glucose dehydrogenase (PQQ-GDH) different immobilisation strategies are investigated. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) on gold electrodes are modified by chemical treatment and by (poly)-aniline derivatives. The electropolymerisation of methoxy-m-anilinesulfonic acid and m-aminobenzoic acid on the MWCNTs allows the covalent coupling of the PQQ-GDH. Such a poly-[ASA-ABA]/MWCNT/Au electrode can achieve current densities of up to 500 μA/cm² at a potential of 100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. Furthermore investigations with small amounts of free PQQ indicate direct electron transfer between enzyme and electrode.     

Direct electrochemistry of Phanerochaete chrysosporium cellobiose dehydrogenase covalently attached onto gold nanoparticle modified solid gold electrodes

Achieving efficient electrochemical communication between redox enzymes and various electrode materials is one of the main challenges in bioelectrochemistry and is of great importance for developing electronic applications. Cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) is an extracellular flavocytochrome composed of a catalytic FAD containing dehydrogenase domain (DH(CDH)), a heme b containing cytochrome domain (CYT(CDH)), and a flexible linker region connecting the two domains. Efficient direct electron transfer (DET) of CDH from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PcCDH) covalently attached to mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) modified gold nanoparticle (AuNP) electrode is presented. The thiols used were as follows: 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP), 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), 4-mercaptophenol (4-MP), 11-mercapto-1-undecanamine (MUNH(2)), 11-mercapto-1-undecanoic acid (MUCOOH), and 11-mercapto-1-undecanol (MUOH). A covalent linkage between PcCDH and 4-ATP or MUNH(2) in the mixed SAMs was formed using glutaraldehyde as cross-linker. The covalent immobilization and the surface coverage of PcCDH were confirmed with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). To improve current density, AuNPs were cast on the top of polycrystalline gold electrodes. For all the immobilized PcCDH modified AuNPs electrodes, cyclic voltammetry exhibited clear electrochemical responses of the CYT(CDH) with fast electron transfer (ET) rates in the absence of substrate (lactose), and the formal potential was evaluated to be +162 mV vs NHE at pH 4.50. The standard ET rate constant (k(s)) was estimated for the first time for CDH and was found to be 52.1, 59.8, 112, and 154 s(-1) for 4-ATP/4-MBA, 4-ATP/4-MP, MUNH(2)/MUCOOH, and MUNH(2)/MUOH modified electrodes, respectively. At all the mixed SAM modified AuNP electrodes, PcCDH showed DET only via the CYT(CDH). No DET communication between the DH(CDH) domain and the electrode was found. The current density for lactose oxidation was remarkably increased by introduction of the AuNPs. The 4-ATP/4-MBA modified AuNPs exhibited a current density up to 30 μA cm(-2), which is ～70 times higher than that obtained for a 4-ATP/4-MBA modified polycrystalline gold electrode. The results provide insight into fundamental electrochemical properties of CDH covalently immobilized on gold electrodes and promote further applications of CDHs for biosensors, biofuel cells, and bioelectrocatalysis.     

Engineering of glucose oxidase for direct electron transfer via site-specific gold nanoparticle conjugation

Optimizing the electrical communication between enzymes and electrodes is critical in the development of biosensors, enzymatic biofuel cells, and other bioelectrocatalytic applications. One approach to address this limitation is the attachment of redox mediators or relays to the enzymes. Here we report a simple genetic modification of a glucose oxidase enzyme to display a free thiol group near its active site. This facilitates the site-specific attachment of a maleimide-modified gold nanoparticle to the enzyme, which enables direct electrical communication between the conjugated enzyme and an electrode. Glucose oxidase is of particular interest in biofuel cell and biosensor applications, and the approach of "prewiring" enzyme conjugates in a site-specific manner will be valuable in the continued development of these systems.     

Isolation and purification of PQQ-dependent lactate dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter and use for direct electron transfer at carbon and gold electrodes

This research details the isolation and purification of a new type of lactate dehydrogenase that is dependent upon the coenzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ). PQQ-dependent enzymes have been of interest in the literature over the last decade due to the fact that many of them can undergo direct electron transfer (DET) at electrode surfaces which is of interest for biosensor and biofuel cell applications. In the paper, we detail the isolation of PQQ-dependent lactate dehydrogenase (PQQ-LDH) from two sources of Gluconobacter (Gluconobacter sp. 33 and Gluconobacter suboxydans). This paper also shows the first evidence that PQQ-LDH can undergo direct electron transfer at gold and carbon electrode surfaces for future use in biosensors and biofuel cells.     

Facile fabrication of nanoporous gold film electrodes

A novel one-step method has been developed for the fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous gold film (NPGF). The NPGF can be facilely made within 1 min from a pure gold substrate by applying a step potential just into the initial transition region of gold in an HCl medium. The pore formation and structural evolution have been revealed by scanning electron microscope, and the processes involve electrodissolution, disproportion, and deposition. The as-prepared 3D NPGF electrode has a large surface area and exhibits high catalytic activity in the electrooxidation of glucose. The NPGF electrode also shows excellent performance toward the electrooxidation of formic acid after being decorated with a tiny amount of Pt by electrodeposition.     

The determination of electron transfer rates for several quinonoid compounds at platinum and gold electrodes

Rapid scan cyclic voltammetric methods were used to determine the standard heterogeneous rate constants of single electron transfer reactions involving several quinonoid molecules at platinum and gold electrodes. Measurements were made in acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulphoxide and propylene carbonate solutions. Corresponding activation energies were evaluated on the basis of theoretical treatments of Marcus and of Levich, Dogonadze and Chizmadzhev and were compared with theoretically calculated values. Discrepancies between theory and experiment are discussed qualitatively in terms of reactant and solvent structures.     

Separation of pinhole and tunneling electron transfer processes at self-assembled polymeric monolayers on gold electrodes

Self-assembled monolayers of poly(3-alkylthiophene) on gold electrodes are examined by cyclic voltammetry in solutions containing electroactive species. Two well-separated electron transfer processes, namely, electron tunneling through the monolayer and electron exchange at pinholes (defects) of the monolayer are observed. The voltammetric responses of the pinhole electron transfer process take place around the standard potential of the electroactive species and resemble those of a nanoelectrode ensemble of independent individual nanoelectrodes. The voltammetric characteristics of the electron tunneling agree well with predictions of the Marcus theory. Satisfactory values of tunneling coefficient, standard rate constant and organization energy are derived from the voltammetric data.     

Direct electron transfer in nanostructured sol-gel electrodes containing bilirubin oxidase

Bilirubin oxidase encapsulated within a silica sol-gel/carbon nanotube composite electrode effectively catalyzed the reduction of molecular oxygen into water through direct electron transfer at the carbon nanotube electrode surface. In this nanocomposite approach, the silica matrix is designed to be sufficiently porous for substrate molecules to have access to the enzyme and yet provides a protective cage for immobilization without affecting biological activity. The incorporation of carbon nanotubes adds electrical connectivity and increases active electrode surface area. The standard surface electron transfer rate constant was calculated to be 59 s(-1) which indicates that the carbon nanotube side walls are primarily responsible for electron transfer. The use of direct electron transfer processes simplifies biofuel cell fabrication by eliminating the need for redox mediator and ion-conducting separators.     

Characterization of nanoporous gold electrodes for bioelectrochemical applications

The high surface areas of nanostructured electrodes can provide for significantly enhanced surface loadings of electroactive materials. The fabrication and characterization of nanoporous gold (np-Au) substrates as electrodes for bioelectrochemical applications is described. Robust np-Au electrodes were prepared by sputtering a gold-silver alloy onto a glass support and subsequent dealloying of the silver component. Alloy layers were prepared with either a uniform or nonuniform distribution of silver and, post dealloying, showed clear differences in morphology on characterization with scanning electron microscopy. Redox reactions under kinetic control, in particular measurement of the charge required to strip a gold oxide layer, provided the most accurate measurements of the total electrochemically addressable electrode surface area, A(real). Values of A(real) up to 28 times that of the geometric electrode surface area, A(geo), were obtained. For diffusion-controlled reactions, overlapping diffusion zones between adjacent nanopores established limiting semi-infinite linear diffusion fields where the maximum current density was dependent on A(geo). The importance of measuring the surface area available for the immobilization was determined using the redox protein, cyt c. The area accessible to modification by a biological macromolecule, A(macro), such as cyt c was reduced by up to 40% compared to A(real), demonstrating that the confines of some nanopores were inaccessible to large macromolecules due to steric hindrances. Preliminary studies on the preparation of np-Au electrodes modified with osmium redox polymer hydrogels and Myrothecium verrucaria bilirubin oxidase (MvBOD) as a biocathode were performed; current densities of 500 μA cm(-2) were obtained in unstirred solutions.     

A new approach to glucose sensing at gold electrodes

An oxidative peak in the cathodic scan is observed in the cyclic voltammetry of glucose at gold electrodes, its peak current density being proportional to glucose concentration in a wide potential range. The application of this phenomenon in blood glucose sensing has been hindered by the presence of inhibitors: the most problematic are chlorides due to their high concentration and difficult separation from glucose. In the present paper we propose a solution to this problem involving a three electrode, four step pulsed electrochemical detection technique.     

Multilayered construction of glucose oxidase on gold electrodes based on layer-by-layer covalent attachment

A feasible approach to construct multilayered enzyme film on the gold electrode surface for use as biosensing interface is described. The film was fabricated by alternate layer-by-layer deposition of periodate-oxidized glucose oxidase (GOx) and poly(allylamine) (PAA). The covalent attachment process was followed and confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments revealed that the film was homogeneous and formed in an ordered manner with a thickness of 2.6 ± 0.1 nm per bilayer. The gold electrodes modified with the GOx/PAA multilayers showed excellent electrocatalytical response to the oxidation of glucose when ferrocenemethanol was used as an artificial redox mediator, which was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). From the analysis of voltammetric signals, the coverage of active enzyme on the electrode surface was estimated, which had a linear relationship with the number of GOx/PAA bilayers. This suggests that the analytical performance such as sensitivity, detection limit, and so on, is tunable by controlling the number of attached bilayers. The six GOx/PAA bilayer electrode exhibited a sensitivity of 15.1 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² with a detection limit of 3.8 × 10⁻⁶ M. In addition, the sensor exhibited good reproducibility and stability.     

Glucose biosensor based on graphite electrodes modified with glucose oxidase and colloidal gold nanoparticles

The electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized on a graphite rod electrode modified by gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) was studied. Two types of amperometric glucose sensors based on GOx immobilized and Au-NPs modified working electrode (Au-NPs/GOx/graphite and GOx/Au-NPs/graphite) were designed and tested in the presence and the absence of N-methylphenazonium methyl sulphate in different buffers. Results were compared to those obtained with similar electrodes not containing Au-NPs (GOx/graphite). This study shows that the application of Au-NPs increases the rate of mediated electron transfer. Major analytical characteristics of the amperometric biosensor based on GOx and 13 nm diameter Au-NPs were determined. The analytical signal was linearly related to glucose concentration in the range from 0.1 to 10 mmol L^?1. The detection limit for glucose was found within 0.1 mmol L^?1 and 0.08 mmol L^?1 and the relative standard deviation in the range of 0.1–100 mol L^?1 was 0.04–0.39%. The τ_1/2 of V _max characterizes the storage stability of sensors: this parameter for the developed GOx/graphite electrode was 49.3 days and for GOx/Au-NPs/graphite electrode was 19.5 days. The sensor might be suitable for determination of glucose in beverages and/or in food.     

Amperometric glucose biosensor based on mediated electron transfer between immobilized glucose oxidase and plasma-polymerized thin film of dimethylaminomethylferrocene on sputtered gold electrode.

We propose an electron transfer-mediated amperometric enzyme biosensor based on plasma-polymerized thin film of dimethylaminomethylferrocene (DMAMF) on a sputtered gold electrode. The DMAMF plasma-polymerized film is deposited directly onto the surface of the electrode under dry conditions. The resulting thin film not only has redox sites but also is extremely thin (approximately 20 nm), adheres well onto the substrate (electrode), has a flat surface and a highly-crosslinked network structure, and is hydrophilic in nature. Glucose oxidase is densely immobilized onto the surface of DMAMF plasma-polymerized film on the gold electrode. From the electrochemical measurement, the biosensor can cover the wide range of glucose concentration (1.3 - 81 mM) at +350 mV of applied potential. The current response of the glucose biosensor was decreased by less than 5% in an aerobic solution as compared to that in an anaerobic solution. These show that the DMAMF plasma-polymerized films play a role as the electron transfer mediators between the reaction center of enzyme and the electrode.     

Studies of Amperometric glucose dehydrogenase electrodes for glucose

Glucose sensors are constructed by immobilizing glucose dehydrogenase physically or chemically on a carbon or platinum electrode. Soluble coenzyme was used. The usefulness of the electrode is limited by interference from any molecule that can be oxidized at + 450 mV. Because the cofactor must be in solution, and diffuse to the electrode, a low-molecular-weight cut-off filter cannot be used to block the interferences.     

Dynamics of adiabatic electron transfer reactions at metal electrodes

We have investigated the dynamics of adiabatic electron transfer reactions at metal electrodes using a Hamiltonian suggested by Schmickler (J. Electroanal. Chem., 204 (1986) 31). We show that in the adiabatic limit the problem reduces to that of dynamics of a single variable, the shift of the ionic orbital caused by its interaction with the solvent. This variable is identified as the reaction co-ordinate for the problem and we show that in certain limits, it obeys a non-linear Volterra type integral equation, with a stochastic inhomogeneous term. For an inhomogenous term with the autocorrelation function decaying exponentially, this may be converted into a differential equation for Brownian motion. This equation can be analysed to obtain the rate, through the associated Fokker-Planck equation. The rate so obtained, has a correction to the pre-exponential factor obtained by Schmickler. A possible extension to inner sphere reactions is also discussed.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose on nanoporous gold membranes

With characteristic of structural integrity and high surface area, nanoporous gold (NPG) prepared by dealloying method is proposed to be a highly sensitive catalyst for glucose electrooxidation. It can be found that a-NPG which obtained by electrochemical corrosion method has the highest sensitivity for glucose electrooxidation among the three studied samples. Under alkaline conditions, the catalytic current density of a-NPG is over 1.5 times and 17 times higher than that of f-NPG (prepared by free corrosion) and poly-Au electrode, respectively. Using a-NPG sample for glucose detection, the obtained minimum sensible concentration are 413 nM in alkaline media and 1 μM in neutral solutions. The a-NPG electrode also shows stable recovery and reproducibility characteristics. These results indicate that NPG may work as an efficient electrode material for electrochemical sensors and a promising catalyst for alkaline glucose fuel cells.     

Direct electron transfer of glucose oxidase on the carbon nanotube electrode

The direct electrochemistry of redox enzymes (or proteins) has received more and more attention[1—9]. These studies developed an electrochemical basis for the investigation of enzyme structure, mechanisms of redox transformations of enzyme molecules and metabolic processes involving redox transformations. From these studies, one can also find potential appli-cations of enzymes in biotechnology. For example, if an enzyme immobilized on electrode surface is ca-pable of the direct electron tra…