Chitosan coated carbon fiber microelectrode for selective in vivo detection of neurotransmitters in live zebrafish embryos

We report the development of a chitosan modified carbon fiber microelectrode for in vivo detection of serotonin. We find that chitosan has the ability to reject physiological levels of ascorbic acid interferences and facilitate selective and sensitive detection of in vivo levels of serotonin, a common catecholamine neurotransmitter. Presence of chitosan on the microelectrode surface was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electrode was characterized using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). A detection limit of 1.6 nM serotonin with a sensitivity of 5.12 nA/μM, a linear range from 2 to 100 nM and a reproducibility of 6.5% for n=6 electrodes were obtained. Chitosan modified microelectrodes selectively measure serotonin in presence of physiological levels of ascorbic acid. In vivo measurements were performed to measure concentration of serotonin in the live embryonic zebrafish intestine. The sensor quantifies in vivo intestinal levels of serotonin while successfully rejecting ascorbic acid interferences. We demonstrate that chitosan can be used as an effective coating to reject ascorbic acid interferences at carbon fiber microelectrodes, as an alternative to Nafion, and that chitosan modified microelectrodes are reliable tools for in vivo monitoring of changes in neurotransmitter levels.     

A sensitive determination of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid using a nafion-coated clinoptilolite-modified carbon paste electrode

A selective dopamine determination using a nafion-coated clinoptilolite-modified carbon paste electrode in the presence of ascorbic acid was studied. Both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) were used for measurements of dopamine. To improve the selectivity of the clinoptilolite-modified carbon paste electrode in presence of a high concentration of ascorbic acid, the electrode surface was coated with nafion membrane. Experimental parameters affecting the determination of dopamine, including the clinoptilolite ratio, nafion membrane thickness, preconcentration time, preconcentration solution pH, stripping solution pH and interferences are discussed. The developed sensor has a wide linear range, a low detection limit, and good stability and reproducibility. The sensor offers a good alternative to existing analytical methods for dopamine, permits a relatively short analysis time, and is simple, selective and inexpensive.     

Amperometric detection of cationic neurotransmitters at nafion-coated glassy carbon electrodes in flow streams

Substantial improvements in amperometric monitoring of flowing streams are obtained by using Nafion-coated working electrodes. The charged coating tends to exclude anionic and neutral interferences, thus adding a new dimension of selectivity to electrochemical detection for flow-injection and liquid-chromatographic systems. A highly selective response is observed for cationic neurotransmitters in the presence of otherwise interfering substances (e.g., ascorbic acid, uric acid, bilirubin or chlorpromazine). The permselectivity and transport characteristics are evaluated with respect to solution pH, solvent, flow rate, film thickness, and other variables. The reduced flow-rate dependence results in low noise levels and detection limits of 0.04 and 0.10 ng of norepinephrine and epinephrine, respectively. A bilayer electrode coating, with a cellulose acetate film over the Nafion layer, offers a bifunctional (selectivity, protection) capability. Applicability to urine samples is demonstrated.     

Differential selectivity in electrochemical oxidation of ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide at the surface of functionalized ormosil-modified electrodes

Functionalized ormosil-modified electrodes have been developed for electroanalytical applications. The functionalized ormosil-modified electrodes are made by encapsulating potassium ferricyanide/potassium ferrocyanide within ormosil film derived from an optimum composition of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl trimethoxysilane and phenyltrimethoxy silane in acidic medium in absence of Nafion/crown ether (system 1), in the presence of Nafion (system 2) and in the presence of dibenzo-18-crown-6 (system 3). Another modified electrode (system 4) is also developed using the reaction product of potassium ferricyanide, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and either tetrahydrofuran (THF) or cyclohexanone followed by ormosil formation in the presence of 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl trimethoxysilane and phenyltrimethoxy silane in acidic medium. The electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid conducted at the surface of these four types of functionalized electrodes shows very interesting observations on the selective sensing of ascorbic acid and peroxide. The results based on cyclic voltammetry justify the relative performances on the kinetics of hydrogen peroxide oxidation and reduction. System 3 shows relatively much better oxidation kinetics of hydrogen peroxide as compared to other three systems with relatively weak reduction kinetics whereas system 4 shows relatively faster reduction kinetics of hydrogen peroxide as compared to other three systems. Similarly system 4 shows excellent response to ascorbic acid whereas system 3 shows insensitivity to ascorbic acid under similar experimental conditions. Typical response curve for the analysis of hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid using system 3 and system 4 respectively are reported. The results show that system 3 is the best for probing hydrogen peroxide with lowest detection limit of 0.5 μM without any interference from ascorbic acid as commonly encountered using many conventional and chemically modified electrodes.     

Direct electrochemical assay of glucose using boron-doped diamond electrodes

We report linear sweep and square wave voltammetric studies on glucose oxidation at boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in an alkaline medium in efforts to evaluate the techniques for electrochemically assaying glucose. The bare BDD electrode showed good linear responses to glucose oxidation for a concentration range from 0.5 to 10 mM glucose, which well encompasses the physiological range of 3-8 mM. The BDD electrodes did not experience interferences from ascorbic acid or uric acid during glucose detection. This method, when applied to real blood samples, gave results similar to those obtained by a commercial glucose monitor.     

Simultaneous Determination of Uric Acid and Ascorbic Acid Using Edge Plane Pyrolytic Graphite Electrodes

Edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes have been applied for the determination of uric acid and ascorbic acid. The separate determination of uric acid was found to produce three linear ranges from 100 nM to 3400 μM with a detection limit of 30 nM found to be possible. Uric acid detection was also explored in the presence of 200 μM ascorbic acid where a detection limit of 52 nM was found to be possible. The detection of ascorbic acid in the presence of uric acid was also explored over three linear ranges of ascorbic acid with a limit of detection of 80 nM. Last the simultaneous determination of both uric acid and ascorbic acid is investigated over the range 100 nM to 1000 μM where detection limits of 50 nM and 120 nM were obtained respectively. Analysis of uric acid in a growth tissue medium was found to be successful, confirming the applicability of the methodology to real matrices. This protocol is shown to provide low detection limits, easy handling (no electrode modification), good voltammetric peak separation of uric acid and ascorbic acid and a wide linear dynamic range.     

Electrochemical Characterization of Polymerized Cresol Red Film Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode and Separation of Electrocatalytic Responses for Ascorbic Acid and Dopamine Oxidation

A cresol red modified glassy carbon electrode was prepared using an electrochemical method. The cyclic voltammograms of the modified electrode indicate the presence of a couple of well-defined redox peaks, and the formal potential shifts in the negative direction with increasing solution pH. The modified electrode exhibits high electrocatalytic activity toward ascorbic acid oxidation, with an overpotential of 300 mV less than that of bare glassy carbon electrodes, and drastic enhancement of the anodic currents. The calibration graph obtained by linear sweep voltammetry for ascorbic acid is linear in the range of 50∼500 µM. The electrode markedly enhances the current response of dopamine and can separate the electrochemical responses of ascorbic acid and dopamine. The separation between the anodic peak potentials of ascorbic acid and dopamine is 190 mV by cyclic voltammetry. The linear sweep voltammetric peak currents for dopamine in the presence of 2 mM ascorbic acid vary linearly with a concentration of between 10 and 100 µM.     

Anti‐Interferent Properties of Oxidized Nickel Based on Layered Double Hydroxide in Glucose Amperometric Biosensors

An amperometric biosensor based on Pt electrodes modified with a thin film of a Ni, Al layered double hydroxide (LDH), submitted to a preliminary oxidative treatment in order to have the nickel centers at the oxidation state +4, and glucose oxidase (GOx) is presented. The oxidized LDH acts both as a system to support the enzyme and as a barrier to anions since it acquires an overall negative charge, as demonstrated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Even if the biosensor response is due to the detection of H₂O₂ at anodic potentials, glucose can be accurately determined in the presence of ascorbic acid or other interferences, commonly present in real matrices in anionic form, since they can not reach the electrode surface. The effectiveness of the developed biosensor has been demonstrated by measuring glucose in samples of fruit juices containing ascorbic acid at high levels.     

Amperometric Detection of Catecholamine Neurotransmitters Using Electrocatalytic Substrate Recycling at a Laccase Electrode

An enzyme electrode based on the coimmobilization of an osmium redox polymer and laccase on glassy carbon electrodes has been applied to ultra sensitive amperometric detection of the catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, resulting in nanomolar detection limits, as low as 4 nM for dopamine. The sensitivity of the electrode is due to signal amplification via oxidation of the catecholamine by the immobilized laccase, which is regenerated by concomitant reduction of oxygen to water, coupled to the electrocatalytic re‐reduction of the oxidized catecholamine by the osmium redox complex: electrocatalytic substrate recycling. In addition because the sensor can be operated in reductive mode at ?0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), noise and interferences are diminished. Combined with its high sensitivity this enzyme electrode also exhibited excellent selectivity allowing the detection of catecholamines in the presence of ascorbic acid. However, differentiation between the current responses achieved for the three catecholamines is not possible. The effective mode of constant recycling, resulting in amplification of the current response, of the laccase enzyme electrode sensor combined with the inherent advantages of using electrochemical techniques holds great promise for the future of catecholamine detection and monitoring.     

Poly(brilliant green)/carbon nanotube-modified carbon film electrodes and application as sensors

Poly(brilliant green) (PBG) films were formed on carbon film electrodes (CFE) by electropolymerisation of brilliant green monomer using potential cycling or at fixed potential from different pH solutions. The modified electrodes, PBG/CFE, were characterised by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in electrolytes of different pH by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In order to increase the stability of the polymer film and enhance the response, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were first deposited on CFE and then PBG was formed on top, PBG/CNT/CFE. The modified electrodes were applied to the amperometric determination of ascorbic acid (AA) in phosphate buffer pH?7.0 at 0.0 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) and the results were compared, the presence of CNT leading to a significant increase in sensitivity. An interference study was carried out and good separation between AA and dopamine (DA) peaks was achieved that led to the successful determination of DA without interferences. Other interferents: aspirin, acetaminophen, salicylic acid and uric acid exhibited no response on the PBG/CNT/CFE. Determination of AA in pharmaceutical samples was successfully performed.     

Studies on differential sensing of dopamine at the surface of chemically sensitized ormosil-modified electrodes

We report herein the preparation of few chemically sensitized organically modified sol–gel glass (ormosil) films and sensing of dopamine at the surface of the modified electrodes derived from these films. The chemical sensitization in ormosil-modified electrodes is introduced by incorporating: (a) potassium ferricyanide and (b) either Nafion, or dibenzo-18-crown-6 or in situ generated Prussian blue from potassium ferricyanide. Electrochemical sensing of dopamine on the surfaces of these modified electrodes have been investigated and found that: (i) the presence of dibenzo-18-crown-6 facilitate the magnitude of dopamine sensing, (ii) conversion of potassium ferricyanide into Prussian blue also enhances the magnitude of dopamine sensing as compared to that of control and Nafion sensitized modified electrodes, (iii) both dibenzo-18-crown-6 and Nafion sensitized ormosil-modified electrodes are found selective to dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid present under physiological concentration range. These finding again directed our attention to investigate the sensing of dopamine: (a) on dibenzo-18-crown-6 incorporated within Prussian blue sensitized modified electrode and (b) in the presence of varying concentrations of dibenzo-18-crown-6 in the Prussian blue modified electrodes. The investigations made on these lines again suggested the following: (1) increase in dibenzo-18-crown-6 concentrations in the modified electrode increases the magnitude of dopamine sensing upto an optimum concentration of macrocycle; (2) the detection limit of dopamine sensing goes down to 30 nM as compared to that of dibenzo-18-crown-6 incorporated with potassium ferricyanide which was found to the order of 100 nM. Investigations of the interference of ascorbic acid revealed that the presence of dibenzo-18-crown-6 introduces selectivity in dopamine sensing in the presence such common interfering analyte like ascorbic acid.     

Flow Potentiometric Injection Analysis of Uric Acid Using Lipid Stabilized Films with Incorporated Uricase on ZnO Nanowires

A novel potentiometric uric acid biosensor was fabricated by immobilization of uricase into stabilized lipid films using zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires as measuring electrode. Uricase was incorporated into the lipid film prior polymerization on the surface of well aligned ZnO nanowires resulting in a sensitive, selective, stable and reproducible uric acid biosensor. The potentiometric response was twice as large from previously reported values due to the presence of a cationic lipid in the lipid film. The sensor response had no interferences by normal concentrations of ascorbic acid, glucose, urea, proteins and lipids.     

聚苯胺薄膜修饰电极对抗坏血酸的电催化氧化

本文表明聚苯胺(PAn)薄膜修饰电极对水溶液中的抗坏血酸(AH_2)在较宽的pH范围和较宽的浓度范围内均有良好的电催化氧化作用, 为EC平行催化过程。利用旋转圆盘电极(RDE)进行了催化过程动力学分析, 求出了催化反应动力学参数。在抗坏血酸浓度10~(-2)～10~(-6) mol·L~(-1)范围内, 催化峰电流与AH_2浓度均成良好的线性关系, 且PAn薄膜修饰电极具有很好的稳定性, 有应用分析抗坏血酸的意义。     

Amperometric determination of urea using an NADH-dependent coupled enzyme

Enzyme electrodes for the amperometric measurement of urea were prepared by co-immobilizing l-glutamate dehydrogenase and urease onto an Immobilon-AV affinity membrane with attachment to a glassy carbon electrode. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) was used as the electroactive species. The electrochemical oxidation of NADH was monitored at +1.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The enzyme immobilized electrode was linear over the range of 2.0 x 10(-5) to 2 x 10(-4)M. The response time of the electrode was 3 min and the optimum pH of enzyme immobilized membrane was pH 7.4-7.6 (Dulbecco's buffer solution). It was stable for at least two weeks and 50 assays. There were no interferences from other physiological material, except for high levels of ascorbic acid.     

Electrochemical polymerization of aniline over tetracyanoquinodimethane encapsulated ormosil matrix: application in the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid and acetylthiocholine

Organically modified sol-gel glass (ormosil) matrix is utilized as a template for the electrochemical polymerization of aniline. The ormosil matrix is further modulated by encapsulation of: (a) tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), and (b) tetracyanoquinodimethane together with palladium (Pd). The presence of tetracyanoquinodimethane within ormosil matrix considerably influences the polymerization process of aniline and the same is significantly enhanced as compared to that of control. The presence of palladium within ormosil network further influence the polymerization process as compared to that of TCNQ only. The polyaniline obtained as PAni-TCNQ and PAni-TCNQ-Pd composites has been utilized for fabricating the modified electrodes. These modified electrodes are used to study the electrochemical sensing of ascorbic acid and acetylthiocholine. The results based on cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and amperometry justify that the electrode material exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of ascorbic acid and acetylthiocholine with major findings as compared to the control: (1) a negative shift to the order of ～340 mV vs. Ag/AgCl in the anodic overpotential for the electro-oxidation of ascorbic acid, (2) a significant increase in the anodic peak current for the oxidation of ascorbic acid, (3) an increase in the sensitivity of ascorbic acid analysis to the order of 7-fold for the modified electrodes, (4) acetylthiocholine undergoes direct oxidation with considerable increase in both anodic and cathodic peak currents and (5) an increase in the sensitivity of acetylthiocholine analysis to the order of 5-fold for the modified electrodes.     

All-solid-state potentiometric sensors for ascorbic acid by using a screen-printed compatible solid contact

The development of all-solid-state potentiometric ion selective electrodes for monitoring of ascorbic acid, by using a screen-printed compatible solid contact is described. The applied methodology is based on the use of PVC membrane modified with some firstly-tested ionophores (triphenyltin(IV)chloride, triphenyltin(IV)hydroxide and palmitoyl-l-ascorbic acid) and a novel one synthesized in our laboratory (dibutyltin(IV) diascorbate). Synthesis protocol and some preliminary identification studies are given. A conductive graphite-based polymer thick film ink was used as an internal solid contact between the graphite electrode and the PVC membrane. The presence and the nature of the solid contact (plain or doped with lanthanum 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPI)) seem to enhance the analytical performance of the electrodes in terms of sensitivity, dynamic range, and response time. The analytical performance of the constructed electrodes was evaluated with potentiometry, constant-current chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The interference effect of various compounds was also tested. The potential response of the optimized Ph₃SnCl-based electrode was linear against ascorbic acid concentration range 0.005-5.0 mM. The applicability of the proposed sensors in real samples was also tested. The detection limit was 0.002 mM ascorbic acid (50 mM phosphate, pH 5 in 50 mM KCl). The slope of the electrodes was super-Nernstian and pH dependent, indicating a mechanism involving a combination of charge transfer and ion exchange processes. Fabrication of screen-printed ascorbate ISEs has also been demonstrated.     

Determination of sulfite in beer samples using an amperometric fill and flow channel biosensor employing sulfite oxidase

A simple method is described to determine sulfite in beer samples using a fill and flow channel biosensor. A droplet of sample is placed into the inlet of a rectangular flow cell and begins to flow through the channel by capillarity. The flow is maintained and controlled by a porous outlet plug of defined porosity. In a rectangular flow cell, the sample solution flows through three consecutive zones: over a predictor electrode, an enzyme layer and a detector electrode. Together these three zones enable the differentiation between current due to sulfite and current due to other electroactive species in the sample. The predictor electrode is located upstream, and on the opposite channel wall to the enzyme layer and detector electrode, and is poised at the same potential (+0.65 V versus Ag/AgCl) as the detector electrode. On this electrode, the current contribution from all species in the sample solution that are oxidized at that potential is determined. The enzyme layer contains sulfite oxidase, which, in the process of oxidizing sulfite, produces hydrogen peroxide, which itself is reduced by excess sulfite. The current at the downstream detector electrode is therefore different from that at the predictor electrode as a result of the enzyme reaction and the difference of the currents, corrected for the dimensions of the electrodes, is proportional to the concentration of sulfite. The method enables a straightforward correction of the interfering current at the detector electrode and a determination of the analyte concentration. The effect of interferences from ascorbic acid, ethanol, sorbic acid and tartaric acid in the detection of sulfite is efficiently removed. The concentration of sulfite in a sample of beer measured by the biosensor is equivalent to that measured using a reference method based on the AOAC-recommended Monier-Williams method.     

Dopamine Detection Using the Selective and Spontaneous Formation of Electrocatalytic Poly(dopamine) Films on Indium?Tin Oxide Electrodes

In this study, we report the simple and sensitive electrochemical detection of dopamine in the presence of excess ascorbic acid. The detection is based on the spontaneous formation of electrocatalytic poly(dopamine) films on bare indium? tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. The poly(dopamine) films are formed by immersing ITO electrodes in a solution of dopamine and ascorbic acid for 10 min. Afterwards, the electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrazine is measured using modified electrodes. The electrooxidation current of hydrazine increases with increasing dopamine concentration. This method allows a detection limit of 1 nM for dopamine in the presence of 100 µM of ascorbic acid.     

Use of micromolded carbon dual electrodes with a palladium decoupler for amperometric detection in microchip electrophoresis

The fabrication and evaluation of micromolded dual carbon ink electrodes and their integration with a fabricated palladium decoupler for use in microchip electrophoresis is described. As opposed to previous work involving carbon-based dual electrodes with microchip electrophoresis, this approach results in electrodes that are amenable to mass production in a manner where the decoupler/electrode alignment is fixed and reproducible. In this work, electrode sizes and spacings were optimized to result in dual carbon electrodes that are 1 microm in height and separated by 100 microm. Fluorescence microscopy was used to investigate leakage around the electrode/channel interface as well as to investigate what effect the dual electrodes have on band broadening phenomena. The performance of the microelectrodes was demonstrated by the separation and selective dual electrode detection of neurotransmitters in the presence of ascorbic acid. It was also found that addition of SDS to the buffer system improved both the LODs and collection efficiencies. This approach, which is the first involving carbon-based dual electrodes with an on-chip palladium decoupler, will be useful for separating and detecting neurotransmitters that are either collected by in vivo sampling or released from cells on-chip.     

Highly selective sensing of dopamine using carbon nanotube ink doped with anionic surfactant modified disposable paper electrode

An unconventional, flexible, disposable paper-based selective sensing platform for dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid, suitable for wearable electronics, has been described for the first time in this work. The carbon nanotube ink-modified paper (CNIMP) in the presence of an anionic surfactant was able to discriminate effectively between dopamine and ascorbic acid thereby alleviating the difficulties associated with the sensing of dopamine in the presence of high concentration of ascorbic acid which undergoes oxidation at similar potential. The CNIMP electrode provided a large surface area in addition to its flexibility and disposability which was 25 times higher compared to a glassy carbon electrode of the same geometric area. The conductivity of the CNIMP electrodes as measured by four probe conductivity measurements was reasonably high of the order of 1.7 × 10^?2 S cm^?1 facilitating its usefulness for the development of flexible sensors. The microscopic features of the electrodes showed the dense coverage and even distribution of carbon nanotubes on the surface with the surfactant molecules uniformly encapsulated on the surface.