Oxygen Dependence in a Dual‐Phase Electrochemical Biosensing System

Oxygen dependence of a tyrosinase‐based electrochemical biosensor for determination of phenol in aqueous and organic media was systematically investigated. The result demonstrated that the enzymatic coupling reaction rate of tyrosinase (deoxy form) and O₂ to regenerate tyrosinase (oxy form) is a kinetically fast reaction, and the significant change of O₂ concentration in aqueous solution did not affect the coupling reaction. The further increase of O₂ concentration did not increase the overall oxidation reaction rate of the substrate at low substrate concentration (e.g.,<10 μM phenol) when O₂ concentration was greater than 8.9 ppm. The oxygen dependence was observed in the case of high substrate concentration due to insufficient amount of O₂ available for the regeneration of tyrosinase. In other words, the upper linear range is oxygen dependent for tyrosinase biosensors. The phenol biosensors employing microelectrodes had wider upper linear ranges than macroelectrodes in both aqueous and organic phase, which can be explained by the oxygen dependence.     

Highly Sensitive Dopamine Detection Using a Bespoke Functionalised Carbon Nanotube Microelectrode Array

Understanding how the brain works requires developing advanced tools that allow measurement of bioelectrical and biochemical signals, including how they propagate between neurons. The introduction of nanomaterials as electrode materials has improved the impedance and sensitivity of microelectrode arrays (MEAs), allowing high quality recordings of single cells in situ using electrode diameters of ≤20 μm. MEAs also have the potential to measure electroactive biological molecules in situ, such as dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Thus, this work focused on fabricating a functionalised carbon nanotube (CNT)‐based MEA to demonstrate its potential for future measurement of small signals generated from excitable cells. To this end, the functionalised CNT MEA has recorded one of the lowest electrochemical interfacial impedances available in the literature, 2.8±0.2 kΩ, for an electrode of its geometric surface area. Electrochemical detection of dopamine revealed again one of the best sensitivity values per area available in the literature, 9.48 μA μM⁻¹ mm⁻². Additionally, a limit of detection of 7 nM was recorded for dopamine using the functionalised CNT MEA, with selectivity against common electrochemical interferents such as ascorbic acid. These results indicate improvement beyond currently available MEAs, along with the feasibility of using these devices for multi‐site detection of physiologically relevant electroactive biomolecules.     

Electrochemical Determination of Dopamine Using a Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene)-Reduced Graphene Oxide-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) was deposited on a reduced graphene oxide-decorated glassy carbon electrode through an electrochemical polymerization. The resulting glassy carbon electrode-reduced graphene oxide-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) electrode was applied as an electrochemical biosensor for the determination of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid and uric acid. The material deposited on glassy carbon electrode was investigated in terms of morphology and structural analysis. The comparison of electrochemical behavior of the glassy carbon electrode-reduced graphene oxide-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) electrode with the glassy carbon electrode-graphene oxide, glassy carbon electrode-reduced graphene oxide, and glassy carbon electrode-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) electrodes exhibited high electrocatalytic activity for dopamine detection. Electrochemical kinetic parameters of glassy carbon electrode-reduced graphene oxide-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), including the charge transfer coefficient α (0.49) and electron transfer rate constant k_s (1.04), were determined and discussed. The glassy carbon electrode-reduced graphene oxide-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) electrode was studied for the determination of dopamine by differential pulse voltammetry and exhibited a linear range from 19.6 to 122.8?µM with a sensitivity of 3.27?µA?µM^?1?cm^?2 and a detection limit of 1.92?µM. The developed biosensor exhibited good selectivity toward dopamine with high reproducibility and stability.     

Improvement of the Selectivity of Amperometric Biosensors by Using a Permselective Electropolymerized Film

Abstract

Dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) was electrochemically deposited onto the surface of glassy carbon and platinum electrodes to form a permselective film. Cyclic voltammetry of the DCPIP coated electrode exhibited a reversible oxidation/reduction current at +0.14 V, behavior similar to monomeric DCPIP. However, such an electrode did not mediate glucose oxidase in the presence of β-D-glucose. For operation at +0.7 V vs Ag/AgCl, the DCPIP electrodeposited film behaved like a permselective membrane and virtually eliminated oxidative interference currents resulting from 0.2 mM acetaminophen, uric acid and glutathione. For ascorbic acid, interfering current due to 0.2 mM ascorbate was decreased by 80%. Improvement of the selectivity due to ascorbic acid was achieved using an electrodeposited film prepared from a mixture of DCPIP with diaminobenzene or resorcinol.     

Fabrication of Miniaturised Screen‐printed Glucose Biosensors,Using a Water‐based Ink,and the Evaluation of their Electrochemical Behaviour

This paper describes a simple, convenient approach to the fabrication of microband electrodes and microband biosensors based on screen printing technology. These devices were printed in a three‐electrode configuration on one strip; a silver/silver chloride electrode and carbon counter electrode served as reference and counter electrodes respectively. The working electrodes were fabricated by screen‐printing a water‐based carbon ink containing cobalt phthalocyanine for hydrogen peroxide detection. These were converted into a glucose microband biosensor by the addition of glucose oxidase into the carbon ink. In this paper, we discuss the fabrication and application of glucose microband electrodes for the determination of glucose in cell media. The dimensions (100–400 microns) of the microband electrodes result in radial diffusion, which results in steady state responses in the absence of stirring. The microband biosensors were investigated in cell media containing different concentrations of glucose using chronoamperometry. The device shows linearity for glucose determination in the range 0.5 mM to 2.5 mM in cell media. The screen‐printed microband biosensor design holds promise as a generic platform for future applications in cell toxicity studies.     

Electrochemical Sensor for the Determination of Dopamine in Presence of High Concentration of Ascorbic Acid Using a Fullerene‐C60 Coated Gold Electrode

A fullerene‐C₆₀‐modified gold electrode is employed for the determination of dopamine in the excess of ascorbic acid using square‐wave voltammetry. Based on its strong catalytic function towards the oxidation of dopamine and ascorbic acid, the overlapping voltammetric response of both the biomolecules at the bare electrode is resolved into two well‐defined voltammetric peaks with lowered oxidation potential and enhanced oxidation currents. Linear calibration curves for dopamine are obtained using square‐wave voltammetry over the concentration range 1 nM–5.0 μM in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.2 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9931 and the detection limit (3σ) is estimated to be 0.26×10^?9 M. The interference studies showed that the presence of physiologically common interferents (i.e. uric acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, glucose and sodium chloride) negligibly affects the response of dopamine. The practical analytical utility of the method is illustrated by quantitative determination of dopamine in commercially available pharmaceutical formulation and human body fluids, viz. urine and blood plasma, without any preliminary treatment.     

Simultaneous Determination of Dopamine and Uric Acid by Electrocatalytic Oxidation on a Carbon Paste Electrode Using Pyrogallol Red as a Mediator

A sensitive and selective electrochemical method for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) was developed using a pyrogallol red modified carbon paste electrode. Under the optimized conditions, the peak current was linearly dependent on 1.0–700.0 μmol L^?1 DA and 50.0–1000.0 μmol L^?1 UA. The detection limits for DA and UA were 0.78 μmol L^?1 and 35 μmol L^?1, respectively. Finally, this method was also examined for the determination of DA and uric acid in real samples such as drugs and urine.     

LiNiyCo0.1－yMn1.9O4正极材料的沉淀法制备及其结构与电化学性能

采用沉淀法制备了尖晶石型LiMn₂O₄和LiNi_yCo_0.1－yMn_1.9O₄ (y=0, 0.05, 0.1)正极材料. 应用FT-IR、XRD和SEM技术对不同掺杂样品的相结构与形貌进行了表征, 并用恒电流充放电测试和电化学阻抗技术研究了样品的电化学行为. FT-IR、XRD和SEM结果显示: 随着掺杂型LiNi_yCo_0.1－yMn_1.9O₄ 样品中Ni含量的减少, 位于519 cm^-1处的红外峰向高频方向移动; Ni、Co 或Ni/Co的掺杂降低了LiMn₂O₄的晶格参数; 掺杂型 LiNi_yCo_0.1－yMn_1.9O₄ 样品具有更好的分散度和小的粒径. 电化学实验结果表明, 不同成分的掺杂导致电化学性能改善的原因不尽相同. 其中LiNi_0.05Co_0.05Mn_1.9O₄样品因其较低的电化学极化和较大的Li⁺扩散系数而具有较好的电化学性能.     

Selective Detection of Dopamine Using Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified by a Combined Electropolymerized Permselective Film of Polytyramine and Polypyrrole‐1‐propionic Acid

A sensitive and selective electrochemical method for the determination of dopamine using a combined electropolymerized permselective film of polytyramine and polypyrrole‐1‐propionic acid on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode was developed. The formation of a “layer‐by‐layer” film has allowed for selective detection of dopamine in the presence of 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA), DOPAC, ascorbic acid, uric acid, epinephrine and norepinephrine. The modified electrodes exhibited a detection limit of 100 nM with linearity ranging from 5×10^?6 to 5×10^?5 M. No cleaning step was required during the course of repeated measurement.     

Enhanced Oral Absorption of Icaritin by Using Mixed Polymeric Micelles Prepared with a Creative Acid-Base Shift Method

The purpose of this study was to develop mixed polymeric micelles with high drug loading capacity to improve the oral bioavailability of icaritin with Soluplus^® and Poloxamer 407 using a creative acid-base shift (ABS) method, which exhibits the advantages of exclusion of organic solvents, high drug loading and ease of scaling-up. The feasibility of the ABS method was successfully demonstrated by studies of icaritin-loaded polymeric micelles (IPMs). The prepared IPMs were characterized to have a spherical shape with a size of 72.74 ± 0.51 nm, and 13.18% drug loading content. In vitro release tests confirmed the faster release of icaritin from IPMs compared to an oil suspension. Furthermore, bioavailability of icaritin in IPMs in beagle dogs displayed a 14.9-fold increase when compared with the oil suspension. Transcellular transport studies of IPMs across Caco-2 cell monolayers confirmed that the IPMs were endocytosed in their intact forms through macropinocytosis, clathrin-, and caveolae-mediated pathways. In conclusion, the results suggested that the mixed micelles of Soluplus^® and Poloxamer 407 could be a feasible drug delivery system to enhance oral bioavailability of icaritin, and the ABS method might be a promising technology for the preparation of polymeric micelles to encapsulate poorly water-soluble weakly acidic and alkaline drugs.     

Catalysis of Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotubes Supported PdxCoy Nanoparticles Prepared by a Pyrolysis Method Using Ionic Liquids as the Solvent toward Ethanol Oxidation Reaction

Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) decorated with Pd_xCo_y (the nominal atomic ratios of Pd to Co were 3:1, 3:1.5, 3:2, 3:3, respectively) nanoparticles (denoted as Pd_xCo_y/MWCNTs ) were fabricated by a simple pyrolysis process, in which room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) of butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (denoted as [BMIM]PF₆) was used as the solvent. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were all used to characterize the Pd_xCo_y/MWCNTs catalysts, showing that the Pd_xCo_y particles were dispersed on the surface of the MWCNTs with an average particle size of ～25.0 nm. The electro‐catalytic activity of the Pd_xCo_y/MWCNTs catalysts toward ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV). It was revealed that the onset potential was ～90 mV lower and the peak current was about four times higher for ethanol oxidation for Pd₃Co_1.5/MWCNTs compared to those of Pd₃Co₁/MWCNTs. The possible catalysis mechanisms of the Pd₃Co_1.5/MWCNTs toward EOR were also discussed.     

A Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensor Using Nanoporous Platinum Electrodes Prepared by Electrochemical Alloying/Dealloying in a Water‐Insensitive Zinc Chloride‐1‐Ethyl‐3‐Methylimidazolium Chloride Ionic Liquid

We report here a nonenzymatic sensor by using a nanoporous platinum electrode to detect glucose directly. The electrode was fabricated by electrochemical deposition and dissolution of PtZn alloy in zinc chloride‐1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (ZnCl₂‐EMIC) ionic liquid. Both SEM and electrochemical studies showed the evidences for the nanoporous characteristics of the as‐prepared Pt electrodes. Amperometric measurements allow observation of the electrochemical oxidation of glucose at 0.4 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution. The sensor also demonstrates significant reproducibility in glucose detection; the higher the roughness factor of the Pt electrode, the lower the detection limit of glucose. The interfering species such as ascorbic acid and p‐acetamidophenol can be avoided by using a Pt electrode with a high roughness factor of 151. Overall, the nanoporous Pt electrode is promising for enzymeless detection of glucose at physiological condition.