Electrochemical behavior of some purine derivatives on carbon based electrodes

The electrochemical behaviour of three purine derivatives was investigated by cyclic voltammetry on different electrode materials: glassy carbon in native form and electrochemically activated, carbon paste electrode unmodified or modified with 1, 4-benzoquinone. The preliminary study obtained on solid electrodes was extended to graphite based planar screen-printed electrodes, unmodified and modified with multi-wall carbon nanotubes, or cobalt phthalocyanine.     

A low-cost biofuel cell with pH-dependent power output based on porous carbon as matrix

A glucose/O2 biofuel cell (BFC) possessing a pH-dependent power output was fabricated by taking porous carbon (PC) as the matrix to load glucose oxidase or fungi laccase as the catalysts. The electrolytes in the anode and cathode compartments contain ferrocene monocarboxylic acid and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt as the mediators, respectively. The power of the BFC was enhanced significantly by using PC as the matrix, rather than glassy carbon electrode. Additionally, the power output of the BFC decreases as the pH of the solution increases from 4.0 to 7.0, which provides a simple and efficient method to achieve the required power output. More importantly, the BFC can operate at pH 6.0, and even at pH 7.0, which overcomes the requirement for cathode solutions of pH<5.0 when using fungi laccase as a catalyst. Operation of the BFC at neutral pH may provide a means to power medical devices implanted in physiological systems. The facile and low-cost fabrication of this BFC may enable its development for other applications.     

Composite electrodes of electrochemical capacitors based on carbon materials with different structure

For composite electrodes based on active carbon DCL Supra 30, ordered mesoporous carbon, and synthetic carbon material Sibunit, the electrical double layer capacitance is studied. The original carbon samples are characterized by the methods of gas adsorption, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The mesoporous structure of the material synthesized by the template method provides the maximum rate of ion transport in pores and demonstrates an insignificant decrease in the specific capacitance (9.5% in an aqueous electrolyte and 1.1% in an nonaqueous electrolyte) with an increase in the polarizing current.     

Potentiometric behavior of electrodes based on overoxidized polypyrrole films

Electrodes based on oxidized polypyrrole films have potentiometric selectivity toward anions. When the films are overoxidized, however, electron-rich groups are introduced on to the polymer chains, reversing the selectivity of the electrodes from anionic to cationic. In this study, electrochemically overoxidized polypyrrole film electrodes were prepared, and the conditions for film formation that lead to near-Nernstian potentiometric response were investigated. It was found that the doping ion, overoxidation solution, and pH affect the response of these electrodes. Redox interference is significantly lower for the overoxidized polypyrrole films than for polypyrrole electrodes.     

Electrochemical stripping with carbon fiber electrodes in a microliter-capacity cell

The construction of a microcell with an in-situ mercury-plated carbon fiber electrode for the application of electrochemical stripping techniques is described. The performance of the cell is compared to a conventional mercury-film glassy carbon electrode in large-volume cells with special emphasis on the effects of mass transport and oxygen interference. Effective mass transport is provided withouth forced convection and oxygen does not appear to influence the response of the carbon fiber electrode. The dependence of the a.s.v. and p.s.a. signals on the deposition time with the microcell deviated from linearity at deposition times above 3 min because of depletion effects and decreased concentration of oxidizing agent, respectively. Good reproducibility of lead determinations in the μg 1^?1 range by a.s.v. and p.s.a. was achieved in successive scans at the same fiber and in consecutive tests of identical samples. Calibration plots were linear in the 0.01–10 mg 1^?1 range. Sample volumes down to 5 μl were used in determining cadmium and lead. The detection limits for both elements obtained with a.s.v. and p.s.a. after 5-min preconcentration were 1 and 3 μg1^?1, respectively, or in absolute mass 5 pg and 15 pg, respectively.     

Electrochemical behavior of glassy carbon electrodes modified by electrochemical oxidation

Glassy carbon electrodes were modified electrochemically by pretreatment in sulfate, phosphate or carbonate solutions by means of cycling the potential well into the positive limit of the solvent. Electrodes treated in this manner were then used to incorporate and concentrate a variety of redox species that were either cations or aromatic containing compounds, including Ru(bpy)²⁺₃, Ru(NH₃)³⁺₆, Cu(NH₃)²⁺₄, ferrocene, methylviologen, 1,4-benzoquinone, anthraquinone-2-sulfonate, riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Surface-equivalent concentrations ranged from 5 × 10^?9 to 1 × 10^?7 mol cm^?2 for electrodes pretreated for 10 min in sulfuric acid. An E_1/2 vs. pH study of 1,4-benzoquinone, riboflavin, FMN and FAD in modified electrodes shows that the pK_a values shift toward higher pH (nearly 2 pH units). Results concerning the incorporation of redox compounds detected only by mediation with other electroactive complexes and the study of the modified electrodes in electrocatalysis are also discussed.     

Enzymatic electrodes nanostructured with functionalized carbon nanotubes for biofuel cell applications

Nanostructured bioelectrodes were designed and assembled into a biofuel cell with no separating membrane. The glassy carbon electrodes were modified with mediator-functionalized carbon nanotubes. Ferrocene (Fc) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) diammonium salt (ABTS) bound chemically to the carbon nanotubes were found useful as mediators of the enzyme catalyzed electrode processes. Glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger AM-11 and laccase from Cerrena unicolor C-139 were incorporated in a liquid-crystalline matrix-monoolein cubic phase. The carbon nanotubes–nanostructured electrode surface was covered with the cubic phase film containing the enzyme and acted as the catalytic surface for the oxidation of glucose and reduction of oxygen. Thanks to the mediating role of derivatized nanotubes the catalysis was almost ten times more efficient than on the GCE electrodes: catalytic current of glucose oxidation was 1 mA cm⁻² and oxygen reduction current exceeded 0.6 mA cm⁻². The open circuit voltage of the biofuel cell was 0.43 V. Application of carbon nanotubes increased the maximum power output of the constructed biofuel cell to 100 μW cm⁻² without stirring of the solution which was ca. 100 times more efficient than using the same bioelectrodes without nanotubes on the electrode surface.     

Reduction of Pt usage in fuel cell electrocatalysts with carbon nanotube electrodes

The 12 wt% Pt-deposited carbon nanotube electrode gives 10% higher voltages than 29 wt% Pt-deposited carbon black and reduces the Pt usage by 60% in polymer electrolyte fuel cells with hydrogen and oxygen.     

Perchlorate-selective electrodes with urushi as the membrane matrix

Perchlorate-selective electrodes prepared from a new matrix, Urushi, and tri-n-octylmethylammonium perchlorate or the Corning perchlorate liquid ion-exchanger are described. The electrodes have linear response ranges and selectivity similar to those of commercial perchlorate-selective electrodes. The membranes are hard, lustrous and smooth; their useful lifetimes exceed 1000 h.     

Solid-state reference electrodes based on carbon nanotubes and polyacrylate membranes

A novel potentiometric solid-state reference electrode containing single-walled carbon nanotubes as the transducer layer between a polyacrylate membrane and the conductor is reported here. Single-walled carbon nanotubes act as an efficient transducer of the constant potentiometric signal originating from the reference membrane containing the Ag/AgCl/Cl⁻ ions system, and they are needed to obtain a stable reference potentiometric signal. Furthermore, we have taken advantage of the light insensitivity of single-walled carbon nanotubes to improve the analytical performance characteristics of previously reported solid-state reference electrodes. Four different polyacrylate polymers have been selected in order to identify the most efficient reservoir for the Ag/AgCl system. Finally, two different arrangements have been assessed: (1) a solid-state reference electrode using photo-polymerised n-butyl acrylate polymer and (2) a thermo-polymerised methyl methacrylate:n-butyl acrylate (1:10) polymer. The sensitivity to various salts, pH and light, as well as time of response and stability, has been tested: the best results were obtained using single-walled carbon nanotubes and photo-polymerised n-butyl acrylate polymer. Water transport plays an important role in the potentiometric performance of acrylate membranes, so a new screening test method has been developed to qualitatively assess the difference in water percolation between the polyacrylic membranes studied. The results presented here open the way for the true miniaturisation of potentiometric systems using the excellent properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes.     

Electrochemical behavior of levodopa at multi-wall carbon nanotubes-quantum dots modified glassy carbon electrodes.

A multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)-quantum dots (QDs) composite-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was prepared. The complex was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical behavior of levodopa at MWNTs and QDs-modified GCEs (MWNTs-QDs/GCE) was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronocoulometry (CC). It was found that its electrochemical behavior was a two-charge-two-proton process. The modified electrode had high electrocatalytic activity for levodopa with a standard heterogeneous rate constant of 0.595 cm s(-1), which was greatly increased compared with the values for bare GCE and individual MWNTs modified GCE. The better electrocatalytic activity for levodopa at MWNTs-QDs/GCE may due to a synergistic effect between MWNTs and QDs. This result provides a novel way to promote research on biomicromolecules at nano-dimensions.     

Amperometric biosensors for glucose based on carbon paste modified electrodes

The modification of carbon-paste electrodes by incorporation of the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOD) is described. The resulting probes can be operated as amperometric glucose sensors in the presence or absence of a mediator (1,1'-dimethylferrocene) mixed into the paste. Extended linear calibration ranges have been obtained up to 90 and 5OmM glucose respectively. The electrode responses were rapid, reaching steady-state values within 30-40 sec. Advantages of using a GOD-paste formulation are suggested. Plasma glucose assays were correlated with spectrophotometric determinations based on glucose oxidase (y = 1.07x - 0.16, r = 0.973, n = 17).     

Electrochemical behavior of membranes of ion-selective electrodes based on complex oxides

Lead-selective film electrodes with solid contact with membranes on the basis of niobates and vanadates of compositions Sr_2.75Pb_0.25La(VO₄)₃, Ba_3.8Pb_0.2Nb₂O₉, Ba_3.5Pb_0.5Nb₂O₉, Pb₃NiNb₂O₉, and Pb₂Nb₂O₇ are constructed and studied. Basic electrochemical characteristics of ion-selective electrodes, such as linearity region and steepness of the electrode function, working pH interval, type of electrode function, and reproducibility are determined. The electrode with a membrane on the basis of Pb₃NiNb₂O₉ is tested and recommended as an indicator in the method of potentiostatic titration. The optimum titrant for assaying ions of lead(II) in solution is potassium chromate.     

Electrochemical characteristics of conductive carbon cement as matrix for chemically modified electrodes

Conductive carbon cement (CCC) was evaluated as matrix material for the preparation of electrodes bulk-modified with electrocatalysts. For pure CCC electrodes the background current characteristics were examined. In acidic or neutral phosphate buffers the useful electrode potential range was from −0.3 to + 1.0 V vs. SCE, while in 0.1 mol 1⁻¹ NaOH it was from −0.3 to + 0.7 V. The electrochemical reversibility of CCC electrodes was examined by measuring the standard rate constants for the reduction of hexacyanoferrate (III) and the oxidation of hydroquinone, using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating disk experiments. The reversibility of a CCC electrode was comparable with that of a freshly polished glassy carbon electrode and better than that of carbon paste electrodes. CCC was used as matrix for the preparation of electrodes bulk-modified with cuprous oxide and cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC). With a Cu₂O-CCC electrode the oxidation potential of glucose, which shows sluggish kinetics at unmodified carbon electrodes, was strongly reduced. The kinetics of the mediated glucose oxidation has been studied with a rotating disk electrode. It was shown that at glucose concentrations higher than approximately 1 mmol l⁻¹ the electrochemical regeneration of the catalyst becomes rate-determining. The Cu₂O-CCC modified electrode has been applied with a constant potential in flow-injection analysis for the determination of glucose. The long-term stability of the electrode was studied; repeated injections of a glucose solution during a period of 6 h yielded a relative standard deviation of the peak height of 1.8% (n = 57). In CV experiments the electrocatalytic activity of CoPC was shown for the oxidation of various compounds such as penicillamine, hydrazine and bile acids. Application of the CoPC-CCC electrode for the detection of bile acids in flow-through detection with a constant or pulsed potential failed, due to a rapid deactivation of the electrode.     

CYP450 biosensors based on screen-printed carbon electrodes for the determination of cocaine

A new electrochemical method has been described and characterized for the determination of cocaine using screen-printed biosensors. The enzyme cytochrome P450 was covalently attached to screen-printed carbon electrodes. Experimental design methodology has been performed to optimize the pH and the applied potential, both variables that have an influence on the chronoamperometric determination of the drug. This method showed a reproducibility of 3.56% (n = 4) related to the slopes of the calibration curves performed in the range from 19 up to 166 nM. It has been probed the used of this kind of biosensors in the determination of cocaine in street samples, with an average capability of detection of 23.05 ± 3.53 nM (n = 3, α = β = 0.05).     

Stripping-voltammetric signals on carbon electrodes modified with mercury

Conditions for the formation of a stable and reproducible thin-film mercury microdrop cover on electrodes from carbon glass ceramics, carbon glass, and graphite are proposed. The influence of various factors on the parameters of signals from cadmium (II), lead (II), and copper (II) is studied by stripping voltammetry with linear, differential-pulse, sinusoidal, and square-wave potential sweep. The parameters of the stripping voltammetric experiment are optimized. The value of RSD in determining the specified modeling trace components did not exceed 15%. Approaches to the multicomponent stripping voltammetric analysis of waters are proposed.     

New biosensing platforms based on the layer-by-layer self-assembling of polyelectrolytes on Nafion/carbon nanotubes-coated glassy carbon electrodes

We are proposing for the first time the use of a Nafion/multi-walled carbon nanotubes dispersion deposited on glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) as a new platform for developing enzymatic biosensors based on the self-assembling of a chitosan derivative and different oxidases. The electrodes are obtained by deposition of a layer of Nafion/multi-wall carbon nanotubes dispersion on glassy carbon electrodes, followed by the adsorption of a chitosan derivative as polycation and glucose oxidase, l-aminoacid oxidase or polyphenol oxidase, as polyanions and biorecognition elements. The optimum configuration for glucose biosensors has allowed a highly sensitive (sensitivity = (0.28 ± 0.02) μA mM⁻¹, r = 0.997), fast (4 s in reaching the maximum response), and highly selective (0% interference of ascorbic acid and uric acid at maximum physiological levels) glucose quantification at 0.700 V with detection and quantification limits of 0.035 and 0.107 mM, respectively. The repetitivity for 10 measurements was 5.5%, while the reproducibility was 8.4% for eight electrodes. The potentiality of the new platform was clearly demonstrated by using the carbon nanotubes/Nafion layer as a platform for the self-assembling of l-aminoacid oxidase and polyphenol oxidase. Therefore, the platform we are proposing here, that combines the advantages of nanostructured materials with those of the layer-by-layer self-assembling of polyelectrolytes, opens the doors to new and exciting possibilities for the development of enzymatic and affinity biosensors using different transdution modes.     

多壁碳纳米管固载亚甲基蓝复合膜修饰玻碳电极测定己烯雌酚

提出了多壁碳纳米管-聚亚甲基蓝(MWNT/PMB)复合膜修饰玻碳电极检测己烯雌酚(DES)的方法,考察了缓冲液、pH、扫描速度等实验参数对测定的影响。在0.2 mol/L的磷酸缓冲液(pH7.0)中,DES在复合膜电极上出现了一个明显的氧化峰,峰电位在0.197 V处。与裸电极相比较,修饰后的电极能显著提高DES的氧化峰电流并降低其氧化电位,表明MWNT/PMB复合膜对DES有电催化作用。峰电流与己烯雌酚浓度在3.73×10-11~3.73×10-8mol/L范围内呈线性关系,检出限为2×10-11mol/L;用此法对己烯雌酚药片的含量进行了测定,测定结果与标示相符。