Bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of glucose by hexose oxidase directly wired to graphite

Glucose-oxidizing enzymes are widely used in electrochemical biosensors and biofuel cells; in most applications glucose oxidase, an enzyme with non-covalently bound FAD and low capability of direct electronic communications with electrodes, is used. Here, we show that another glucose-oxidizing enzyme with a covalently bound FAD center, hexose oxidase (HOX), adsorbed on graphite, exhibits a pronounced non-catalytic voltammetric response from its FAD, at − 307 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, pH 7, characterized by the heterogeneous electron transfer (ET) rate constant of 29.2 ± 4.5 s^− 1. Direct bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of glucose by HOX proceeded, although, with a 350 mV overpotential relative to FAD signals, which may be connected with a limiting step in biocatalysis under conditions of the replacement of the natural redox partner, O₂, by the electrode; mediated bioelectrocatalysis was consistent with the potentials of a soluble redox mediator used. The results allow development of HOX-based electrochemical biosensors for sugar monitoring and biofuel cells exploiting direct ET of HOX, and, not the least, fundamental studies of ET non-complicated by the loss of FAD from the protein matrix.     

Study of ITO Glass Electrode Modified with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Nafion for Glucose Biosensor Application

In this study, we report the fabrication of the indium tin oxide (ITO) glass electrode modified with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and nafion for glucose biosensor applications. The IONPs was synthesized using the precipitation method and functionalized with citric acid (CA) to provide hydrophilic surface and functional group for glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme immobilization. The structural and morphological studies of CA-IONPs were characterized using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The size of the IONPs measured from TEM image was ∼17 nm. The bioelectrode designated as Nafion/GOx/CA-IONPs/ITO was developed by drop casting of the CA-IONPs, GOx and nafion on the ITO glass. The Nafion/GOx/CA-IONPs/ITO bioelectrode showed good electrochemical performance for glucose detection. The functionalized CA-IONPs acted as the catalyst and help to improve the electron transfer rate between GOx and ITO electrode. In addition, thin nafion film was coated on the electrode to prevent interference and improve chemical stability. The Nafion/GOx/CA-IONPs/ITO bioelectrode showed high sensitivity of 70.1 μAmM^-1cm^-2 for the linear range of 1.0-8.0 mM glucose concentrations.     

Amperometric glucose sensor based on glucose oxidase immobilized on gelatin-multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode

We investigated the direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOx) at gelatin-multiwalled carbon nanotube (GCNT) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). GOx was covalently immobilized onto GCNT modified GCE through the well known glutaraldehyde (GAD) chemistry. The immobilized GOx showed a pair of well-defined reversible redox peaks with a formal potential (E⁰′) of ? 0.40 V and a peak to peak separation (ΔE_p) of 47 mV. The surface coverage concentration (Г) of GOx in GCNT/GOx/GAD composite film modified GCE was 3.88 × 10^? 9 mol cm^? 2 which indicates the high enzyme loading. The electron transfer rate constant (k_s) of GOx immobilized onto GCNT was 1.08 s^? 1 which validates a rapid electron transfer processes. The composite film shows linear response towards 6.30 to 20.09 mM glucose. We observed a good sensitivity of 2.47 μA mM^?1 cm^? 2 for glucose at the composite film. The fabricated biosensor displayed two weeks stability. Moreover, it shows no response to 0.5 mM of ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), acetaminophen (AP), pyruvate (PA) and lactate (LA) which shows its potential application in the determination of glucose from human serum samples. The composite film exhibits excellent recovery for glucose in human serum at physiological pH with good practical applicability.     

Direct-growth of polyaniline nanowires for enzyme-immobilization and glucose detection

Amperometric enzyme biosensor based on the glucose oxidase (GOx) incorporated polyaniline nanowires (PANI-NWs) on carbon cloth (CC) electrode was demonstrated. The simple, direct-growth of PANI-NWs on CC, via electrochemical polymerization, provides free-standing, template-independent, hence almost (interfacial) defects-free nanostructures. The defect-free interfaces, along with the excellently sensitive organic nanostructured-surface, as evident from its significantly large effective surface area (24 times the geometric area) for redox-sensing, allows efficient entrapment/immobilization and sensing of biomolecules, via rapid electron-transfer at NWs-CC. The GOx-immobilized PANI-NWs/CC, even in initial unoptimized stage, exhibited an excellent sensitivity, ～2.5 mA mM^?1 cm^?2, to glucose, over detection range 0–8 mM, adequate for clinical monitoring of human glucose levels. The report clearly reveals a cost-effective simple system possessing enormous potentiality for biosensors, bioenergy and bioelectronics applications.     

An electrochemically preanodized screen-printed carbon electrode for achieving direct electron transfer to glucose oxidase

Here we report the unique property of a preanodized screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE1) that can allow direct electron transfer (DET) reaction of glucose oxidase (GOx). The GOx can be immobilized in the composite of oxygen functionalities and edge plane sites generated during preanodization without additional cross-linking agents. The electron transfer rate of GOx is greatly enhanced to 4.38 s⁻¹ as a result of the conformational change of GOx in the microenvironment enabling the accessibility of active site for GOx to the electrode. The analytical versatility is further improved with the aid of Nafion film. As a consequence, the as-prepared electrode can be used as a glucose biosensor and the number of potential foreign species is then restricted by molecular size, permeation and/or (bio)chemical reaction. Most importantly, the disposable nature of the proposed electrode is expected to promote the DET-related researches.     

Synergistic contributions of multiwall carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles in a chitosan–ionic liquid matrix towards improved performance for a glucose sensor

We report an ingenious approach for the fabrication of a promising glucose sensor, GOx/Au/CS–IL–MWNT(SH), that exploits the synergistic beneficial characteristics of multiwalled-carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), chitosan (CS) and room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). Direct electron transfer between glucose oxidase (GOx) and electrode was achieved. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images of GOx/Au/CS–IL–MWNT(SH) reveal that MWNTs and AuNPs are dispersed in CS–IL matrix. Cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry were used to evaluate the performance of biosensor. The GOx/Au/CS–IL–MWNT(SH) biosensor exhibits a linear current response to glucose concentration (1–10 mM) at a low potential of 0.10 V and precludes interferences from uric acid and ascorbic acid. The GOx/Au/CS–IL–MWNT(SH) biosensor has superior performances over GOx/CS–IL–MWNT(SH).     

Highly efficient enzyme immobilization by nanocomposites of metal organic coordination polymers and carbon nanotubes for electrochemical biosensing

New nanocomposites with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) embedded in metal-organic coordination polymers (MOCPs) were successfully prepared as highly efficient matrices of enzyme immobilization for sensitive electrochemical biosensing. NaAuCl₄ was pre-adsorbed on the MWCNTs to act as anchor sites to further coordinate with ligand benzenedithiol and form MOCPs. The formation of MWCNTs-MOCPs one-pot entrapped glucose oxidase (GOx) with a ratio close to 100% and exhibited enhanced mass-transfer over MOCPs. Thus MWCNTs-MOCPs-modified electrodes present superior enzymatic catalysis performance of greatly enhanced sensitivity (136 μA cm^− 2 mM^− 1) and magnitudes-lower detection limit (48 nM), being superior to most analogues.     

Gold sputtered electrode surfaces enhance direct electron transfer reactions of human cytochrome P450s

We immobilized human cytochrome P450 (CYP), a membrane-bound enzyme, onto both smooth and nanostructured surfaces of gold electrodes via a naphthalene thiolate monolayer film. Rapid electron transfer of CYP with an electrode as a redox partner took place when the enzyme was immobilized onto an electrode surface with nanostructures. This structure was easily prepared by conventional sputtering techniques. A well-defined pair of peaks was observed at ? 0.175 V (vs. SHE) with the largest heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant of 340 s^? 1 for human CYP. The positive redox potential shift of 45 mV upon drug (testosterone) binding was clearly detected, which corresponded to a change in the spin states of heme iron in CYP. The present study showed that gold sputtered surfaces are very useful for direct electron transfer reactions of human CYP isoforms.     

Construction of an amperometric biosensor for xanthine via supramolecular associations

Xathine oxidase was chemically modified with β-cyclodextrin-branched carboxymethylcellulose and further supramolecularly immobilized on a gold electrode, previously coated with a monolayer of 1-adamantanyl residues. The electrode was employed for constructing an amperometric biosensor device, which showed linear response (poised at +700 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) toward xanthine concentration between 300 μM and 10.4 mM at pH 7.0. The biosensor reached 95% of steady-state current in about 14 s and its sensitivity was 8.2 mA/M cm². The enzyme electrode retained 93% of its initial activity after 3 weeks of storage at 4 °C in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0. The supramolecular nature of the immobilization approach was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry.     

Design of a bioelectrocatalytic electrode interface for oxygen reduction in biofuel cells based on a specifically adapted Os-complex containing redox polymer with entrapped Trametes hirsuta laccase

The design of the coordination shell of an Os-complex and its integration within an electrodeposition polymer enables fast electron transfer between an electrode and a polymer entrapped high-potential laccase from the basidiomycete Trametes hirsuta. The redox potential of the Os^3+/2+-centre tethered to the polymer backbone (+ 720 mV vs. NHE) is perfectly matching the potential of the enzyme (+ 780 mV vs. NHE at pH 6.5). The laccase and the Os-complex modified anodic electrodeposition polymer were simultaneously precipitated on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode by means of a pH-shift to 2.5. The modified electrode was investigated with respect to biocatalytic O₂ reduction to H₂O. The proposed modified electrode has potential applications as biofuel cell cathode.     

Glucose biosensor based on new carbon nanotube-gold-titania nano-composites modified glassy carbon electrode

In this paper, a novel biosensor was prepared by immobilizing glucose oxidase （GOx） on carbon nanotube-gold-titania nanocomposites （CNT/Au/TiO2） modified glassy carbon electrode （GCE）. SEM was initially used to investigate the surface morphology of CNT/Au/TiO2 nanocomposites modified GCE, indicating the formation of the nano-porous structure which could readily facilitate the attachment of GOx on the electrode surface. Cyclic voltammogram （CV） and electrochemical impedance spectrum （EIS） were further utilized to explore relevant electrochemical activity on CNT]Au/TiO2 nanocomposites modified GCE. The observations demonstrated that the immobilized GOx could efficiently execute its bioelectrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose. The biosensor exhibited a wider linearity range from 0.1 mmol L-1 to 8 mmol L^-1 glucose with a detection limit of 0.077 mmol L^- 1.     

Membrane-less and mediator-free enzymatic biofuel cell using carbon nanotube/porous silicon electrodes

Membrane-less and mediator-free direct electron transfer enzymatic biofuel cells (BFCs) with bioelectrodes comprised of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) deposited by two methods on porous silicon (pSi) substrates, are reported. In one method the SWNTs were grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and then functionalized with carboxylic groups, and in the second method, pre-synthesized carboxylated SWNTs (c-SWNTs) were electrophoretically deposited on gold-coated pSi. Anodic glucose oxidase (GOx) and cathodic laccase (Lac) were immobilized on the pSi/SWNT substrates to form BFCs in pH 7 phosphate buffer solution. A peak power density of 1.38 μW/cm² (with a lifetime of 24 h) down to 0.3 μW/cm² was obtained for a BFC comprised of c-SWNT/enzyme electrodes in 4 mM glucose solution as fuel, corresponding to normal blood sugar concentration, and air as oxidant. BFCs of this relatively simple architecture have the potential for further optimization of power output and lifetime.     

A microfluidic glucose biofuel cell to generate micropower from enzymes at ambient temperature

A Y-shaped microfluidic channel is applied for the first time to the construction of a glucose/O₂ biofuel cell, based on both laminar flow and biological enzyme strategies. During operation, the fuel and oxidant streams flow parallel at gold electrode surfaces without convective mixing. At the anode, the glucose oxidation is performed by the enzyme glucose oxidase whereas at the cathode, the oxygen is reduced by the enzyme laccase, in the presence of specific redox mediators. Such cell design protects the anode from an interfering parasite reaction of O₂ at the anode and offers the advantage of using different streams of oxidant and fuel for optimal performance of the enzymes. Electrochemical characterizations of the device show the influence of the flow rate on the output potential and current density. The maximum power density delivered by the assembled biofuel cell reached 110 μW cm^?2 at 0.3 V with 10 mM glucose at 23 °C. The microfluidic approach reported here demonstrates the feasibility of advanced microfabrication techniques to build an efficient microfluidic glucose/O₂ biofuel cell device.     

Surface nanocrystallization of glassy carbon electrode: Application in direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase

The surface nanocrystallization of glassy carbon (GC) electrode was carried out using cyclic voltammetry in anhydrous dimethylformamide containing 0.05 M tetra-n-butylammonium bromine, and carbon nanoparticles with diameter of 10–40 nm were formed on the electrode surface. Comparing with the typical GC electrode, the surface-nanocrystalline GC (SNGC) electrode showed higher electrocatalytic activity for direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) due to higher proportion of edge sites presented on the surface of the SNGC electrode. Because of the surface nanocrystallization of the electrode, a pair of well-defined and quasi-reversible redox peaks of the immobilized GOD was observed for the first time on the GC electrode.     

Direct electrochemical conversion of bilirubin oxidase at carbon nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrodes

We report on direct electron transfer reactions of bilirubin oxidase at multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE). The bioelectrocatalytic oxygen reduction was recorded using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) with BOD in solution, adsorbed and covalently linked to the nanotubes. The MWCNT modification of GC electrodes strongly enhances the oxygen reduction compared to the signals at unmodified GCE. Under anaerobic conditions with a high protein concentration in solution a pair of redox peaks with a formal potential of 450 ± 15 mV vs Ag/AgCl, 1 M KCl (pH 7.4) was found with cyclic voltammetry. The redox conversion is indicated to be surface-controlled and pH-dependent (54.5 mV/pH). The quasi-reversible redox reaction might be attributed to the trinuclear T2/T3 cluster of BOD.     

Ferrocene-modified Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic nanoparticles as building blocks for construction of reagentless enzyme-based biosensors

A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was developed by entrapping glucose oxidase (GOD) in chitosan (CS) composite doped with ferrocene monocarboxylic acid-modified magnetic core-shell Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles (FMC-AFSNPs). It is shown that the obtained magnetic bio-nanoparticles attached to the surface of a carbon paste electrode (CPE) with the employment of a permanent magnet showed excellent electrochemical characteristics and at the same time acted as mediator to transfer electrons between the enzyme and the electrode. Under optimal conditions, this biosensor was able to detect glucose in the linear range from 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ to 4.0 × 10⁻³ M with a detection limit of 3.2 μM (S/N = 3). This immobilization approach effectively improved the stability of the electron transfer mediator and is promising for construction of biosensor and bioelectronic devices.     

Enhanced oxygen evolution at hydrous nickel oxide electrodes via electrochemical ageing in alkaline solution

The effect of electrochemically ageing hydrous nickel oxide films via slow repetitive potential multi-cycling across the main nickel (II/III) redox peak was investigated in an aqueous base environment using cyclic voltammetry and steady state polarisation curves in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) region. Similarities between hydrous nickel oxide films and electroprecipitated ‘battery type’ nickel oxide were shown due to their similar change in redox and oxygen evolving properties as a result of film ageing. This ageing method was found to significantly enhance the OER performance of the hydrous nickel oxide electrode with the OER overpotential decreasing by 60 ± 2 mV and experiencing a 10 fold increase in OER rate for a fixed overpotential over that of an un-aged electrode. The OER turnover frequency for an aged electrode was found to be 1.16 ± 0.07 s^− 1 in comparison to 0.05 ± 0.003 s^− 1 for a hydrous nickel oxide electrode not subjected to ageing.     

Direct electrochemistry study of glucose oxidase on Pt nanoparticle-modified aligned carbon nanotubes electrode by the assistance of chitosan–CdS and its biosensoring for glucose

Aligned carbon nanotubes (ACNTs) electrode has been developed for the direct protein electrochemistry and enzyme-biosensor study involving two types of nanoparticles. Pt nanoparticles (Pt_nano) were electro-modified on the ACNTs’ each tube, greatly increasing the electrode surface area for locating protein and also its electronic transfer ability. Glucose oxidase (GOD) with chitosan (CS) and CdS nanoparticles electrochemically coated on each tube of ACNTs–Pt_nano by the electrodeposition reaction of CS when pH value passing its pKa. The CdS nanoparticles between ACNTs electrode and GOD have stimulated the GOD’s direct electron transfer during its redox reaction of FAD/FADH₂. The CS–GOD–CdS/ACNTs–Pt_nano electrode also offer sensitive response to the substrate of glucose with detection limit of 46.8 μM (S/N = 3) and apparent Michaelis–Menten constant of 11.86 mM.     

Direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin and glucose oxidase in electrodeposited sol–gel silica thin films on glassy carbon

This work points out that electrogeneration of silica gel (SG) films on glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) can be applied to immobilize biomolecules – hemoglobin (Hb) or glucose oxidase (GOD) or both of them in mixture – without preventing their activity. These proteins were physically entrapped in the sol–gel material in the course of the electro-assisted deposition process applied to form the thin films onto the electrode surface. SG films were prepared from a precursor solution by applying a suitable cathodic potential likely to induce a local pH increase at the electrode/solution interface, accelerating thereby polycondensation of the silica precursors with concomitant film formation. Successful immobilization of proteins was checked by various physico-chemical techniques. Both Hb and GOD were found to undergo direct electron transfer, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry. GCE–SG–Hb gave rise to well-defined peaks at potentials E_c = −0.29 V and E_a = −0.17 V in acetate buffer, corresponding to the Fe^III/Fe^II redox system of heme group of the protein, while GCE–SG–GOD was characterized by the typical signals of FAD group at E_c = −0.41 V and E_a = −0.33 V in phosphate buffer. These two redox processes were also evidenced on a single voltammogram when both Hb and GOD were present together in the same SG film. Hb entrapped in the silica thin film displayed an electrocatalytic behavior towards O₂ and H₂O₂ in solution, respectively in the mM and μM concentration ranges. Immobilized GOD kept its biocatalytic properties towards glucose. Combined use of these two proteins in mixture has proven to be promising for detection of glucose in solution via the electrochemical monitoring of oxygen consumption (decrease of the oxygen electrocatalytic signal).     

Enhancement of the performances of a single concentric glucose/O2 biofuel cell by combination of bilirubin oxidase/Nafion cathode and Au–Pt anode

This work deals with a novel preparation method of bilirubin oxidase/2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid electrode. The enzyme and its mediator were adsorbed on carbon Vulcan XC-72R before their immobilization into a Nafion^® matrix. Promising results were obtained when this biocathode was associated with Au₇₀Pt₃₀ nanoparticles as anode in a single concentric glucose/O₂ biofuel cell (BFC). The latter BFC delivered at 37 °C a power density of 90 μW cm^?2 for a cell voltage of 0.4 V in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) containing 0.01 M glucose. Moreover, the electrical performances were increased with the concentration of glucose by generating up to 190 μW cm^?2 for a cell voltage of 0.52 V when the concentration of the renewable fuel reached 0.7 M.