Disposable multichannel immunosensors for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid using acetylcholinesterase as an enzyme label

An improved version of the disposable multichannel immunochemical biosensor for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) based on a screen-printed amperometric transducer and monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against 2,4-D is reported. Entrapment within a thin Nafion film was used for the direct immobilization of MAb at the electrode surface. The amount of the tracer (2,4-D conjugated to acetylcholinesterase) bound in a competitive immunochemical reaction was determined amperometrically using acetylthiocholine iodide as substrate. The measuring procedure (times of incubation with tracer and substrate, pH, tracer concentration) was optimized. The sensor was able to detect less than 0.01 μg/L of free 2,4-D in water. One analysis (8 samples) was completed in 30 min (20 min for immunochemical reaction, 5 min incubation with substrate, 5 min measurement). The performance of the immunosensor (two configurations) was evaluated on real samples (tap water) with added 2,4-D. The determined amounts (mean values 0.097 to 0.105 and 0.89 to 1.13) corresponded well with the added contents of 2,4-D (0.100 and 1.00 μg/L, respectively).     

The use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for biosensing

This review introduces the basic concepts and terms associated with impedance and techniques of measuring impedance. The focus of this review is on the application of this transduction method for sensing purposes. Examples of its use in combination with enzymes, antibodies, DNA and with cells will be described. Important fields of application include immune and nucleic acid analysis. Special attention is devoted to the various electrode design and amplification schemes developed for sensitivity enhancement. Electrolyte insulator semiconductor (EIS) structures will be treated separately. Figure An alternating current which is forced to pass an interface is sensitive to surface changes and will detect impedance changes due to biomolecule immobilisation or formation of a recognition complex. This can be used for the construction of biosensor electrodes     

Modeling electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a powerful technique that is used for characterizing electrochemical systems. The EIS data can be correlated with many key physical properties, including rates of diffusion and reaction, and microstructural features. However, the EIS analysis is prone to the potential ambiguities in interpretation. Judicious modeling and its combination with statistics can be used to overcome these challenges and enhance the insight one can gain from EIS.     

High sensitive competitive immunodetection of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid using enzymatic amplification with electrochemical detection

The amplification cycle consisting of NADH independent oligosaccharide dehydrogenase (ODH) and laccase has been recently reported to be highly sensitive to several catecholamines and p-aminophenol. A competitive immunoassay for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid has been developed by combining this amplification cycle with β-galactosidase as enzyme label resulting in p-aminophenol as product. The combination of enzymatic amplification cycles with a competitive immunoassay yields a highly sensitive measurement of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Using a monoclonal antibody the linear range of the assay was between 0.02 and 100 ng/l and the c₅₀ was found at 0.2 ng/l; the detection limit was at 5 pg/l (25 fmol/l) corresponding to 5 amol.     

High sensitive competitive immunodetection of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid using enzymatic amplification with electrochemical detection

The amplification cycle consisting of NADH independent oligosaccharide dehydrogenase (ODH) and laccase has been recently reported to be highly sensitive to several catecholamines and p-aminophenol. A competitive immunoassay for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid has been developed by combining this amplification cycle with -galactosidase as enzyme label resulting in p-aminophenol as product. The combination of enzymatic amplification cycles with a competitive immunoassay yields a highly sensitive measurement of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Using a monoclonal antibody the linear range of the assay was between 0.02 and 100 ng/l and the c₅₀ was found at 0.2 ng/l; the detection limit was at 5 pg/l (25 fmol/l) corresponding to 5 amol.     

Development of an enrofloxacin immunosensor based on label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Enrofloxacin is the most widespread antibiotic in the fluoroquinolone family. As such, the development of a rapid and sensitive method for the determination of trace amounts of enrofloxacin is an important issue in the health field. The interaction of the enrofloxacin antigen to a specific antibody (Ab) immobilized on an 11-mercapto-undecanoic acid-coated gold electrode was quantified by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Two equivalent circuits were separately used to interpret the obtained impedance spectra. These circuits included one resistor in series with one parallel circuit comprised of a resistor and a capacitor (1R//C), and one resistor in series with two parallel RC circuits (2R//C). The results indicate that the antigen-antibody reaction analyzed using the 1R//C circuit provided a more sensitive resistance increment against the enrofloxacin concentration than that of the 2R//C circuit. However, the 2R//C circuit provided a better fitting for impedance spectra, and therefore supplies more detailed results of the enrofloxacin-antibody interaction, causing the increase of electron transfer resistance selectively to the modified layer, and not the electrical double layer. The antibody-modified electrode allowed for analysis of the dynamic linear range of 1-1000 ng/ml enrofloxacin with a detection limit of 1 ng/ml. The reagentless and label-free impedimetric immunosensors provide a simple and sensitive detection method for the specific determination of enrofloxacin.     

One saccharide sensor based on the complex of the boronic acid and the monosaccharide using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

A novel saccharide sensor based on the covalent interaction between the boronic acid and saccharides was developed. Poly (aminophenylboronic acid) (PABA) was prepared by electropolymerizing 3-aminophenylboronic acid on gold electrode surface in acidic solution. The boronic acid group of the PABA film can form covalent-bond with different saccharides, which can change the dielectric characteristics of the PABA film, and the change of the dielectric characteristic was saccharides concentration dependent. Four kinds of saccharides could be detected by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Good linear relationship and high sensitivity were obtained by this method.     

Technology of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for an energy-sustainable society

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been widely used to understand the chemistry and physics of battery systems. This review covers electrochemical impedance spectroscopy used for the interpretation of impedance data of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) from advanced equivalent circuit models to the mathematical model, which is developed by John Newman. In addition, as a method to realize an energy-sustainable society using diagnostics based on the combination of LIBs and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, on-board diagnostics of battery packs are achieved based on an input signal generated by a power controller in a battery management system instead of the conventionally used frequency response analyzer. The diagnostic system is applicable to energy management systems which are installed in homes, buildings, and communities, accumulating the impedance data on state of health of LIBs. Finally, a future possibility regarding the diagnostics of battery packs coupled with the machine learning of impedance data is introduced.     

Advances in electrochemical immunosensors for pathogens

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Sensing of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was obtained by employing a bi-layer gold substrate, assembled by the reduction of Au(III) over gold-seeded nanoparticles immobilized on functionalized glass substrates. The SERS signal was linear with the logarithm of the solution concentrations between 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ and 1.0 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹, indicating that the bi-layer gold substrate affords a significant dynamic range for SERS, providing an excellent analytical response within this concentration range, and revealing the high sensitivity of the gold surface towards such analyte. In addition, using the same gold substrate, a similar calibration curve was obtained for crystal-violet (CV), and it was possible to identify the concentration limit corresponding to the transition from the average SERS to the nonlinear SERS response.     

Challenge for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the dynamic world

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry -     

Reagentless biosensing using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

The use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the conducting polymer, poly (pyrrole), as an integrated recognition and transduction system for reagentless biosensor systems was demonstrated with two different systems. The first system being an immunoassay for detection of luteinising hormone (LH) with the antibody being entrapped with in the poly (pyrrole) matrix and the second, a construct for DNA hybridisation discrimination able to differentiate single- and double-stranded DNA based on the interaction of the DNA with poly (pyrrole).     

Gold nanoparticles catalyzed chemiluminescence immunoassay for detection of herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

We present a novel immunoassay format utilizing the catalytic properties of gold nanoparticles in the luminol-silver nitrate-gold nanoparticle based chemiluminescence (CL) system for the detection of widely used herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Highly sensitive anti-2,4-D antibody was produced and conjugated with gold nanoparticles of various sizes. In the present assay format, employing a competitive inhibition approach, a well-characterized hapten-protein conjugate (2,4-D-BSA) was used to coat the microtiter plates. The analyte (2,4-D) was pre-incubated with anti-2,4-D antibody labeled with gold nanoparticles and added to each well of the microtiter plate. The gold label triggered the reaction between luminol and silver nitrate generating a luminescence signal at 425 nm. Under the optimized conditions, the CL based immunoassay showed the detection limit of 2,4-D in standard water samples around 3 ng mL(-1). The CL based immunoassay format, based on gold nanoparticles as a catalyst, could be used as a fast screening methodology (<30 min) for pesticide detection.     

A novel method for glucose determination based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using glucose oxidase self-assembled biosensor

A method is developed for quantitative determination of glucose using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The method is based on immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx) on the topside of gold mercaptopropionic acid self-assembled monolayers (Au-MPA-GOx SAMs) electrode and mediation of electron transfer by parabenzoquinone (PBQ). The PBQ is reduced to hydroquinone (H(2)Q), which in turn is oxidized at Au electrode in diffusion layer. An increase in the glucose concentration results in an increase in the diffusion current density of the H(2)Q oxidation, which corresponds to a decrease in the faradaic charge transfer resistance (R(ct)) obtained from the EIS measurements. Glucose is quantified from linear variation of the sensor response (1/R(ct)) as a function of glucose concentration in solution. The method is straightforward and nondestructive. The dynamic range for determination of glucose is extended to more than two orders of magnitude. A detection limit of 15.6 microM with a sensitivity of 9.66 x 10(-7) Omega(-1)mM(-1) is obtained.     

Modeling of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid controlled-release kinetics from lignin-based formulations

The second Fick’s law of diffusion, considering boundary conditions that at both slab faces the concentration of herbicide is equal to zero (sink conditions), has been adequate to describe our kinetic data obtained from experiments on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, (2,4-D) released from lignin-based formulations in a water static bath system. However, the same model proved to be invalid in describing the experimental data obtained with ametryn (2-ethylamino-4-isopropylamino-6-methylthio-1,3,5-triazine) and diuron (3-[3,4-dichlorophenyl]-1,1-dimethylurea) formulations in a water dynamic bath system. For ametryn and diuron formulations, because of the lower aqueous solubility of these herbicides, it was necessary to model a stagnant film at the formulation surface to describe better the release kinetics because the model incorporating sink conditions is insufficient. This study presents a new mathematical modeling of experimental data obtained with 2,4-D formulations in a water static bath system. The new model incorporates a stagnant film as the boundary condition at the formulation surface, and its diffusion coefficient value is more precise than the one estimated by the model employing sink conditions.     

Cystic fibrosis: a label-free detection approach based on thermally modulated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common genetically inherited diseases in northern Europe, with the DF508 mutation being the most common, and among the Caucasian population being responsible for almost 70% of cases. In this work, we report on the use of thermally modulated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for the discrimination of the DF508 mutation from the wild-type sequence. DNA probes (15 and 21 bases long) were immobilised on the surface of gold electrodes and the variation of the charge-transfer resistance was monitored as a function of hybridisation. Two sets of targets were used in this work: synthetic 15-mer sequences and two single-stranded synthetic analogues of PCR products 82 (mutant) and 85 (wild type) bases long. Hybridisation with short targets resulted in very sequence specific charge-transfer-resistance variation with a discrimination factor at room temperature between fully complementary and mismatched sequences of approximately fivefold. However, in the case of the single-stranded synthetic PCR product analogues, a lower discrimination factor was recorded (1.5-fold). The effect of temperature was investigated to improve discrimination and the use of a posthybridisation wash at elevated temperature resulted in a fivefold improvement in the discrimination factor. Using an electrode array with probes immobilised against each of the mutant and wild-type sequences, we achieved an unequivocal detection of the DF508 mutation.     

A novel experimental method for potential controlled electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Abstract  In many cases, impedance spectroscopy on electrochemical systems is performed in combination with a potentiostat. The common way of combining a potentiostat and a frequency response analyzer has a number of restrictions. Bandwidth limitations and artifacts from the setup distort the impedance data in sometimes unpredictable manners, and special care has to be taken in physical interpretation of such data. Therefore, potential controlled measurement of artifact-free impedance spectra in a wide range of frequencies is desirable. In this work, a novel experimental method is presented in which the more reliable two-probe impedance spectroscopy is combined with a potential control by a potentiostat without interfering each other. Results obtained on passive zinc by two-probe EIS, the classical potentiostat—EIS combination and the new setup are compared with each other. For an application of the proposed method in measurements of solid state systems, the specific problems are discussed. Graphical abstract        

Label-free detection of DNA molecules on the dendron based self-assembled monolayer by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

We report preparation of a novel platform for effective DNA hybridization and its application to the detection of single mismatched DNA. Cone-shaped dendrimer molecules have been immobilized on the gold surface at equidistance, 3.1 nm, from each other with a probe DNA molecule attached to the top of each dendrimer so that enough space would be secured for effective hybridization. This arrangement allows each probe DNA molecule to form a natural DNA double helix upon hybridization with a target DNA molecule. The single nucleotide polymorphism at either the central or end position of the 25-mer target DNA has been shown to be effectively discriminated against on this platform from each other as well as from a complementary DNA by electrochemical impedance measurements. We also report adverse effects exerted by probe ions, Fe(CN)₆^3−/4−, on DNA hybridization reactions. The significance of the results for the use in DNA analysis is discussed.     

High-frequency phenomena and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at nanoelectrodes

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a powerful probe of the processes taking place at an electrode. Depending on frequency, it is sensitive to the solid-liquid interface as well as to processes taking place in the solution further from the electrode. In principle, shrinking electrode dimensions allows probing these processes on the nanometer scale. In practice, however, this represents a formidable challenge. Signals resulting from the stray capacitance of the interconnects can dramatically exceed those from the electrode itself. Furthermore, miniaturized electrodes exhibit faster dynamics, and thus necessitate working at higher frequencies in order to achieve comparable performance. Here we discuss recent advances in nanoscale impedance measurements. We begin with a theoretical discussion of the main concepts and inherent tradeoffs, followed by a review of recent experimental efforts. As this field remains in its infancy, we place particular emphasis on the conceptual and technical aspects of the approaches being developed.     

Aptamer-based biosensor for label-free detection of ethanolamine by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

A label-free sensing assay for ethanolamine (EA) detection based on G-quadruplex-EA binding interaction is presented by using G-rich aptamer DNA (Ap-DNA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The presence of K⁺ induces the Ap-DNA to form a K⁺-stabilized G-quadruplex structure which provides binding sites for EA. The sensing mechanism was further confirmed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and EIS measurement. As a result, the charge transfer resistance (R_CT) is strongly increased as demonstrated by using the ferro/ferricyanide ([Fe(CN)₆]^3−/4−) as a redox probe. Under the optimized conditions, a linear relationship between ΔR_CT and EA concentration was obtained over the range of 0.16 nM and 16 nM EA, with a detection limit of 0.08 nM. Interference by other selected chemicals with similar structure was negligible. Analytical results of EA spiked into tap water and serum by the sensor suggested the assay could be successfully applied to real sample analysis. With the advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity and simple sensor construction, this method is potentially suitable for the on-site monitoring of EA contamination.