A stable glucose biosensor prepared by co-immobilizing glucose oxidase into poly(p-chlorophenol) at a platinum electrode

An amperometric glucose biosensor was successfully developed by electrochemical polymerization of p-chlorophenol (4-CP) at a Pt electrode in the presence of glucose oxidase. The amperometric response of this biosensor to hydrogen peroxide, formed as the product of enzymatic reaction, was measured at a potential of 0.6 V (vs. SCE) in phosphate buffer solution. The performances of sensors, prepared at different monomer concentrations and polymerization potentials, were investigated in detail. The biosensor prepared under optimal conditions had a linear response to glucose ranging from 2.5 × 10^–4 to 1.5 × 10^–2 mol L^–1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 and a response time of less than 2 s. Substrate selectivity of the polymer-based enzyme electrode was tested for coexisting interferents such as uric acid and ascorbic acid, and no discernible response was observed. After 90 days, the response of the biosensor remained almost unchanged, indicating very good stability.     

A stable glucose biosensor prepared by co-immobilizing glucose oxidase into poly(p-chlorophenol) at a platinum electrode

An amperometric glucose biosensor was successfully developed by electrochemical polymerization of p-chlorophenol (4-CP) at a Pt electrode in the presence of glucose oxidase. The amperometric response of this biosensor to hydrogen peroxide, formed as the product of enzymatic reaction, was measured at a potential of 0.6 V (vs. SCE) in phosphate buffer solution. The performances of sensors, prepared at different monomer concentrations and polymerization potentials, were investigated in detail. The biosensor prepared under optimal conditions had a linear response to glucose ranging from 2.5 x 10(-4) to 1.5 x 10(-2) mol L(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 and a response time of less than 2 s. Substrate selectivity of the polymer-based enzyme electrode was tested for coexisting interferents such as uric acid and ascorbic acid, and no discernible response was observed. After 90 days, the response of the biosensor remained almost unchanged, indicating very good stability.     

An amperometric glucose biosensor constructed by immobilizing glucose oxidase on titanium-containing mesoporous composite material of no. 41 modified screen-printed electrodes

We have constructed a glucose biosensor by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOD) on titanium-containing MCM-41 (Ti-MCM-41) modified screen-printed electrodes. The strategy of the sensing method is to monitor the extent of the decrease of the reduction current of O₂ upon adding glucose at a selected potential. The detection can be done at the applied potential of −0.50 V and can efficiently exclude the interference from commonly coexisted substances. The constructed sensor has a high sensitivity to glucose (5.4 mAM⁻¹ cm⁻²) and a linear response range of 0.10-10.0 mM. The detection limit is 0.04 mM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The sensor also shows high stability and remains its catalytic activity up to 60 °C. The biocompatibility of Ti-MCM-41 means that this immobilization matrix not only can be used for immobilizing GOD but also can be extended to other enzymes and bioactive molecules, thus providing a promising platform for the development of biosensors.     

Construction of a l-lysine biosensor by immobilizing lysine oxidase on a gold-poly(o-phenylenediamine) electrode

The construction of a l-lysine biosensor on a Si-gold strip electrode (SGSE) is described in this study. The construction comprises (a) the formation of poly(o-phenylenediamine, o-PD) membrane on the electrode surface via electropolymerization and (b) the immobilization of lysine oxidase on the gold/poly(o-PD) electrode with glutaraldehyde. The behavior of the gold/poly(o-PD) electrode against H(2)O(2) and lysine, as well as the repeatability of the electropolymerization and the time stability of the polymer were studied. The study showed that the electropolymerization procedure is repeatable, and that the polymer is quite stable for at least 40 days. The biosensor showed a linear calibration curve in the range 0.01-1x10(-5) M (0.1-10 muM) lysine. The interfering effect of other amino acids on the biosensor performance was also studied and amperometric selectivity coefficients were calculated. The biosensor responded mainly against tyrosine and cysteine, while the response to phenylalanine, arginine, histidine and ornithine was very low. By changing the electropolymerization conditions, the effect of interferents was further reduced.     

Fabrication of a new ECL biosensor for choline by encapsulating choline oxidase into titanate nanotubes and Nafion composite film

A simple strategy for encapsulating choline oxidase (ChOD) into the titanate nanotubes (TNTs) and Nafion composite film for choline sensing was proposed. Hydrogen peroxide, as the product of the redox enzymatic reaction, could enhance the ECL of luminol. Therefore, the substrates of corresponding redox enzymes could be detected indirectly through the determination of hydrogen peroxide in the luminol ECL system. Through this approach, it was found that ChOD could be fixed firmly into the TNTs contained composite film. TNTs would not only offer excellent photocatalytic activity toward luminol-H₂O₂ ECL system, but also provide a shelter for the biomolecules, such as redox enzyme to retain its bioactivity.     

Inhibitive detection of benzoic acid using a novel phenols biosensor based on polyaniline–polyacrylonitrile composite matrix

A novel sensitive and stable phenols amperometric biosensor, based on polyaniline–polyacrylonitrile composite matrix, was applied for determination of benzoic acid. The electrochemical biosensor functioning was based on the inhibition effect of benzoic acid on the biocatalytic activity of the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) to its substrate (catechol) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.5). A potential value of −50 mV versus SCE, and a constant catechol concentration of 20 μM were selective to carry out the amperometric inhibition measurement. The kinetic parameters Michaelis-Menten constant and maximum current (I_max) in the absence and in the presence of benzoic acid were also evaluated and the possible inhibition mechanism was deduced. The inhibiting action of benzoic acid on the polyphenol oxidase electrode was reversible and of the typical competitive type, with an apparent inhibition constant of 38 μM. This proposed biosensor detected levels of benzoic acid as low as 2 × 10⁻⁷ M in solution. In addition, the effects of temperature, pH value of solution on the inhibition and the interferences were investigated and discussed herein. Inhibition studies revealed that the proposed electrochemical biosensor was applicable for monitoring benzoic acid in real sample such as milk, yoghurt, sprite and cola.     

A highly thermal stable solid phase microextraction fiber prepared by an inorganic binder

An easy method to prepare solid phase microextraction fibers by introducing an inorganic binder was demonstrated in this study, where MoS₂ was selected as the extraction phase material because of its graphite-like layered structure with large specific adsorption area and good stability, and was then adhered to a stainless steel wire by acid aluminum phosphate binder with the spraying method. The as-prepared solid phase microextraction fiber coupled with gas chromatography was then used to extract some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons target analytes including the low-volatile benzo(a)pyrene etc. from a standard sample. Comparing with the MoS₂-epoxy resin and commercial polyacrylate fibers, the MoS₂-acid aluminum phosphate fiber has a higher thermal stability because of highly thermal stable acid aluminum phosphate, which is durable for a long service life at a high temperature (320 °C), and has the advantage in the extraction of low-volatility analytes. After the optimization of adsorption and desorption factors (ionic strength, adsorption time and temperature, and desorption temperature), method detection limits of <0.1 μg L⁻¹ were achieved, and the calibration curves were all linear (R² ≥ 0.9981) within the range of 0.1–100 μg L⁻¹. The satisfying repeatability was also achieved, the RSD values of single-fiber were 3.49–5.81%, and the ones of fiber-to-fiber were 5.32–7.22%. As a result, the present fiber with good thermal stability can work at high temperature for a long service life, which is useful for the detection of low-volatility target analytes in practical applications.     

Amperometric biosensor for the quantification of gentisic acid using polyphenol oxidase modified carbon paste electrode

The affinity of mushroom polyphenol oxidase (PPO) towards gentisic acid (GA), a metabolite of acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), is demonstrated by spectrophotometry and by electrochemical techniques. The enzyme can selectively recognize GA even in the presence of large excess of ASA and its metabolic derivatives (salicylic acid (SA) and salicyluric acid (SUA)). At -0.150 V, the sensitivity is (6.1+/-0.1)x10(4) NAM(-1), the response is linear up to 2.0x10(-4) M and the detection limit is 5.0x10(-5) M. The kinetic parameters, obtained from Eadie-Hofstee plots, are I(max)=51.4 nA and K(m)(app)=6.7x10(-4) M.     

A biosensor prepared by co-entrapment of a glucose oxidase and a carbon nanotube within an electrochemically deposited redox polymer multilayer

A glucose biosensor based on a nanocomposite made by layer-by-layer electrodeposition of the redox polymer into a multilayer containing glucose oxidase (GOx) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) surface was developed. The objectives of the electrodeposition of redox polymer are to stabilize further the multilayer using a coordinative cross-linked redox polymer and to wire the GOx. The electrochemistry of the layer-by-layer assembly of the GOx/SWCNT/redox polymer nanocomposite was followed by cyclic voltammetry. The resultant biosensor provided stable and reproducible electrocatalytic responses to glucose, and the electrocatalytic current for glucose oxidation was enhanced with an increase in the number of layers. The biosensor displayed a linear range from 0.5 to 6.0mM, a sensitivity of 16.4μA/(mMcm(2)), and a response time of about 5s. It shows no response to 0.05mM of ascorbic acid, 0.32mM of uric acid and 0.20mM of acetaminophen using a Nafion membrane covering the nanocomposite-modified electrode surface.     

Di-functional magnetic nanoflowers: A highly efficient support for immobilizing penicillin G acylase

The novel di-functional magnetic nanoflowers (DMNF) which had both epoxy groups and hydrophilic catechol as well as phthaloquinone groups capable of covalently coupling of penicillin G acylase (PGA) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer, N₂ adsorption, and so on. The studies showed that DMNF possessed “hierarchical petal” structure of nanosheets had specific saturation magnetization of 39.7 emu/g and average pore diameter of 25.4 nm as well as specific surface area of 17.28 m²/g. For hydrolysis of penicillin G potassium catalyzed by the PGA immobilized on DMNF with enzyme loading of 106 mg/g-support, its apparent activity reached 2,667 U/g, which benefited from the “hierarchical petal” and large pore structure of the magnetic DMNF leading to high enzyme loading and fast diffusion of substrate molecules to the immobilized PGA to reaction. The apparent activity of the immobilized PGA could keep 2,408 U/g (above 90% of its initial activity) after repeating use for 10 cycles. The magnetic immobilized PGA exhibited excellent operational stability due to covalently coupling of the enzyme molecules between the support by covalent interaction of the amino groups of PGA and the reactive groups of epoxy, catechol, and phthaloquinone groups on DMNF. Furthermore, the PGA displayed good acid and alkaline resistance as well as thermal stability by immobilization using DMNF.     

A highly stable and active mesoporous ruthenium catalyst for ammonia synthesis prepared by a RuCl3/SiO2-templated approach

Molecular nitrogen is relatively inert and the activation of its triple bond is full of challenges and of significance. Hence, searching for an efficiently heterogeneous catalyst with high stability and dispersion is one of the important targets of chemical technology. Here, we report a Ba-K/Ru-MC catalyst with Ru particle size of 1.5–2.5 nm semi-embedded in a mesoporous C matrix and with dual promoters of Ba and K that exhibits a higher activity than the supported Ba-Ru-K/MC catalyst, although both have similar metal particle sizes for ammonia synthesis. Further, the Ba-K/Ru-MC catalyst is more active than commercial fused Fe catalysts and supported Ru catalysts. Characterization techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, N₂ physisorption, CO chemisorption, and temperature-programmed reduction suggest that the Ru nanoparticles have strong interactions with the C matrix in Ba-K/Ru-MC, which may facilitate electron transport better than supported nanoparticles.     

A nano-porous CeO(2)/Chitosan composite film as the immobilization matrix for colorectal cancer DNA sequence-selective electrochemical biosensor

CeO₂/Chitosan (CHIT) composite matrix was firstly developed for the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probe immobilization and the fabrication of DNA biosensor related to the colorectal cancer gene. Such matrix combined the advantages of CeO₂ and chitosan, with good biocompatibility, nontoxicity and excellent electronic conductivity, showing the enhanced loading of ssDNA probe on the surface of electrode. The preparation method is quite simple and inexpensive. The hybridization detection was accomplished by using methylene blue (MB), an electroactive lable, as the indicator. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was employed to record the signal response of MB and determine the amount of colorectal cancer target DNA sequence. The experimental conditions were optimized. The established biosensor has high detection sensitivity, a relatively wide linear range from 1.59 × 10⁻¹¹ to 1.16 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ and the ability to discriminate completely complementary target sequence and four-base-mismatched sequence.     

Electrically conductive composite prepared by template polymerization of pyrrole into a complexed polymer

Electrically conducting polymer composite films have been synthesized by the exposure of poly(4-vinylpyridine) complexed with cupric ions to pyrrole and water vapor. To immobilize a stoichiometric amount of the oxidant inside the polymer matrix, the ratio of poly(4-vinylpyridine)/cupric ion = 1.8 was chosen. Polypyrrole was formed in this tailored structure by a template polymerization process. Opaque polymer composite films with electrical conductivity up to 60 (Ω cm)^?1 have been obtained by this method, However, slightly colored transparent composite thin films with a conductivity as high as 50 (Ω cm)^?1 were also produced. The electrically conducting polymer composite films and the metal-polymer complex have been characterized by XPS and IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, EDX, and scanning electron microscopy. The polymerization process was also followed by use of a quartz crystal microbalance. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A composite microporous gel polymer electrolyte prepared by ultra-violet cross-linking

A new type of composite microporous gel polymer electrolyte was prepared by directly coating the hydrolyzed prepolymers onto PVdF microporous membrane, and then polymerizing and cross-linking with ultra-violet (UV). Their chemical, thermal, surface microscopic configuration, swelling ability and electrochemical properties have been investigated for various prepolymer’s solution concentrations. The swelling ability and ionic conductivity of the membrane supporting hybrid gel electrolyte (MSHGE) could reach an extreme point at 0.15 g/ml of the prepolymer’s solution. It is thought that their performance can be affected by the surface microscopic configuration and the quality of coated copolymer. The Arrhenius-type relationship was observed in the temperature dependence of ionic conductivity. The ionic conductivity of MSHGE (PVdF-15) at room temperature can reach 6.18 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹, and its electrochemical stability window is about 4.9 V.     

Antimicrobial cotton fibres prepared by in situ synthesis of AgCl into a silica matrix

Functional antimicrobial cotton fibres were prepared in a novel two-step procedure utilising the pad-dry-cure method to apply an inorganic–organic hybrid sol–gel precursor (reactive binder, RB) followed by the in situ synthesis of AgCl particles on the RB-treated fibres. The morphology and surface composition of the modified cotton fibres were investigated by scanning electron microscopy imaging and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectral analyses. The bulk concentration of Ag on the cotton fibres was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy, and the antimicrobial activity against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was estimated according to the ISO 20645:2004 (E) and AATCC 100-1999 methods. The results showed that this application process yields the following important benefits: (1) the presence of the RB silica matrix increased the fibres’ capacity for adsorbing AgCl particles compared with the same fibres without RB; (2) the in situ synthesis enabled a simple and environmentally friendly preparation of AgCl particles from AgNO₃ and their embedment into the fibres; (3) the AgCl particles were bound to the RB silica matrix by physical forces, which allowed for their controlled release from the fibres; (4) the capacity of the RB-modified cotton samples to hold embedded AgCl particles was sufficient to provide a 100 % bacterial reduction even after 10 repeated washing cycles; and (5) the chemical modification of the cotton fibres did not significantly change their whiteness, wettability or softness.     

A highly stable short alpha-helix constrained by a main-chain hydrogen-bond surrogate

Herein we describe a strategy for the preparation of artificial alpha-helices involving replacement of one of the main-chain hydrogen bonds with a covalent linkage. To mimic the C=O...H-N hydrogen bond as closely as possible, we envisioned a covalent bond of the type C=X-Y-N, where X and Y are two carbon atoms connected through an olefin metathesis reaction. Our results demonstrate that the replacement of a hydrogen bond between the i and i + 4 residues at the N-terminus of a short peptide with a carbon-carbon bond results in a highly stable constrained alpha-helix at physiological conditions as indicated by CD and NMR spectroscopies. The advantage of this strategy is that it allows access to short alpha-helices with strict preservation of molecular recognition surfaces required for biomolecular interactions.     

以高氯酸·三-2,2′-联吡啶合钴(Ⅲ)作为电子媒介体金纳米颗粒增强的葡萄糖生物传感器

用纳米金溶胶与聚乙烯醇缩丁醛(PVB)构成复合固酶基质,采用溶胶-凝胶法固定葡萄糖氧化酶(GOx)于铂电极表面,并在葡萄糖溶液中加入高氯酸·三-2,2′-联吡啶合钴(Ⅲ)作为电子媒介体,制成了高灵敏的葡萄糖生物传感器.葡萄糖氧化酶吸附在纳米金颗粒表面上稳定且保持其生物活性;而电子媒介体的存在,显著提高了传感器的响应灵敏度.该传感器对葡萄糖响应的线性范围为1.2×10-8～6.2×10-6 mol/L,检出限6.2×10-9 mol/L(S/N=3).该生物传感器有效消除了抗坏血酸、尿酸的干扰,可用于人体血清中葡萄糖的测定.     

A nanofibrous composite membrane of PLGA-chitosan/PVA prepared by electrospinning

Tissue engineering scaffolds produced by electrospinning feature a structural similarity to the natural extracellular matrix. In this study, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were simultaneously electrospun from two different syringes and mixed on the rotating drum to prepare the nanofibrous composite membrane. The composite membrane was crosslinked by glutaraldehyde vapor to maintain its mechanical properties and fiber morphology in wet stage. Morphology, shrinkage, absorption in phosphate buffered solution (PBS) and mechanical properties of the electrospun membranes were characterized. Fibroblast viability on electrospun membranes was discussed by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay and cell morphology after 7 days of culture. Results indicated that the PBS absorption of the composite membranes, no matter crosslinked or not, was higher than the electrospun PLGA membrane due to the introduction of hydrophilic components, chitosan and PVA. After crosslinking, the composite membrane had a little shrinkage after incubating in PBS. The crosslinked composite membrane also showed moderate tensile properties. Cell culture suggested that electrospun PLGA-chitosan/PVA membrane tended to promote fibroblast attachment and proliferation. It was assumed that the nanofibrous composite membrane of electrospun PLGA-chitosan/PVA could be potentially used for skin reconstruction.     

Au nanoparticles prepared by physical method on Si and sapphire substrates for biosensor applications

Gold nanoparticles heavily functionalized with oligonucleotides have been used in a variety of DNA detection methods. The optical properties of three-dimensional aggregates of Au nanoparticles in solution or deposited onto suitable surfaces have been analyzed to detect hybridization processes of specific DNA sequences as possible alternatives to fluorescent labeling methods. This paper reports on the preparation of gold nanoparticles directly deposited onto the surface of silicon (Si) and sapphire (Al2O3) substrates by a physical methodology, consisting in the thermal evaporation of a thin Au film and its successive annealing. The method guarantees the preparation of monodispersed single-crystal Au nanoparticles with a strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak centered at about 540 nm. We show that the changes of SPR excitation before and after DNA functionalization and subsequent hybridization of Au nanoparticles immobilized onto Si and Al2O3 substrates can be exploited to fabricate specific biosensors devices in solid phase.