Stacked films immobilization of MBTH in nafion/sol-gel silicate and horseradish peroxidase in chitosan for the determination of phenolic compounds

The stacked-film immobilization of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH) in hybrid nafion/sol-gel silicate film and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in chitosan, performed in order to allow the determination of phenolic compounds, was investigated via an optical method. The stacked films were deposited onto a microscope glass slide by a spin-coating technique. The quinone or free radical product formed by the enzymatic reactions of phenolic compounds interacts with MBTH to form azo-dye products, which can be measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 500 nm. The color intensity of the product was found to increase in proportion to the phenolic concentration after 5 min of exposure. The response of the biosensor was linear over concentration ranges of 0.025–0.500, 0.010–0.070 and 0.050–0.300 mM for guaiacol, resorcinol and o-cresol, respectively, and gave detection limits of 0.010, 0.005 and 0.012 mM. The sensor exhibited good sensitivity and stability for at least two months.     

Amperometric phenol biosensor based on sol-gel silicate/Nafion composite film

An amperometric biosensor based on tyrosinase immobilized in silicate/Nafion composite film has been developed for the determination of phenolic compounds. The Nafion polymer in the composite was used not only to overcome the brittleness of the pure sol-gel-derived silicate film but also to increase the long-term stability of the biosensor. Tyrosinase was immobilized by a thin film of silicate/Nafion composite on a glassy carbon electrode. Phenolic compounds were determined by the direct reduction of biocatalytically-liberated quinone species at −200 mV versus Ag/AgCl (3 M NaCl). The process parameters for the fabrication of the enzyme electrode and various experimental variables such as pH and operating potential were explored for optimum analytical performance of the enzyme electrode. The biosensor can reach 95% of steady-state current in about 15 s. The sensitivities of the biosensor for catechol and phenol were 200 and 46 mA/M, respectively. A detection limit of 0.35 mM catechol was obtained with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The enzyme electrode retained 74% of its initial activity after 2 weeks of storage in 50 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.     

An optical biosensor for dichlovos using stacked sol-gel films containing acetylcholinesterase and a lipophilic chromoionophore

An optical biosensor consisting of a chromoionophore (ETH5294) (CM) doped sol-gel film interfaced with another sol-gel film immobilized with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was employed to detect the insecticide dichlorvos. The main advantage of this optical biosensor is the use of a sol-gel layer with immobilized CM that possesses lipophilic property. The highly lipophilic nature of the CM and its compatibility with the sol-gel matrix has prevented leaching, which is frequently a problem in optical sensor construction based on pH indicator dyes. The immobilization of the indicator and enzyme was simple and need no chemical modification. The CM layer is pH sensitive and detects the pH changes of the acetylcholine chloride (AChCl) substrate when hydrolyzed by AChE layer deposited above. In the absence of the AChE layer, the pH response of the CM layer is linear from pH 6 to 8 (R² = 0.98, n = 3) and it showed no leaching of the lipophilic chromoionophore. When the AChE layer is deposited on top, the optical biosensor responds to AChCl with a linear dynamic range of 40-90 mM AChCl (R² = 0.984, n = 6). The response time of the biosensor is 12 min. Based on the optimum incubation time of 15 min, a linear calibration curve of dichlorvos against the percentage inhibition of AChE was obtained from 0.5 to 7 mg/L of dichlorvos (17-85% inhibition, R² = 0.991, n = 9). The detection limit for dichlorvos was 0.5 mg/L. The results of the analysis of 1.7-6.0 mg/L of dichlorvos using this optical biosensor agreed well with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection method.     

A sensitive mediator-free tyrosinase biosensor based on an inorganic-organic hybrid titania sol-gel matrix

A novel inorganic-organic hybrid titania sol-gel nanocomposite film was prepared to fabricate a sensitive tyrosinase biosensor for the amperometric detection of trace phenolic compounds without additional electron mediators. Acetylacetone worked as a complexing ligand to chelate with Ti atom in the synthesis process, and the pH of the titania solution could be adjusted to the value which was optimum for retaining tyrosinase activity and such a membrane was stably attached on to the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). This titania matrix could supply a good environment for enzyme loading, which resulted in a high sensitivity of 15.78 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻² for monitoring phenols with a detection limit of 1×10⁻⁸ M at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The TiO₂ sol-gel derived biosensor exhibited a fast response less than 10 s and a good stability for more than 2 months.     

A novel amperometric biosensor for the detection of nitrophenol

We report on a novel amperometric biosensor for detecting phenolic compounds based on the co-immobilization of horseradish-peroxidase (HRP) and methylene blue (MB) with chitosan on Au-modified TiO₂ nanotube arrays. The titania nanotube arrays were directly grown on a Ti substrate using anodic oxidation first; a gold thin film was then coated onto the TiO₂ nanotubes by an argon plasma technique. The morphology and composition of the fabricated Au-modified TiO₂ nanotube arrays were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Cyclic voltammetry and amperometry were used to study the proposed electrochemical biosensor. The effect of pH, applied electrode potential and the concentration of H₂O₂ on the sensitivity of the biosensor have been systemically investigated. The performance of the proposed biosensor was tested using seven different phenolic compounds, showing very high sensitivity; in particular, the linearity of the biosensor for the detection of 3-nitrophenol was observed from 3 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.2 × 10⁻⁴ M with a detection limit of 9 × 10⁻⁸ M (based on the S/N = 3).     

Electrocatalytic properties of [Ru(bpy)(tpy)Cl]PF6 at carbon ceramic electrode modified with nafion sol-gel composite: application to amperometric detection of l-cysteine

A two-step sol-gel technique was used here to prepare a carbon ceramic electrode modified with nafion and [Ru(bpy)(tpy)Cl]PF₆. This involves two steps: first, forming a bulk-modified carbon ceramic electrode with nafion, and then immersing the electrode into a Ru-complex solution (electroless deposition) for a short period of time (5-25 s). Cyclic voltammograms of the resulting surface-modified carbon ceramic electrode show stable and a well-defined redox couple due to Ru(II)/Ru(III) system with surface-confined characteristic. l-Cysteine (CySH) has been chosen as a model to elucidate the electrocatalytic ability of Ru-complex nafion sol-gel composite electrode. Not only the modified electrode shows excellent catalytic activity toward l-cysteine electrooxidation in pH range 3-9, but the antifouling effect of nafion film also increases the reproducibility of results in comparison with CCE modified with homogeneous mixing of graphite powder and Ru-complex (one step sol-gel method). Under the optimized conditions in amperometry method, the concentration calibration range, detection limit and sensitivity were 0.1-100 μM, 20 nM and 50 nA/μM, respectively. The advantages of this modified electrode are good reproducibility, excellent catalytic activity, simplicity of preparation and especially its antifouling properties towards l-cysteine and its oxidation products. Additionally, it is promising as a detector in flow system or chromatography systems.     

Covalent immobilization of an enzyme (glucose oxidase) onto a carbon sol-gel silicate composite surface as a biosensing platform

A porous organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel carbon composite has been developed and used for surface covalent bonding of an enzyme for biosensing applications, illustrated by glucose oxidase (GOD). The composite comprises graphite powder, ferrocene, and an amino- and methyl-silicate backbone. The graphite powder provides the conductivity for the electrode and ferrocene acts as the mediator for signal transduction from the active center of the enzyme to the electron conductive surface. The presence of amine groups in the sol-gel silicate network allows for the covalent bonding sites for the enzyme via the carbodiimide reaction. The hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity properties of the electrode surface are controlled by the amine and methyl groups of the silicate network. Systematic optimization of the composite composition has been carried out and the performance of the glucose biosensor has been investigated. The optimal electrode gives a linear response range of 0.1-27 mM glucose with a sensitivity of 1.30 μA mM⁻¹ and detection limit (S/N = 3) of 26 μM.     

A novel tyrosinase biosensor based on hydroxyapatite-chitosan nanocomposite for the detection of phenolic compounds

A novel tyrosinase biosensor based on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nano-HA)-chitosan nanocomposite has been developed for the detection of phenolic compounds. The uniform and size controlled nano-HA was synthesized by hydrothermal method, and its morphological characterization was examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Tyrosinase was then immobilized on a nano-HA-chitosan nanocomposite-modified gold electrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were used to characterize the sensing film. The prepared biosensor was applied to determine phenolic compounds by monitoring the reduction signal of the biocatalytically produced quinone species at −0.2 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode). The effects of the pH, temperature and applied potential on the biosensor performance were investigated, and experimental conditions were optimized. The biosensor exhibited a linear response to catechol over a wide concentration range from 10 nM to 7 μM, with a high sensitivity of 2.11 × 10³ μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻², and a limit of detection down to 5 nM (based on S/N = 3). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constants of the enzyme electrode were estimated to be 3.16, 1.31 and 3.52 μM for catechol, phenol and m-cresol, respectively. Moreover, the stability and reproducibility of this biosensor were evaluated with satisfactory results.     

Composite film of carbon nanotubes and chitosan for preparation of amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor

A new amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide was developed based on cross-linking horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by glutaraldehyde with multiwall carbon nanotubes/chitosan (MWNTs/chitosan) composite film coated on a glassy carbon electrode. MWNTs were firstly dissolved in a chitosan solution. Then the morphology of MWNTs/chitosan composite film was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that MWNTs were well soluble in chitosan and robust films could be formed on the surface. HRP was cross-linked by glutaraldehyde with MWNTs/chitosan film to prepare a hydrogen peroxide biosensor. The enzyme electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity and rapid response for H₂O₂ in the absence of a mediator. The linear range of detection towards H₂O₂ (applied potential: −0.2 V) was from 1.67 × 10⁻⁵ to 7.40 × 10⁻⁴ M with correction coefficient of 0.998. The biosensor had good repeatability and stability for the determination of H₂O₂. There were no interferences from ascorbic acid, glucose, citrate acid and lactic acid.     

Glucose biosensor based on immobilization of glucose oxidase in platinum nanoparticles/graphene/chitosan nanocomposite film

The bionanocomposite film consisting of glucose oxidase/Pt/functional graphene sheets/chitosan (GOD/Pt/FGS/chitosan) for glucose sensing is described. With the electrocatalytic synergy of FGS and Pt nanoparticles to hydrogen peroxide, a sensitive biosensor with a detection limit of 0.6 μM glucose was achieved. The biosensor also has good reproducibility, long-term stability and negligible interfering signals from ascorbic acid and uric acid comparing with the response to glucose. The large surface area and good electrical conductivity of graphene suggests that graphene is a potential candidate as a sensor material. The hybrid nanocomposite glucose sensor provides new opportunity for clinical diagnosis and point-of-care applications.     

Preparation and application of triangular silver nanoplates/chitosan composite in surface plasmon resonance biosensing

This paper reports the utilization of triangular silver nanoplates (TSNPs) to enhance the sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor. TSNPs modified with 3-mercaptopropinic acid (MPA) were simply mixed with chitosan and glutaraldehyde to form TSNPs/chitosan composite. The composite was deposited on Au film as immobilization substrate for SPR biosensor. The novel structures of TSNPs are preserved against etching by MPA and chitosan polymer. Moreover, chitosan cross-linked by glutaraldehyde enables antibody to be immobilized on fabricated substrate directly via Schiff alkali reaction. In the optimized conditions, the resulting biosensor based on TSNPs/chitosan composite shows a satisfactory response to bovine IgG in the concentration range of 0.075–40.00 μg mL⁻¹. While the biosensor based on chitosan without TSNPs shows a response in the concentration range of 0.6–40 μg mL⁻¹ and the biosensor based on Au film shows a response in the concentration range of 2.5–40 μg mL⁻¹. The experiment results show that the sensitivity of SPR biosensor based on TSNPs/chitosan composite was significantly enhanced and the immobilization procedure of antibody was simplified.     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor based on Ru(bpy)3(2+) and dehydrogenase immobilized in sol-gel/chitosan/poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) composite material

A new electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing ECL reagent Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and alcohol dehydrogenase in sol-gel/chitosan/poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) organically modified composite material. The component PSS was used to immobilize ECL reagent Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ by ion-exchange, while the addition of chitosan was to prevent the cracking of conventional sol-gel-derived glasses and provide biocompatible microenvironment for alcohol dehydrogenase. Such biosensor combined enzymatic selectivity with the sensitivity of ECL detection for quantification of enzyme substrate and it was much simpler than previous double-layer design. The detection limit was 9.3 × 10⁻⁶ M for alcohol (S/N = 3) with a linear range from 2.79 × 10⁻⁵ to 5.78 × 10⁻² M. With ECL detection, the biosensor exhibited wide linear range, high sensitivity and good stability.     

Tetraethylorthosilicate film modified with protein to fabricate cholesterol biosensor

Sol-gel derived tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) films were prepared by spin coating method on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass plate. Hydrophobic interaction method was used to coat the bovine serum albumin film over the surface of tetraethylorthosilicate sol-gel film to minimize cracking, biofouling and to improve the stability of the film. Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were immobilized using covalent linkage with bovine albumin serum film to enhance the loading of the enzyme to improve the sensitivity of biosensor. Further ITO-TEOS-BSA-ChOx/HRP film was characterized by UV-vis, FTIR and SEM techniques. The optical response of the ITO-TEOS-BSA-ChOx/HRP biosensor was found to be linear in the range of 2-8 mM for cholesterol concentration with response time approximately 20 s. Amperometric response of ITO-TEOS-BSA-ChOx/HRP was observed to be linear in the range of 2-12 mM of cholesterol concentration with 10-s response time. Michaelis-Menten constant was calculated 21.2 mM .The shelf life of ITO-TEOS-BSA-ChOx/HRP biosensor was approximately about 8 weeks in desiccated conditions at room temperature.     

An optical fiber biosensor for chlorpyrifos using a single sol-gel film containing acetylcholinesterase and bromothymol blue

An optical fiber biosensor consisting of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and bromothymol blue (BTB) doped sol-gel film was employed to detect organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos. The main advantage of this optical biosensor is the use of a single sol-gel film with immobilized AChE and BTB. The compatibility of this mixture (AChE and BTB) with the sol-gel matrix has prevented leaching of the film. The immobilization of the enzyme and indicator was simple without chemical modification. The biosensing element on single sol-gel film has been placed inside the flow-cell for flow system. In the presence of a constant AChE, a color change of the BTB and the measured reflected signal at wavelength 622nm could be related to the pesticide concentration in the sample solutions. The performance of optical biosensor in the flow system has been optimized, including chemical and physical parameters. The response time of the biosensor is 8min. A linear calibration curve of chlorpyrifos against the percentage inhibition of AChE was obtained from 0.05 to 2.0mg/L of chlorpyrifos (18-80% inhibition, R(2)=0.9869, n=6). The detection limit for chlorpyrifos was 0.04mg/L. The results of the analysis of 0.5-1.5mg/L of chlorpyrifos using this optical biosensor agreed well with chromatographic method.     

Oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes for quantitative determination of cationic surfactants in water samples using atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

A new biosensor for detection of phenols, based on tyrosinase immobilization with alumina sol-gel on Sonogel-Carbon transducer, has been developed. The electrode was prepared using high energy ultrasounds directly applied to the precursors. The alumina sol-gel provided a microenvironment for retaining the native structure and activity of the entrapped enzyme and a very low mass transport barrier to the enzyme substrates. Phenols are oxidized by tyrosinase biosensor to form a detectable product, which was determined at −300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode. For phenol, the sensor exhibited a fast response which resulted from the porous structure and high enzyme loading of the sol-gel matrix. The linear range was from 5 × 10⁻⁷ M to 3 × 10⁻⁵ M, with a detection limit of 3 × 10⁻⁷ M. The stability of the biosensor was also evaluated.     

Amperometric tyrosinase based biosensor using an electrogenerated polythiophene film as an entrapment support

An amperometric enzyme sensor using tyrosinase, also called polyphenol oxidase (PPO), was constructed for determination of phenolic compounds and herbicides. The enzyme was entrapped in a conducting polymer, poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDT), electrochemically generated on a glassy carbon electrode. Several experimental parameters in the electropolymerisation process and working conditions were determined to optimise biosensor performances. Mono-phenol and di-phenol were tested in oxygenated solutions, by amperometric measurements at −200 mV (vs. SCE) in a batch system. The limit of detection of these molecules ranges from 5 to 500 nM. Detection of herbicides was obtained from the inhibition of tyrosinase electrode responses. The limit of detection for atrazine and diuron was 1 and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ respectively. These data suggest that PEDT film is a promising PPO immobilisation method.     

Development of a tyrosinase biosensor based on gold nanoparticles-modified glassy carbon electrodes: Application to the measurement of a bioelectrochemical polyphenols index in wines

The preparation of a tyrosinase biosensor based on the immobilization of the enzyme onto a glassy carbon electrode modified with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles (Tyr-nAu-GCE) is reported. The enzyme immobilized by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde retains a high bioactivity on this electrode material. Under the optimized working variables (a Au electrodeposition potential of −200 mV for 60 s, an enzyme loading of 457 U, a detection potential of −0.10 V and a 0.1 mol l⁻¹ phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.4 as working medium) the biosensor exhibited a rapid response to the changes in the substrate concentration for all the phenolic compounds tested: phenol, catechol, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid and protocatechualdehyde. A R.S.D. of 3.6% (n = 6) was obtained from the slope values of successive calibration plots for catechol with the same Tyr-nAu-GCE with no need to apply a cleaning procedure to the biosensor. The useful lifetime of one single biosensor was of at least 18 days, and a R.S.D. of 4.8% was obtained for the slope values of catechol calibration plots obtained with five different biosensors. The kinetic constants and the analytical characteristics were calculated for all the phenolic compounds tested. The Tyr-nAu-GCE was applied for the estimation of the phenolic compounds content in red and white wines. A good correlation of the results (r = 0.990) was found when they were plotted versus those obtained by using the spectrophotometric method involving the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent.     

Amperometric cholesterol biosensors based on the electropolymerization of pyrrole and the electrocatalytic effect of Prussian-Blue layers helped with self-assembled monolayers

Three cholesterol biosensor configurations based on the formation of a layer of Prussian-Blue (PB) on a Pt electrode for the electrocatalytic detection of the H₂O₂ generated during the enzymatic reaction of cholesterol with cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) were constructed. The enzyme was entrapped within a polypyrrole (PPy) layer electropolymerized onto the PB film. The influence of the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on the Pt surface on the adherence and stability of the PB layer and the formation of an outer layer of nafion (Nf) as a means of improving selectivity were both studied. A comparative study was made of the analytical properties of the biosensors corresponding to the three configurations named: Pt/PB/PPy-ChOx, Pt/SAM/PB/PPy-ChOx and Pt/SAM/PB/PPy-ChOx/Nf. The sensitivity (from 600 to 8500 nA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²) and selectivity of the developed biosensors permitted the determination of the cholesterol content in reference and synthetic serum samples. The detection limit for the Pt/SAM/PB/PPy-ChOx/Nf biosensor was 8 μM. Formation of the SAM on the electrode surface and covering with a Nf film considerably improved the stability and lifetime of the biosensor based on the catalytic effect of the PB layer (as the PB layer was retained longer on the electrode), and the Nf layer protects the enzyme from the external flowing solutions. Lifetime is up to 25 days of use. The formation of the SAM also has an effect on the charge transfer and the formation of the PB layer.     

Zinc oxide nanoparticles-chitosan composite film for cholesterol biosensor

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (NanoZnO) uniformly dispersed in chitosan (CHIT) have been used to fabricate a hybrid nanocomposite film onto indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass plate. Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) has been immobilized onto this NanoZnO-CHIT composite film using physiosorption technique. Both NanoZnO-CHIT/ITO electrode and ChOx/NanoZnO-CHIT/ITO bioelectrode have been characterized using Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques, respectively. The ChOx/NanoZnO-CHIT/ITO bioelectrode exhibits linearity from 5 to 300 mg dl⁻¹ of cholesterol with detection limit as 5 mg dl⁻¹, sensitivity as 1.41 × 10⁻⁴ A mg dl⁻¹ and the value of Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m) as 8.63 mg dl⁻¹. This cholesterol biosensor can be used to estimate cholesterol in serum samples.     

An enhanced biosensor for glutamate based on self-assembled carbon nanotubes and dendrimer-encapsulated platinum nanobiocomposites-doped polypyrrole film

An enhanced amperometric biosensor based on incorporating one kind of unique nanobiocomposite as dopant within an electropolymerized polypyrrole film has been investigated. The nanobiocomposite was synthesized by self-assembling glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) and poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-encapsulated platinum nanoparticles (Pt-DENs) onto multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs). ζ-Potentials and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) confirmed the uniform growth of the layer-by-layer nanostructures onto the carboxyl-functionalized CNTs. The size of Pt nanoparticles is approximately 3 nm. The (GLDH/Pt-DENs)_n/CNTs/Ppy hybrid film was obtained by electropolymerization of pyrrole onto glassy carbon electrodes and characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and other electrochemical measurements. All methods indicated that the (GLDH/Pt-DENs)_n/CNTs nanobiocomposites were entrapped within the porous polypyrrole film and resulted in a hybrid film that showed a high electrocatalytic ability toward the oxidation of glutamate at a potential 0.2 V versus Ag/AgCl. The biosensor shows performance characteristics with high sensitivity (51.48 μA mM⁻¹), rapid response (within 3 s), low detection limit (about 10 nM), low level of interference and excellent reproducibility and stability.