Increased electrochemical detector sensitivity by electrode surface modification

Summary Electrode surface modification by electrochemical pretreatment of glassy carbon electrodes was shown to enhance significantly the sensitivity of the electrodes for the detection of timolol and oxprenolol, but reduce slightly the sensitivity to prenalterol. This method may permit the detection of exprenolol and timolol with increased sensitivity, or may allow their detection at lower applied potentials than is presently possible. Electrode surface modification may prove to be a valuable aid to the detection of compounds that are considered to be outside the practical limits of electrochemical detection.     

Transport properties and electroanalytical response characteristics of drotaverine ion-selective sensors

The construction and electroanalytical response characteristics of poly(vinyl chloride) matrix ion-selective sensors (ISSs) for drotaverine hydrochloride are described. The membranes incorporate ion-association complexes of drotaverine with tetraphenylborate, picrate, tetraiodomercurate, tetraiodobismuthate, Reinecke salt, and heteropolycompounds of Keggin structure—molybdophosphoric acid, tungstophosphoric acid, molybdosiliconic acid and tungstosiliconic acid as electroactive materials for ionometric sensor controls. These ISSs have a linear response to drotaverine hydrochloride over the range 8×10^–6 to 5×10^–2 mol L^–1 with cationic slopes from 51 to 58 mV per concentration decade. These ISSs have a fast response time (up to 1 min), a low determination limit (down to 4.3×10^–6 mol L^–1), good stability (3–5 weeks), and reasonable selectivity. Permeabilities and ion fluxes through a membrane were calculated for major and interfering ions. Dependences of the transport properties of the membranes on the concentrations of the ion exchanger and near-membrane solution and their electrochemical characteristics are presented. The ISSs were used for direct potentiometry and potentiometric titration (sodium tetraphenylborate) of drotaverine hydrochloride. Results with mean accuracy of 99.1±1.0% of nominal were obtained which corresponded well to data obtained by use of high-performance liquid chromatography.     

Flow amperometric detection of indigo for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with use of screen-printed electrodes

A simple and automated methodology for a sensitive electrochemical detection of enzyme immunoassays that employ alkaline phosphatase (AP) as label has been developed. A flow injection system with programmable pump, valve and cell functions, amperometric detection of indigo and screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are responsible for the advantages of this methodology. Amperometric detection at a low potential of indigo, the product of the enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate 3-indoxyl phosphate (IP), is combined with a flow injection system. This incorporates in the flow cell a disposable screen-printed board provided with a graphite working electrode. No electrode pretreatment is necessary to obtain reproducible signals. The system was applied to the determination by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) of pneumolysin (PLY), a toxin related to respiratory infections. Linear calibration curves for low and high concentration ranges were obtained. These were also performed in a proteic matrix and linearity was also obtained.     

Sol-gel-derived prussian blue-silicate amperometric glucose biosensor

A new type of inorganic biosensor is introduced. The sensor comprises glucose oxidase enzymes encapsulated in a sol-gel-derived Prussian blue-silicate hybrid network. Glucose is detected by the biocatalytic reduction of oxygen followed by catalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide by the Prusian blue catalyst. The sol-gel silicate entails a rigid encapsulating matrix, the Prussian blue provides chemical catalysis and charge mediation from the reduction site to the supporting electrode, and the enzyme is responsible for the biocatalysis. The feasibility of a dual optical/electrochemical mode of analysis is also demonstrated.     

Influence of structural changes on the ion selectivities of magnesium ionophores based on malonic acid diamides

In an investigation of octamethylene bis(malonic acid diamides) and their selectivities for magnesium, it was found that presence of secondary amides within the particular ionophore played a considerable role in the enhancement of magnesium selectivity. Similar effects in other ionophores, i.e. tris(malonic acid diamides), were thus systematically looked at with the help of selectivity measurements with the hope of optimizing the number of secondary and tertiary amides so as to improve the magnesium selectivity. The syntheses of several investigated tris(malonic acid diamide) isologues are equally reported.Deceased in November 1992     

Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrodes: a Comparison with Carbon Paste,Platinum and Glassy Carbon Electrodes via Cyclic Voltammetric Data

A new carbon electrode material, obtained by mixing single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a mineral oil binder is studied. Carbon nanotube pastes show the special properties of carbon nanotubes combined with the various advantages of composite electrodes such as a very low capacitance (background current) and the possibility of an easy preparation, modification and renewal. A better knowledge of the characteristics of electrode reactions at carbon nanotube paste (CNTP) electrodes was obtained studying the electron transfer rates of various redox couples under different pretreatment conditions. A critical comparison with carbon paste (CP), platinum (Pt) and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes was also carried out. Capacitance and resistance values were also calculated for all electrodes investigated. Both untreated and treated CNTP electrodes showed a low resistance while the capacitance was markedly reduced with CNTP electrodes previously treated with concentrated nitric acid. An electrochemical pretreatment on CNTP electrodes was developed which showed an excellent result towards two‐electron quinonic structure species. After this treatment the heterogeneous standard rate constants for p‐methylaminophenol sulfate (MAP) and dopamine resulted to be significantly higher (2.1×10^?2 cm/s and 2.0×10^?2 cm/s, respectively) than those obtained with the other electrodes studied. Reproducibility, stability and storage characteristics of CNTP electrodes were also reported.     

All-Solid-State PVC Membrane Ag+-Selective Electrodes Based on Diaza-18-Crown-6 Compounds

Two diaza-crown ether compounds were synthesized and evaluated as Ag⁺-selective carriers in polyvinylchloride (PVC) membrane electrodes of solid-state type. The all-solid-state PVC membrane electrode based on N,N-Dibenzyl-dibenzo-diaza-18-crown-6 exhibited a super-Nernstian response (75±10mV per decade) over the concentration range of 1×10^–1 to 7×10^–6M of Ag⁺ ion and a detection limit of 3×10^–6M, at a wide range of pH (pH 4–7). The response time of the electrode was fast (less than 10s), and it can be used for three months without any significant deviation in potential. The proposed all-solid-state PVC membrane electrodes revealed high selectivity toward Ag⁺ ion with respect to alkali, alkaline earth, heavy and transition metal ions. A flow-through cell of all-solid-state PVC membrane Ag⁺-selective electrode based on N,N-Dibenzyl-dibenzo-diaza-18-crown-6 has also been prepared and applied for flow-injection analysis of Ag⁺ ion in solution.     

Chemically modified electrode for the detection of carbohydrates

A nickel-catalysed chemically modified electrode is described which seems to represent a convenient compromise between ease of preparation, reproducibility, precision and detection limits for the determination of carbohydrates in biological matrices.     

Direct electrochemical assay of glucose using boron-doped diamond electrodes

We report linear sweep and square wave voltammetric studies on glucose oxidation at boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in an alkaline medium in efforts to evaluate the techniques for electrochemically assaying glucose. The bare BDD electrode showed good linear responses to glucose oxidation for a concentration range from 0.5 to 10 mM glucose, which well encompasses the physiological range of 3-8 mM. The BDD electrodes did not experience interferences from ascorbic acid or uric acid during glucose detection. This method, when applied to real blood samples, gave results similar to those obtained by a commercial glucose monitor.