Competitive amperometric immunosensor based on covalent linking of a protein conjugate to dendrimer-functionalised nanogold substrate for the determination of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene
1. Dipartimento di Chimica Generale ed Inorganica, Chimica Analitica, Chimica Fisica, Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124, Parma, Italy 2. Dipartimento di Scienza dei Metalli, Elettrochimica e Tecniche Chimiche, Università di Bologna, Via S. Donato 15, 40127, Bologna, Italy
Abstract:
A new amperometric immunosensor for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene based on the working principle of competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed and characterised. An electrodeposited nanogold substrate was functionalised by deposition of self-assembled monolayers of 2-aminoethanethiol as linkers for the subsequent immobilisation of polyamidoaminic dendrimers. Our approach makes use of those dendrimers to anchor a trinitrobenzene-ovalbumin conjugate on the electrode surface. The immunosensor was tested and validated for the determination of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene showing high selectivity with respect to other nitroaromatic compounds, a limit of detection of 4.8 ng/mL and a limit of quantitation of 6 ng/mL. The immunosensor was tested for the quantification of the analyte in spiked soils and in a real sample of post-blast soil, evidencing a good recovery rate (113 %).