Design of a voltammetric immunosensor for determination of 1-nitropyrene

Abstract  In this study a design of an immunosensor for 1-nitropyrene is illustrated. First the response of 1-nitropyrene reduced at a glassy carbon electrode between 0 and −0.8 V was investigated with respect to pH and solvent. Then polyclonal anti-1-nitropyrene antibodies isolated from a rabbit antiserum were covalently bound to the surface of the glassy carbon electrode. This modified electrode was immersed in standard solutions or sample extracts for 5–15 min. 1-Nitropyrene was bound by the antibodies, accumulated and then analyzed at pH 6.5 in another supporting electrolyte by differential pulse voltammetry. Afterwards the immunosensor could be regenerated for the next measurement by rinsing with acetonitrile–water (40:60, v/v). A linear response was found between 20 and 100 ng/cm³. The limit of detection was 10 ng/cm³ and the intraday reproducibility of three immunosensors assembled during two months was between 4.5 and 10%. This sensor was applied to the analysis of 1-nitropyrene in air particulate matter and smoked tea. Graphical abstract