Electrochemical determination of pyrophosphate at nanomolar levels using a gold electrode covered with a cysteine nanofilm and based on competitive coordination of Cu(II) ion to cysteine and pyrophosphate

We are presenting an electrochemical method for the determination of pyrophosphate ions (PPi) that is based on the competitive coordination of Cu(II) ion to a nanofilm of cysteine (Cys) and dissolved PPi. Cys was immobilized on the surface of a gold electrode by self-assembly. The Cys-modified gold electrode was loaded with Cu(II) ion which is released from the surface on addition of a sample containing PPi. The sensor shows an unprecedented electrochemical response to PPi, and the reduction peak currents is linearly related to the logarithm of the concentration of PPi in the 100 nM to 10 mM range (with an R² or 0.982). The limit of detection is ~10 nM which is lower than the detection limits hitherto reported for PPi. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and common anions give a much weaker response. The method demonstrated here is simple, effective, highly sensitive, hardly interfered, and does not require the addition of a reagent. The method was applied to the determination of PPi in (spiked) serum samples.

Schematic illustration of the pyrophosphate sensing process.