C.S. Pundir

Acetylcholinesterase inhibition-based biosensors for pesticide determination: a review.

Pesticides released intentionally into the environment and through various processes contaminate the environment. Although pesticides are associated with many health hazards, there is a lack of monitoring of these contaminants. Traditional chromatographic methods-high-performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry-are effective for the analysis of pesticides in the environment but have certain limitations such as complexity, time-consuming sample preparation, and the requirement of expensive apparatus and trained persons to operate. Over the past decades, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition-based biosensors have emerged as simple, rapid, and ultra-sensitive tools for pesticide analysis in environmental monitoring, food safety, and quality control. These biosensors have the potential to complement or replace the classical analytical methods by simplifying or eliminating sample preparation and making field-testing easier and faster with significant decrease in cost per analysis. This article reviews the recent developments in AChE inhibition-based biosensors, which include various immobilization methods, different strategies for biosensor construction, the advantages and roles of various matrices used, analytical performance, and application methods for constructing AChE biosensors. These AChE biosensors exhibited detection limits and linearity in the ranges of 1.0×10(-11) to 42.19 μM (detection limits) and 1.0×10(-11)-1.0×10(-2) to 74.5-9.9×10(3)μM (linearity). These biosensors were stable for a period of 2 to 120days. The future prospects for the development of better AChE biosensing systems are also discussed.

An amperometric biosensor based on acetylcholinesterase immobilized onto iron oxide nanoparticles/multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified gold electrode for measurement of organophosphorus insecticides

An acetylcholinesterase (AChE) purified from maize seedlings was immobilized covalently onto iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe(3)O(4)NP) and carboxylated multi walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNT) modified Au electrode. An organophosphorus (OP) biosensor was fabricated using this AChE/Fe(3)O(4)/c-MWCNT/Au electrode as a working electrode, Ag/AgCl as standard and Pt wire as an auxiliary electrode connected through a potentiostat. The biosensor was based on inhibition of AChE by OP compounds/insecticides. The properties of nanoparticles modified electrodes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The synergistic action of Fe(3)O(4)NP and c-MWCNT showed excellent electrocatalytic activity at low potential (+0.4V). The optimum working conditions for the sensor were pH 7.5, 35°C, 600 μM substrate concentration and 10 min for inhibition by pesticide. Under optimum conditions, the inhibition rates of OP pesticides were proportional to their concentrations in the range of 0.1-40 nM, 0.1-50 nM, 1-50 nM and 10-100 nM for malathion, chlorpyrifos, monocrotophos and endosulfan respectively. The detection limits were 0.1 nM for malathion and chlorpyrifos, 1 nM for monocrotophos and 10nM for endosulfan. The biosensor exhibited good sensitivity (0.475 mA μM(-1)), reusability (more than 50 times) and stability (2 months). The sensor was suitable for trace detection of OP pesticide residues in milk and water.

An amperometric uric acid biosensor based on multiwalled carbon nanotube–gold nanoparticle composite

An amperometric uric acid biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing uricase (EC 1.7.3.3) onto gold nanoparticle (AuNP)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) layer deposited on Au electrode via carbodiimide linkage. Determination of uric acid was performed by oxidation of enzymically generated H(2)O(2) at 0.4V. The sensor showed optimal response within 7s at 40°C in 50mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.5). The linear working range of the biosensor was 0.01-0.8mM. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.01mM. The sensor measured uric acid levels in serum of healthy individuals and persons suffering from gout. The analytical recoveries of the added uric acid, 10 and 20mgL(-1), were 98.0% and 96.5%, respectively. Within- and between-batch coefficients of variation were less than 5.6% and less than 4.7%, respectively. A good correlation (r=0.998) was obtained between serum uric acid values by the standard enzymic colorimetric method and the current method. A number of serum substances had practically no interference. The sensor was used in more than 200 assays and had a storage life of 120 days at 4°C.

Construction and application of an amperometric xanthine biosensor based on zinc oxide nanoparticles–polypyrrole composite film

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized from zinc nitrate by simple and efficient method in aqueous media at 55°C without any requirement of calcinations step. A mixture of ZnO-NPs and pyrrole was eletropolymerized on Pt electrode to form a ZnO-NPs-polypyrrole (PPy) composite film. Xanthine oxidase (XOD) was immobilized onto this nanocomposite film through physiosorption. The ZnO-NPs/polypyrrole/Pt electrode was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) before and after immobilization of XOD. The XOD/ZnO-NPs-PPy/Pt electrode as working electrode, Ag/AgCl as reference electrode and Pt wire as auxiliary electrode were connected through a potentiostat to construct a xanthine biosensor. The biosensor exhibited optimum response within 5s at pH 7.0, 35°C and linearity from 0.8 μM to 40 μM for xanthine with a detection limit 0.8 μM (S/E=3). Michaelis Menten constant (K(m)) for xanthine oxidase was 13.51 μM and I(max) 0.071 μA. The biosensor measured xanthine in fish meat and lost 40% of its initial activity after its 200 uses over 100 days, when stored at 4°C.

Purification and properties of an oxalate oxidase from leaves of grain sorghum hybrid CSH-5

An oxalate oxidase (EC 1.2.3.4), which catalyzes aerobic oxidation of oxalate to CO2 and H2O2, has been purified to apparent homogeneity from 10-day-old leaves of grain sorghum hybrid CSH-5, as determined by disc-gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was about 120,200 by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, 62,000 by SDS disc-gel electrophoresis. The enzyme had an optimum pH of 5.0 and activation energy of 4.4 kcal/mol. The rate of reaction was linear up to 2 min. The Km value for oxalate was 0.78.10(-4) M. The enzyme was inhibited by EDTA, L-cysteine and sodium azide, but iodoacetate had no effect. The enzyme was strongly stimulated by Cu2+ and was unaffected by chloride ions in physiological concentration range. The better suitability of the enzyme for urinary oxalate determination is demonstrated.

Discrete analysis of serum uric acid with immobilized uricase and peroxidase.

Commercially available uricase and peroxidase have been immobilized onto alkylamine glass and arylamine glass beads respectively. A discrete method has been developed to determine uric acid in serum using immobilized uricase and peroxidase. The method is based on generation of H2O2 from serum uric acid by immobilized uricase and its measurement by a colour reaction catalyzed by immobilized peroxidase. The minimum detection limit of the method was 8 microg/0.1 ml sample. The mean analytical recovery of added uric acid in serum was 87.5%. The within and between assay coefficient of variation (C.V.) were <6.58% and <10.77% respectively. The serum uric acid in apparently healthy adults and persons suffering from different disease was found to be 25-55 microg/ml, 32+/-2.25 (range, mean+/-S.D.) and 55-200 microg/ml; 52+/-6.4 (range, mean+/-S.D.) respectively by our method. A good correlation (r = 0.8170) was obtained between the serum urate values by this method and with those obtained by commercial Enzo-kit method.

Construction of an amperometric bilirubin biosensor based on covalent immobilization of bilirubin oxidase onto zirconia coated silica nanoparticles/chitosan hybrid film.

A method is described for the construction of a highly sensitive electrochemical biosensor for the detection of bilirubin. The sensor is based on covalent immobilization of bilirubin oxidase (BOx) onto zirconia coated silica nanoparticles (SiO2@ZrONPs)/chitosan (CHIT) composite electrodeposited onto Au electrode. The enzyme electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The biosensor showed optimum response within 2s at pH 8.5 (0.1M Tris-HCl) and 35°C, when operated at 20 mV s(-1). The biosensor exhibited excellent sensitivity (detection limit as 0.1 nM), fast response time and wider linear range (from 0.02 to 250 μM). Analytical recovery of added bilirubin was 95.56-97.0%. Within batch and between batch coefficients of variation were 3.2% and 3.35% respectively. The enzyme electrode was used 150 times over a period of 120 days, when stored at 4°C. The biosensor measured bilirubin levels in sera of apparently healthy and persons suffering from jaundice, which correlated well with a standard colorimetric method (r=0.99).

An acrylamide biosensor based on immobilization of hemoglobin onto multiwalled carbon nanotube/copper nanoparticles/polyaniline hybrid film

A method is described for the construction of a highly sensitive electrochemical biosensor for the detection of acrylamide, based on covalent immobilization of hemoglobin (Hb) onto carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotube/copper nanoparticle/polyaniline (c-MWCNT/CuNP/PANI) composite electrodeposited onto pencil graphite (PG) electrode. The enzyme electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The biosensor showed an optimal response at pH 5.5 (0.1 M sodium acetate buffer) and 35 °C when operated at 20 mV s(-1). The biosensor exhibited low detection limit (0.2 nM) with high sensitivity (72.5 μA/nM/cm(2)), fast response time (<2 s), and wide linear range (5 nM to 75 mM). Analytical recovery of added acrylamide was 95.40 to 97.56%. Within- and between-batch coefficients of variation were 2.35 and 4.50%, respectively. The enzyme electrode was used 120 times over a period of 100 days, when stored at 4 °C.

Immobilization of creatininase, creatinase and sarcosine oxidase on iron oxide nanoparticles/chitosan-g-polyaniline modified Pt electrode for detection of creatinine.

Commercial enzymes, creatininase (CA) from Pseudomonas sp, creatinase (CI) from Pseudomonas sp, sarcosine oxidase (SO) from Bacillus sp were co-immobilized onto iron oxide nanoparticles/chitosan-graft-polyaniline (Fe(3)O(4)-NPs/CHIT-g-PANI) composite film electrodeposited on surface of Pt electrode through glutaraldehyde coupling. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used for characterization of Fe(3)O(4)-NPs. A creatinine biosensor was fabricated using Enzymes/Fe(3)O(4)-NPs/CHIT-g-PANI/Pt electrode as working electrode, Ag/AgCl as reference electrode and Pt wire as auxiliary electrode. The enzyme electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The biosensor exhibited an optimum response within 2s at pH 7.5 and 30 °C, when polarized at 0.4V vs Ag/AgCl. The electrocatalytic response showed a linear dependence on creatinine concentration ranging from 1 to 800 μM. The sensitivity of the biosensor was 3.9 μA μM(-1) cm(-2), with a detection limit of 1 μM (S/N=3). Apparent Michaelis-Menton (K(m)) value for creatinine was 0.17 mM. The biosensor showed only 10% loss in its initial response after 120 uses over 200 days, when stored at 4 °C. The biosensor measured creatinine in the serum of apparently healthy persons which correlated well with a standard colorimetric method (r=0.99).

Tri-enzyme functionalized ZnO-NPs/CHIT/c-MWCNT/PANI composite film for amperometric determination of creatinine

A new zinc oxide nanoparticles/chitosan/carboxylated multiwall carbonnanotube/polyaniline (ZnO-NPs/CHIT/c-MWCNT/PANI) composite film has been synthesized on platinum (Pt) electrode using electrochemical techniques. Three enzymes, creatinine amidohydrolase (CA), creatine amidinohydrolase (CI) and sarcosine oxidase (SO) were immobilized on ZnO-NPs/CHIT/c-MWCNT/PANI/Pt electrode to construct the creatinine biosensor. The enzyme electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The enzyme electrode detects creatinine level as low as 0.5 μM at a signal to noise ratio of 3 within 10s at pH 7.5 and 30°C. The fabricated creatinine biosensor showed linear working range of 10-650 μM creatinine with a sensitivity of 0.030 μA μM(-1)cm(-2). The biosensor shows only 15% loss of its initial response over a period of 120 days when stored at 4°C. The fabricated biosensor was successfully employed for determination of creatinine in human blood serum.