Oldair D. Leite

Synergic effect studies of the bi-enzymatic system laccase-peroxidase in a voltammetric biosensor for catecholamines.

Several bi-enzymatic carbon paste biosensors modified with enzymes laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus fungi and peroxidase from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) were constructed for evaluating the synergic effect of the two enzymes on the voltammetric biosensor response for various catecholamines. Initially was investigated the effect of pH from 5.0 to 7.5, temperature from 25 to 50 degrees C, initial stirring time from 30 to 150 s, scan rate from 10 to 60 mVs(-1) and potential pulse amplitude from 10 to 60 mV on the biosensor response for several catecholamines such as dopamine, adrenaline, isoprenaline and l-dopa. It was observed a biosensor signal increase employing both enzymes, indicating thus there is a synergic effect between laccase and peroxidase, verified also in spectrophotometric studies, in the determination of these catecholamines.

Desenvolvimento de um spot test para o monitoramento da atividade da peroxidase em um procedimento de purificação

In this work we describe both a chromatographic purification procedure and a spot test for the enzyme peroxidase (POD: EC 1.11.1.7). The enzyme was obtained from crude extracts of sweet potatoes and the chromatographic enzyme purification procedure resulted in several fractions. Therefore a simple, fast and economic spot test for monitoring peroxidase during the purification procedure was developed. The spot test is based on the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and guaiacol, which is catalyzed by the presence of peroxidase yielding the colored tetraguaiacol.

Determination of catecholamines in pharmaceutical formulations using a biosensor modified with a crude extract of fungi laccase (Pleurotus ostreatus)

A carbon paste biosensor modified with a crude enzymatic extract of the Pleurotus ostreatus fungi as a laccase source is proposed for catecholamine determination in pharmaceutical formulations. This enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of adrenaline or dopamine in the corresponding quinones and the current obtained in the electrochemical reduction of each of the products is related to the concentration of these catecholamines in the sample solution. The effect of the laccase concentration from 0.29 to 1.8 U/mg of carbon paste, pH from 3.0 to 8.0, scan rate from 10 to 40 mV s-1 and potential pulse amplitude from 10 to 60 mV on the differential pulse voltammetric response was investigated. The relative standard deviation was smaller than 1.8% for a 2.8 x 10-4 mol L-1 hydroquinone solution at pH 7.0 (n=10). Recoveries varied from 97.3 to 101% for adrenaline and from 95.8 to 102% for dopamine. The analytical curves were rectilinear in the adrenaline concentration range from 6.0 x 10-5 to 7.0 x 10-4 mol L-1 and 7.0 x 10-5 to 4.0 x 10-4 mol L-1 for dopamine, with detection limits of 7.9 x 10-6 mol L-1 and 9.8 x 10-6 mol L-1, respectively. This biosensor was used for adrenaline and dopamine determinations in pharmaceutical formulations. The results obtained using the proposed biosensor are in close agreement with those obtained using an American Pharmacopoeia procedure at a 95% confidence level.

A multicommuted flow-based system for hydrogen peroxide determination by chemiluminescence detection using a photodiode

Abstract A simple, rapid, and automated assay for hydrogen peroxide in pharmaceutical samples was developed by combining the multicommutation system with a chemiluminescence (CL) detector. The detection was performed using a spiral flow‐cell reactor made from polyethylene tubing that was positioned in front of a photodiode. It allows the rapid mixing of CL reagent and analyte and simultaneous detection of the emitted light. The chemiluminescence was based on the reaction of luminol with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by hexacyanoferrate(III). The feasibility of the flow system was ascertained by analyzing a set of pharmaceutical samples. A linear response within the range of 2.2–210 µmol l−1 H2O2 with a LD of 1.8 µmol l−1 H2O2 and coefficient of variations smaller than 0.8% for 1.0×10−5 mol l−1 and 6.8×10−5 mol l−1 hydrogen peroxide solutions (n=10) were obtained. Reagents consumption of 90 µg of luminol and 0.7 mg of hexacyanoferrate(III) per determination and sampling rate of 200 samples per hour were also achieved.

Determinação de paracetamol pela inibição da reação quimiluminescente do luminol-hipoclorito de sódio em um sistema de análise em fluxo empregando o conceito de multicomutação

A flow injection chemiluminescence method for the determination of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations is described. It is based on the consumption of the sodium hypochlorite by paracetamol and decreases of the analytical signal. The analytical curve was linear in the paracetamol concentration range from 5.0 x 10-6 to 5.0 x 10-5 mol L-1, with a detection limit of 1.8 x 10-6 mol L-1. The RSDs were 2.0 and 1.2% respectively for 2.0 x 10-5 and 4.0 x 10-5 mol L-1 paracetamol solutions (n = 10) and a sampling frequency of 180 h-1 was obtained.

Use of a Digital Image in Flow Analysis: Determination of Nitrite and Nitrate in Natural Waters

A webcam is proposed as the detector in a flow system with multicommutation, and the feasibility of the approach is demonstrated in the determination of nitrate and nitrite in natural waters. The typical transient signal inherent to the flow system was obtained using a digital video and quantified by ImageJ software. The linear dynamics range for nitrite and nitrate determinations were 0.2 to 2.0 mg L-1 NO2− and 1.0 to 10.0 mg L-1 NO3−, with relative standard deviation < 2% for both analytes. The limits of detection were 0.01 and 0.04 mg L-1 for nitrite for nitrate, respectively, and the sampling rate were 80 and 103 h-1 for nitrite and nitrate, respectively. The use of webcams has a high potential for analysis in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the proposed strategy constitutes a promising alternative to traditional absorbance measurements that depend on conventional equipment. The webcam detection system is attractive, especially in relation to field analysis.

Chapter 17 Electrochemical biosensors based on vegetable tissues and crude extracts for environmental, food and pharmaceutical analysis

Publisher Summary In recent years, there has been an increased preference for using vegetable or plant tissue instead of purified enzymes for preparation of electrochemical biosensors. This chapter describes the methods of preparation and applications of electrochemical biosensors based on vegetable tissues and crude extracts (homogenates) for environmental, food and pharmaceutical analysis. Vegetable tissue based electrochemical sensors can be divided into two groups according to their principle of operation: potentiometric and amperometric. Such devices are usually prepared in a manner similar to that of conventional enzyme electrodes, with the detection of an electroactive species that is consumed or produced by the enzyme present in the vegetable tissue. Electrochemical biosensors based on vegetable tissues maintain the enzyme in its natural environment, a characteristic that results, in many cases, in a longer lifetime, a lower cost and a higher enzyme activity. The analytical performance of these electrochemical biosensors has been significantly improved with the immobilization of powdered plant tissue or lyophilized crude extracts in a rigid carbon–polymer matrix (biocomposite) or in a carbon paste. The additional advantages of such biosensors are the ease with which they can be incorporated in various electrode configurations, the simplicity of construction, reliability and the proximity at the molecular level between the electrochemical and catalytic sites that favors the transfer of electrons tremendously.

Um experimento de análise em fluxo envolvendo reações enzimáticas e quimiluminescência

An experiment is proposed to introduce some fundamentals of flow analysis, chemiluminescence and kinetic monitoring of enzymatic reactions in undergraduate courses. Chemiluminescence detection is performed with a simple spectrophotometer equipped with a lab-made spiral flow cell constructed from a polyethylene tube. The hydrogen peroxide produced by the glucose oxidation in the presence of glucose oxidase is continuously monitored by the reaction with luminol in alkaline media in a flow injection system. The exercise allows also the discussion of important analytical features and the comparison with different optical methods of analysis.

Flow-injection turbidimetric determination of homatropine methylbromide in pharmaceutical formulations using silicotungstic acid as precipitant reagent.

A flow-injection turbidimetric procedure exploiting merging zones is proposed for determining homatropine methylbromide (HMB) in pharmaceutical preparations. The determination is based on the precipitation reaction of homatropine methylbromide with silicotungstic acid in acidic medium to form a precipitate, which was measured at 410 nm. The analytical curve was linear in the HMB concentration range from 8.1 x 10(-5) to 2.2 x 10(-4)mol l(-1), with a detection limit of 5.0 x 10(-6)mol l(-1). The recoveries ranged from 96 to 103%, the sampling frequency was 70 determinations per hour and relative standard deviations were less than 1.5% (n=10). The results obtained for commercial formulations using the FIA procedure were in good agreement with those obtained by using a comparative method.

A multicommuted flow procedure for the determination of total and free cholesterol in eggs and human blood serum by chemiluminescence

A multicommuted flow-based procedure with detection by chemiluminescence for the determination of total and free cholesterol without changes in the flow manifold is proposed. Cholesterol esterase and cholesterol oxidase were both immobilized on glass beads via glutaraldehyde/(3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane and mini-columns containing the enzymes were used for online sample treatment. Cholesterol esters were cleaved to cholesterol and fatty acids at the packed reactor containing cholesterol esterase. The reactor containing cholesterol oxidase converted cholesterol to cholest-4-en-3-one also yielding hydrogen peroxide. Detection was based on the chemiluminescence produced by H2O2 in the hexacyanoferrate(III)-luminol system. Influence of both chemical and hydrodynamic variables on the chemiluminescence signals were investigated. The analytical curves were linear from 250 to 2500 mg L-1 and from 500 to 4000 mg L-1, for free and total cholesterol, respectively. Detection limits for both analytes were estimated as 60 mg L-1 at 99.7% confidence level. The sampling rate was 55 h-1 and reagent consumption was 350 µg of luminol and 2.6 mg of potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) per determination. The procedure developed was successfully applied for determination of cholesterol in eggs and in human blood serum with results in agreement with the reference spectrophotometric method at the 95% confidence level.