Shengfu Wang

Amperometric tyrosinase biosensor based on Fe3O4 nanoparticles–chitosan nanocomposite

A novel tyrosinase biosensor based on Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles-chitosan nanocomposite has been developed for the detection of phenolic compounds. The large surface area of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles and the porous morphology of chitosan led to a high loading of enzyme and the entrapped enzyme could retain its bioactivity. The tyrosinase-Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticle-chitosan bionanocomposite film was characterized with atomic force microscopy and AC impedance spectra. The prepared biosensor was used to determine phenolic compounds by amperometric detection of the biocatalytically liberated quinone at -0.2V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE). The different parameters, including working potential, pH of supporting electrolyte and temperature that governs the analytical performance of the biosensor have been studied in detail and optimized. The biosensor was applied to detect catechol with a linear range of 8.3 x 10(-8) to 7.0 x 10(-5)mol L(-1), and the detection limit of 2.5 x 10(-8)mol L(-1). The tyrosinase biosensor exhibits good repeatability and stability. Such new tyrosinase biosensor shows great promise for rapid, simple, and cost-effective analysis of phenolic contaminants in environmental samples. The proposed strategy can be extended for the development of other enzyme-based biosensors.

Simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol at PASA/MWNTs composite film modified glassy carbon electrode

A poly-amidosulfonic acid and multi-wall carbon nanotubes composite (PASA/MWNTs) modified electrode has been constructed by electropolymerization on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical behaviors of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) were investigated using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetries (DPVs) at the prepared electrode. Separation of the reductive peak potentials for HQ and CC was about 120 mV in pH 6.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS), which makes it suitable for simultaneous determination of these compounds. In the presence of 1.0 x 10(-4)mol L(-1) isomer, the reductive peak currents of DPV are proportional to the concentration of HQ in the range of 6.0 x 10(-6) to 4.0 x 10(-4)mol L(-1), and to that of CC in the range of 6.0 x 10(-6) to 7.0 x 10(-4)mol L(-1). When simultaneously changing the concentration of both HQ and CC, the linear concentration range of HQ (or CC) is 6.0 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-4)mol L(-1) (or 6.0 x 10(-6) to 1.8 x 10(-4)mol L(-1)), and the corresponding detection limits are 1.0 x 10(-6)mol L(-1). The proposed method has been applied to simultaneous determination of HQ and catechol in water sample, and the results are satisfactory.

Novel electrochemical aptamer biosensor based on an enzyme-gold nanoparticle dual label for the ultrasensitive detection of epithelial tumour marker MUC1.

A novel platform based on a hairpin oligonucleotide (HO) switch, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and enzyme signal amplification for the ultrasensitive detection of mucin 1 protein (MUC1) was developed in this assay. This HO aptamers and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were immobilised on the AuNPs to yield HO-AuNP-HRP conjugates. AuNPs were used as labels and bridges between the HO and HRP. HRP was also used as label for catalysing the oxidation of o-phenylenediamine by H2O2. The reaction product was 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP), which was reduced and could be detected at surface of modified electrode. The reduction signal of DAP was used as a probe for the sensitive detection. After the recognition between oligonucleotide and MUC1, biotin was exposed. Biotin, along with the conjugate, was captured by streptavidin onto the surface of modified electrode. Therefore, the detection of target MUC1 which was a membrane-associated glycoprotein of the mucin family could be sensitively transduced via detection of the electrochemical reduction signal of DAP. Compared to other aptasensors, this biosensor has a good linear correlation ranges from 8.8 nM to 353.3 nM and a lower detection limit of 2.2 nM for MUC1. The proposed method provided a new electrochemical approach for the detection of MUC1.

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of heme proteins on SWCNTs-CTAB modified electrodes

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of heme proteins including hemoglobin (Hb), myoglobin (Mb) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were studied with the protein incorporated single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-cetylramethylammonium bromide (CTAB) nanocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs). The incorporated heme proteins were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet visible (UV) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrochemistry, indicating the heme proteins in SWCNTs-CTAB nanocomposite films keep their secondary structure similar to their native states. The direct electron transfer between the heme proteins in SWCNTs-CTAB films and GCE was investigated. The electrochemical parameters such as formal potentials and apparent heterogeneous electrontransfer rate constants (k(s)) were estimated by square wave voltammetry with nonlinear regression analysis. The heme protein-SWCNT-CTAB electrodes show excellent electrocatalytic activities for the reduction of H(2)O(2) and NO(2)(-), which have been utilized to determine the concentrations of H(2)O(2) and NO(2)(-).

A novel nitromethane biosensor based on biocompatible conductive redox graphene-chitosan/hemoglobin/graphene/room temperature ionic liquid matrix

A novel amperometric biosensor for nitromethane (CH(3)NO(2)) based on immobilization of graphene (GR), chitosan (CS), hemoglobin (Hb) and room temperature ionic liquid (IL) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was developed for the first time. The surface morphologies of a set of representative membranes were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical performance of the biosensor was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry. A pair of stable and well-defined redox peaks of Hb with a formal potential of -0.240 V was observed at the GR-CS/Hb/GR/IL/GCE. The effects of phosphate buffer pH, scan rate, and temperature on the biosensor were investigated to provide optimum analytical performance. Moreover, several electrochemical parameters, e.g., the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k(s)), were calculated in detail. The presence of both GR and IL not only dramatically facilitated the electron transfer of Hb, but also greatly enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards CH(3)NO(2). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant was down to 0.16 μM, indicating that the biosensor possessed high affinity to CH(3)NO(2). Besides this, the proposed biosensor exhibited fast amperometric response (<5s), low detection limit (6.0 × 10(-10)M), and excellent long-time storage stability for the determination of CH(3)NO(2).

A novel amperometric biosensor for superoxide anion based on superoxide dismutase immobilized on gold nanoparticle-chitosan-ionic liquid biocomposite film.

A novel superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) biosensor is proposed based on the immobilization of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD) in a gold nanoparticle-chitosan-ionic liquid (GNPs-CS-IL) biocomposite film. The SOD-based biosensor was constructed by one-step ultrasonic electrodeposition of GNP-CS-IL composite onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE), followed by immobilization of SOD on the modified electrode. Surface morphologies of a set of representative films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical performance of the biosensor was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. A pair of quasi-reversible redox peaks of SOD with a formal potential of 0.257V was observed at SOD/GNPs-CS-IL/GCE in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, 0.1M, pH 7.0). The effects of varying test conditions on the electrochemical behavior of the biosensor were investigated. Furthermore, several electrochemical parameters were calculated in detail. Based on the biomolecule recognition of the specific reactivity of SOD toward O(2)(-), the developed biosensor exhibited a fast amperometric response (<5s), wide linear range (5.6-2.7×10(3)nM), low detection limit (1.7nM), and excellent selectivity for the real-time measurement of O(2)(-). The proposed method is promising for estimating quantitatively the dynamic changes of O(2)(-) in biological systems.

Electrochemistry of norepinephrine on carbon-coated nickel magnetic nanoparticles modified electrode and analytical applications

A carbon-coated nickel magnetic nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode (C-Ni/GCE) was fabricated. The carbon-coated nickel magnetic nanoparticles were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical behaviors of norepinephrine (NE) were investigated on the modified electrode by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The carbon-coated nickel magnetic nanoparticles showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for the electrochemical redox of NE. NE exhibited two couples of well-defined redox peaks on C-Ni/GCE over the potential range from -0.4 to 0.8V in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) (pH=7.0). The redox mechanism for NE was proposed. DPV response of NE on the C-Ni/GCE showed that the catalytic oxidative peak current was linear with the square root concentration of NE in the range of 2.0 x 10(-7) to 8.0 x 10(-5)M, with a detection limit of 6.0 x 10(-8)M. The C-Ni/GCE showed good sensitivity, selectivity and stability for the determination of NE.

An electrochemical sensor based on single-stranded DNA–poly(sulfosalicylic acid) composite film for simultaneous determination of adenine, guanine, and thymine

Poly(sulfosalicylic acid) and single-stranded DNA composite (PSSA-ssDNA)-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was prepared by electropolymerization and then successfully used to simultaneously determine adenine (A), guanine (G), and thymine (T). The characterization of electrochemically synthesized PSSA-ssDNA film was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The modified electrode exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic behavior and good stability for the simultaneous determination of A, G, and T in 0.1M phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 7.0). Well-separated voltammetric peaks were obtained among A, G, and T presented in the analyte mixture. Under the optimal conditions, the peak currents for A, G, and T increased linearly with the increase of analyte mixture concentration in the ranges of 6.5×10(-8) to 1.1×10(-6), 6.5×10(-8) to 1.1×10(-6), and 4.1×10(-6) to 2.7×10(-5)M, respectively. The detection limits (signal/noise=3) for A, G, and T were 2.2×10(-8), 2.2×10(-8), and 1.4×10(-6)M, respectively.

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase and biosensing for glucose based on boron-doped carbon-coated nickel modified electrode.

A novel biosensor for detecting glucose had been constructed by the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) on chitosan-boron-doped carbon-coated nickel (BCNi) nanoparticle modified electrode. The GOD-chitosan-BCNi bionanocomposite film was characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM). The film was propitious to the immobilization of GOD and to the retention of its bioactivity. The direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of GOD on modified electrode had been investigated by cyclic voltammogram (CV) and amperometric measurements. The GOD displayed a pair of stable, well-defined and quasi-reversible redox peaks in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Furthermore, the biosensor was applied to detect glucose with a broad linear range from 2.50×10(-5) to 1.19×10(-3) M, the detection limit was brought down to 8.33×10(-6) M at a signal to noise ratio of 3 and with an applied potential of -0.2V. The proposed biosensor showed rapid response (within 3s), low detection limit, high affinity to glucose and accepted storage stability over one-month period, which demonstrated that the chitosan-BCNi film has potential applications in the immobilization of other third-generation enzyme biosensors.

Application of nanomaterials in the bioanalytical detection of disease-related genes.

In the diagnosis of genetic diseases and disorders, nanomaterials-based gene detection systems have significant advantages over conventional diagnostic systems in terms of simplicity, sensitivity, specificity, and portability. In this review, we describe the application of nanomaterials for disease-related genes detection in different methods excluding PCR-related method, such as colorimetry, fluorescence-based methods, electrochemistry, microarray methods, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) methods, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The most commonly used nanomaterials are gold, silver, carbon and semiconducting nanoparticles. Various nanomaterials-based gene detection methods are introduced, their respective advantages are discussed, and selected examples are provided to illustrate the properties of these nanomaterials and their emerging applications for the detection of specific nucleic acid sequences.