FG Nanobiotechnologie
An amperometric chemosensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide is reported. The sensor is based on 1,4-benzoquinone immobilized on the gold electrode using self-assembled monolayer of short chain symmetrical dithiol as an anchor layer. Sensor analysis was performed by cyclic voltammetry at the potential range from −0.6 V till +0.9 V as well as in the anodic or cathodic potential ranges only. The results indicate oxidative electrochemical decomposition of hydrogen peroxide at the potential of ∼+0.4 V leading to the formation of oxygen while at cathodic potentials a reduction of the formed oxygen as well as of the hydrogen peroxide occur. A decrease in the oxidation potential of hydrogen peroxide on the gold electrode coated by self-assembled monolayer with 1,4-benzoquinone in comparison with that measured on the electrodes coated by the same self-assembled monolayer without 1,4-benzoquinone, indicates electrocatalytic effect of this moiety on oxidative decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Analytical evaluation of the sensor performance was done in the voltammetric as well as in the chronoamperometric mode. The sensor exhibited linear response over the concentration range till 2.5 mM with a limit of detection ∼4 μM.
Recently reported concept of electrical control of sensor affinity was applied for formation of a virtual sensor array based on the single sensing element. Affinity properties of this element were modulated by electrically controlled conversion of chemosensitive material between its different redox states possessing different affinity. The sensor was realized on the basis of electrochemical chemotransistor in which a low temperature ionic liquid containing chloride was used to connect the chemosensitive material to the Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The concept of virtual array was proved by its application for monitoring of fish headspace. Using three characteristics of the sensor response measured at three different redox states of the same sensor material, we have obtained signals from a virtual sensor array consisting of nine chemosensitive elements. The sensor displays systematic changes of its nine signals during fish degradation and allows us to make quantitative analysis of its freshness defined as the after the catch. The level of detection is far below the level of organoleptic detection.
Changes of the electrical conductance of a number of inorganic copper(I) conductive compounds including Cu₁₂Sb₄S₁₃,CU₂O, CuI, CuBr and CuCl were tested on exposure to different gases and vapors, including ammonia, nitrogen monoxide, octanethiol, hydrogen chloride, acetic acid, formic acid, ethanol, humidity and piperidine. The sensitivity of the resistivity to ammonia was estimated as 2.7%/ppm for CuBr,1.4%/ppm for Cu₂O, 1.2%/ppm for CuCl, 0.013%/ppm for CuI, but only 0.0028%/ppm for Cu₁₂Sb₄S₁₃. The highest selectivity for ammonia was observed for Cu₁₂Sb₄S₁₃.
The sensitivity patterns of these materials to the tested gases and vapors are very different which makes them applicable for sensor arrays for identification and quantification of these species.
Conductometric transducing is suggested for electrocatalytic chemical sensors based on conductive polymers. Lateral conductivity of the polymer layers was measured by two- and four-point techniques. The approach was applied for electroanalytical detection of ascorbic acid on the electrocatalytically active polyaniline and poly-ortho-methoxyaniline electrodes. Both polymers displayed a monotonous concentration dependence of their conductance in the analytically important sub-millimolar concentration range of ascorbic acid. The approach was tested in model solutions of ascorbic acid in buffer and applied for detection of ascorbic acid in orange juice.
The technique of grafting polymerization has been used for preparation of thin films of molecularly imprinting polymers on the surface of polypropylene membranes and on hydrophobized gold electrodes. The herbicide desmetryn was used as a template. The solid supports used were hydrophobic, while the polymer was hydrophilic. The adsorbed layer of benzophenone, irradiated by UV-light, initiated a radical polymerization near the surface. Polymer films were characterized by weighing, contact angle measurements and impedance spectroscopy. The electrodes coated with the molecularly imprinted polymers displayed fairly specific binding of desmetryn, as detected by the decrease in the capacitance of the electrode. Only small capacitive effects were observed on addition of terbumeton or atrazine, while metribuzine displayed capacitance decrease similar to desmetryn.