Bilirubin oxidase from myrothecium verrucaria physically absorbed on graphite electrodes. Insights into the alternative resting from and the sources of activity loss

The oxygen reduction reaction is one of the most important chemical processes in energy converting systems and living organisms. Mediator-less, direct electro-catalytic reduction of oxygen to water was achieved on spectrographite electrodes modified by physical adsorption of bilirubin oxidases from Myrothecium verrucaria. The existence of an alternative resting form of the enzyme is validated. The effect on the catalytic cycle of temperature, pH and the presence of halogens in the buffer was investigated. Previous results on the electrochemistry of bilirubin oxidase and on the impact of the presence of halogens are reviewed and reinterpreted

Metal oxide nanoparticle based electrochemical sensor for total antioxidant capacity (TAC) detection in wine samples

A single-use electrochemical screen-printed electrode is reported based on biomimetic properties of nanoceria particles (CeNPs). The developed tool showed an easy approach compared to the classical spectrophotometric methods reported in literature in terms of ease of use, cost, portability, and unnecessary secondary reagents. The sensor allowed the detection of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in wine samples. The sensor has been optimized and characterized electrochemically and then tested with antioxidant compounds occurred in wine samples. The electrochemical CeNPs modified sensor has been used for detection of TAC in white and red commercial wines and the data compared to the 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS)-based spectrophotometric method. Finally, the obtained results have demonstrated that the proposed sensor was suitable for the simple and quick evaluation of TAC in beverage samples

Catalase-based modified graphite electrode for hydrogen peroxide detection in different beverages

A catalase-based (NAF/MWCNTs) nanocomposite film modified glassy carbon electrode for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection was developed. The developed biosensor was characterized in terms of its bioelectrochemical properties. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique was employed to study the redox features of the enzyme in the absence and in the presence of nanomaterials dispersed in Nafion polymeric solution. The electron transfer coefficient, , and the electron transfer rate constant, , were found to be 0.42 and 1.71 s−1, at pH 7.0, respectively. Subsequently, the same modification steps were applied to mesoporous graphite screenprinted electrodes. Also, these electrodes were characterized in terms of their main electrochemical and kinetic parameters. The biosensor performances improved considerably after modification with nanomaterials. Moreover, the association of Nafion with carbon nanotubes retained the biological activity of the redox protein. The enzyme electrode response was linear in the range 2.5– 1150 mol L−1, with LOD of 0.83 mol L−1. From the experimental data, we can assess the possibility of using the modified biosensor as a useful tool for H2O2 determination in packaged beverages

Inhibition-based first-generation electrochemical biosensors: theoretical aspects and application to 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid detection

In this work, several theoretical aspects involved in the first-generation inhibition-based electrochemical biosensor measurements have been discussed. In particular, we have developed a theoretical-methodological approach for the characterization of the kinetic interaction between alkaline phosphatase (AlP) and 2,4- dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) as representative inhibitor studied by means of cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. Based on these findings, a biosensor for the fast, simple, and inexpensive determination of 2,4-D has been developed. The enzyme has been immobilized on screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). To optimize the biosensor performances, several carbon-based SPEs, namely graphite (G), graphene (GP), and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), have been evaluated. AlP was immobilized on the electrode surface by means of polyvinyl alcohol with styryl-pyridinium groups (PVA-SbQ) as cross-linking agent. In the presence of ascorbate 2-phosphate (A2P) as substrate, the herbicide has been determined, thanks to its inhibition activity towards the enzyme catalyzing the oxidation of A2P to ascorbic acid (AA). Under optimum experimental conditions, the best performance in terms of catalytic efficiency has been demonstrated by MWCNTs SPE-based biosensor. The inhibition biosensor shows a linearity range towards 2,4-D within 2.1–110 ppb, a LOD of 1 ppb, and acceptable repeatability and stability. This analysis method was applied to fortified lake water samples with recoveries above 90 %. The low cost of this device and its good analytical performances suggest its application for the screening and monitoring of 2,4-D in real matrices

Nanostructure-Based Electrochemical Immunosensors as Diagnostic Tools

Electrochemical immunosensors are affinity-based biosensors characterized by several useful features such as specificity, miniaturizability, low cost and simplicity, making them very interesting for many applications in several scientific fields. One of the significant issues in the design of electrochemical immunosensors is to increase the system’s sensitivity. Different strategies have been developed, one of the most common is the use of nanostructured materials as electrode materials, nanocarriers, electroactive or electrocatalytic nanotracers because of their abilities in signal amplification and biocompatibility. In this review, we will consider some of the most used nanostruc- tures employed in the development of electrochemical immunosensors (e.g., metallic nanoparticles, graphene, carbon nanotubes) and many other still uncommon nanomaterials. Furthermore, their diagnostic applications in the last decade will be discussed, referring to two relevant issues of present-day: the detection of tumor markers and viruses

A flow SPR immunosensor based on a sandwich direct method

In this study, we report the development of an SPR (Surface Plasmon Resonance) immunosensor for the detection of ampicillin, operating under flow conditions. SPR sensors based on both direct (with the immobilization of the antibody) and competitive (with the immobilization of the antigen) methods did not allow the detection of ampicillin. Therefore, a sandwich-based sensor was developed which showed a good linear response towards ampicillin between 10-3 and 10-1 M, a measurement time of ≤20 min and a high selectivity both towardsβ-lactam antibiotics and antibiotics of different classes. © 2016 by the author

A Comparative Study between Hydrogen Peroxide Amperometric Biosensors Based on Different Peroxidases Wired by Os-Polymer: Applications in Water, Milk and Human Urine

In the last few years, hydrogen peroxide [...

A Comparative Study between Hydrogen Peroxide Amperometric Biosensors Based on Different Peroxidases Wired by Os-Polymer: Applications in Water, Milk and Human Urine

In the last few years, hydrogen peroxide [...

Pressureless sinterability study of ZrB2–SiC composites containing hexagonal BN and phenolic resin additives

This research is dedicated to the role of different amounts of hexagonal BN (hBN: 0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 wt%) on the pressureless sinterability of ZrB2–25 vol% SiC ceramics. Phenolic resin (5 wt%) with a carbon yield of ~40 % was incorporated as a binder to the powder mixtures and after initial cold pressing, the final sintering process was performed at 1900 °C for 100 min in a vacuum furnace. The as-sintered specimens were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results disclosed that the incorporation of 1.5 wt% hBN could increase the relative density to ~92%, while the sample with zero hBN content just reached ~81% of full densification. Appropriate hBN content not only facilitated the particle rearrangement during the cold pressing, but also removed the harmful oxide impurities during the final sintering. Nevertheless, the addition of higher amounts of hBN remarkably lessened the densification because of more delamination of the non-reacted hBN flakes and release and entrapment of more gaseous by-products induced by the reacted hBN phases

Microneedle-based biosensor for minimally-invasive lactate detection

Here we report the first mediated microneedles-based biosensor for minimally invasive continuous sensing of lactate in the dermal interstitial fluid (ISF). To further demonstrate the capability of microneedle arrays as second generation biosensors we have functionalized gold microneedles with nanocarbons at which mediated electron transfer of lactate oxidase takes place. In particular the gold surface of the microneedles electrode has been modified in 3 subsequent steps: i) electrodeposition of Au-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs); ii) electropolymerization of the mediator, methylene blue (MB); iii) immobilization of the enzyme lactate oxidase (LOX) by drop-casting procedure. The resulting microneedle-based LOX biosensor displays an interference-free lactate detection without compromising its sensitivity, stability, selectivity and response time. The performance of the microneedle array, second generation biosensor for lactate detection was assessed in artificial interstitial fluid and in human serum, both spiked with lactate. The results reveal that the new mi- croneedles lactate sensor holds interesting promise for the development of a real-time monitoring device to be used in sport medicine and clinical care