Rapid method for on-site determination of phenolic contaminants in water using a disposable biosensor

Abstract

A disposable biosensor was fabricated using single-walled carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles and tyrosinase (SWCNTs-AuNPs-Tyr) modified screen-printed electrodes. The prepared biosensor was applied to the rapid determination of phenolic contaminants within 15 minutes. The SWCNTs-AuNPs-Tyr bionanocomposite sensing layer was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry methods. The characterization results revealed that SWCNTs could lead to a high loading of tyrosinase (Tyr) with the large surface area and the porous morphology, while AuNPs could retain the bioactivity of Tyr and enhance the sensitivity. The detection conditions, including working potential, pH of supporting electrolyte and the amount of Tyr were optimumed. As an example, the biosensor for catechol determination displayed a linear range of 8.0 × 10^-8 to 2.0 × 10^-5 mol·L^-1 with a detection limit of 4.5 × 10^-8 mol·L^-1 (S/N = 3). This method has a rapid response time within 10 s, and shows excellent repeatability and stability. Moreover, the resulting biosensor could be disposable, low-cost, reliable and easy to carry. This kind of new Tyr biosensor provides great potential for rapid, on-site and cost-effective analysis of phenolic contaminants in environmental water samples.

Keywords

on-site determination / tyrosinase biosensor / phenolic contaminants / single-walled carbon nanotubes / gold nanoparticles / screen-printed electrodes

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (No. 21125522), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91027035, 21007015), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (No. WK1013002), the Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar) at Shanghai Institutions of Higher Learning, China (No. YJ0130504) and the Open Project Program of the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, China (ECUST, SKL-ChE-11C01).

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