An Amperometric Flow Injection Analysis of Dissolved Hydrogen Molecule Using Tightly Immobilized Electrodeposited Platinum Particles on Nitrogen-containing Functional Groups Introduced Glassy Carbon Electrodes.

An amperometric sensor based on flow injection analysis (FIA) of dissolved hydrogen molecules was first developed using electrodeposited platinum particles on glassy carbon electrodes modified with nitrogen-containing functional groups (Pt-NGC) as the working electrode. A glassy carbon (GC) electrode was covalently modified by electrochemical oxidation/reduction procedures. The redox waves between hydrogen ions and hydrogen molecules at highly positive potential range in the hydrodynamic voltammogram were obtained by using a Pt-NGC electrode. The specific electrocatalytic activity for the electrode oxidation of hydrogen molecules has successfully been applied to the FIA of dissolved hydrogen. The typical current vs. time curve was obtained by the repetitive measurement of dissolved hydrogen, and the measurement of dissolved hydrogen was fully completed in a short time (∼15 s). A linear relationship was obtained between the oxidation current of hydrogen molecules and dissolved hydrogen concentration. This indicates that our proposed technique can be used for the determination of the dissolved hydrogen concentration. The fabrication method of the present sensor is very simple because the direct modification of the glassy carbon electrode surface can be performed, differing from the tedious fabrication method in which electrocatalytic carbon powder prepared must be immobilized to the surface of the glassy carbon electrode using Nafion coating and high temperature treatment.

An electrochemically aminated glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol.

In this contribution, a very simple and reliable strategy based on the easy modification of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by pre-electrolyzing GCE in ammonium carbamate aqueous solution was employed for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC). Compared with bare GCE, the incorporation of nitrogen into the GCE surface structure improved the electrocatalytic properties of GCE towards the electro-oxidation of HQ and CC. The nitrogen-introduced GCE (N-GCE) was evaluated for the simultaneous detection of HQ and CC and the linear ranges for HQ and CC were both from 5 to 260 µM. Their detection limits were both evaluated to be 0.2 µM (S/N = 3). The present method was applied for the determination of HQ and CC in real river water samples with recoveries of 95.0-102.1%. In addition, a possible detection mechanism of HQ and CC was discussed.

Voltammetric Detection of Oxalic Acid by Using Glassy Carbon Electrodes with Covalently Attached Nitrogen-containing Functional Groups.

We report on a novel voltammetric detection of oxalic acid by using glassy carbon electrodes with covalently attached nitrogen-containing functional groups prepared by stepwise electrolysis. A glassy carbon electrode electrooxidized in an ammonium carbamate solution was electroreduced at -1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 1.0 M sulfuric acid for a long time. We found that the electrocatalytic oxidation wave of oxalic acid obtained by this modified glassy carbon electrode was moved to a more negative potential region than that obtained by a platinum electrode in an acidic medium. A good linearity for the peak current signals was observed in the concentration range from 0.1 to 50 mM.

Characterization by electrochemical and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements and quantum chemical calculations of N-containing functional groups introduced onto glassy carbon electrode surfaces by electrooxidation of a carbamate salt in aqueous solutions.

The present paper deals with characterization of an aminated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface obtained by electrooxidation of ammonium carbamate in its aqueous solution (amination reaction) using electrochemical and XPS methods. From the XPS analysis, it was found that not only the primary amine group (i.e., aniline-like aromatic amine moiety) but also other N-containing functional groups (i.e., the secondary amine-like moieties containing pyrrole-type nitrogen and quaternary amine-like moieties containing graphitic quaternary nitrogen) are introduced onto the GCE surface during the amination reaction. Moreover, the presence of the primary and secondary amine groups was ascertained based on the difference in the reactivity of a Michael reaction-type addition reaction of amine groups introduced onto the GCE surface with quinone compounds having a carbonyl group and a C═C double bond (i.e., in this case, 1,2-benzoquinone which is in situ prepared by the electrooxidation of catechol) and on the electrochemical redox response of the introduced benzoquinones. This electrochemical treatment of aminated GCE with catechol led to catechol-grafted aminated GCE which indicated two surface redox couples (i.e., the Ia/Ic and IIa/IIc couples with formal potentials of E(0)'(Ia/Ic) = ca. 0.17 V and E(0)'(IIa/IIc) = ca. 0.03 V vs Ag|AgCl|KCl(sat.) in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7)). From the electrochemical behavior of catechols grafted onto the maleimide-treated aminated GCE and on the methylamine-treated GCE, it was found that the catechol associated with the primary amine groups gave the IIa/IIc redox peaks, while the catechol bound to the secondary amine groups gave the Ia/Ic redox peaks. Further electrochemical measurements and quantum chemical calculations concluded that the IIa/IIc redox peaks are ascribed to the surface-redox reaction of the 1,2-dihydroxybenzene/1,2-benzoquinone couple, while those of the 1,2-dihydroxybenzene/1,2-benzoquinone and the N-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-p-aminophenol/indophenol couples can be associated with the Ia/Ic redox peaks.

Coulometric determination of dissolved hydrogen with a multielectrolytic modified carbon felt electrode-based sensor.

A multielectrolytic modified carbon electrode (MEMCE) was fabricated by the electrolytic-oxidation/reduction processes. First, the functional groups containing nitrogen atoms such as amino group were introduced by the electrode oxidation of carbon felt electrode in an ammonium carbamate aqueous solution, and next, this electrode was electroreduced in sulfuric acid. The redox waves between hydrogen ion and hydrogen molecule at highly positive potential range appeared in the cyclic voltammogram obtained by MEMCE. A coulometric cell using MEMCE with a catalytic activity of electrooxidation of hydrogen molecule was constructed and was used for the measurement of dissolved hydrogen. The typical current vs. time curve was obtained by the repetitive measurement of the dissolved hydrogen. These curves indicated that the measurement of dissolved hydrogen was finished completely in a very short time (ca. 10 sec). A linear relationship was obtained between the electrical charge needed for the electrooxidation process of hydrogen molecule and dissolved hydrogen concentration. This indicates that the developed coulometric method can be used for the determination of the dissolved hydrogen concentration.

Electrolytic aminated carbon materials for the electrocatalytic redox reactions of inorganic and organic compounds.

Some kinds of amine groups can be introduced to the glassy carbon surface by the electrode oxidation of the carbon electrode surface in ammonium carbamate solution, and this amine groups modified electrode is named as an aminated glassy carbon electrode. The existences of not only primary amine but also secondary and tertially amines were confirmed by X ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The applications of the aminated carbon material for the electrocatalytic reductions of oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and organic compounds such as quinones were carried out, and the effects of amination on the formation of electrocatalytic sites for many species were revealed. The electrocatalyzed cyclic voltammograms of metal ions and metal chelate compounds obtained by aminated glassy carbon electrodes are also discussed. Moreover, we intend to describe that the aminated carbon electrode can exhibit the large reduction waves of inorganic oxoacids such as N02- or bromide ion. The introduced functional groups containing nitrogen atom can change the distribution of the electron densities of the graphite carbon surface, and this specific electron distribution environment may generate the various electrocatalytic activities.

Long-term stabilization of enzyme activity by immobilizing enzyme colony in polymaleimidostyrene-modified micelles.

Amperometric biosensors fabricated by immobilizing enzyme colony in polymaleimidostyrene-modified micelles exhibited good sensitivity and great long-term stability. To our knowledge, there has not been a general design for various enzyme biosensors. Enzyme micelle membrane which is different from any of other conventional immobilization methods, is an innovative way and will be a well-developed biosensor technology to provide rapid and reliable measurements. The potential of using enzyme micelle membrane to fabricate biosensors will be of great hope.

Bioelectrochemical conversion of urea to nitrogen using aminated carbon electrode.

Urea decomposes to ammonia and carbon dioxide via carbamic acid, and amine groups can be introduced to the glassy carbon electrode surface during the electrode oxidation of carbamic acid. This modified carbon electrode has excellent catalytic activity of the oxidation of carbamic acid, and can be used to electrooxidize urea by combining urease reaction and electrode oxidation. We found that nitrogen gas is finally produced by the carbamic acid produced from urea. The production of nitrogen was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and fragment pattern of hydrazine was also detected in the electrolyzed solution of urea. We intend to describe new electrochemical conversion system of urea to harmless nitrogen gas. The electrode oxidation current of urea was decreased by addition of radical trapping agent such as DMPO (5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide), and this fact suggests that carbamic acid radical couples to form nitrogen-nitrogen bond, and this dimer is oxidized to nitrogen. The electrode oxidation current of urea became larger when oxygen was removed. This fact indicates that the intermediate species (probably hydrazine) produced by the electrolysis is oxidized by not only electrode reaction but also oxygen.

Amperometric l-ascorbic acid biosensors equipped with enzyme micelle membrane.

Ascorbate oxidase (ASOD) bound to polymaleimidostyrene (PMS) forms stable ASOD micelle structure in polystyrene (PS) membrane. The oxygen permeable hydrophobic ASOD micelle membrane were coated on both aminated glassy carbon electrode (AGCE) and gold electrode (AuE) for the amperometric detections of l-ascorbic acid (AsA) based on the consumption of oxygen. These AsA sensors have good sensitivities with short response time (within 1min.). A good linear relationship was observed in the concentration range of 5muM to 0.4mM when AGCE was used and the applied potential was -0.5V vs. Ag/AgCl. Interferences from the reducing agents can be avoided because the detections were conducted at cathodic potential.

Immobilization of uricase within polystyrene using polymaleimidostyrene as a stabilizer and its application to uric acid sensor.

A novel amperometric uric acid (UA) sensor has been developed by coating the surface of a gold electrode with a polystyrene (PS) membrane formed by 30 microL of a 30 mg mL(-1) PS chloroform solution combined with 30 microL of a 5 mg mL(-1) polymaleimidostyrene (PMS) solution as a dispersant for enzyme, uricase; this membrane has been successfully employed as an immobilization support for uricase. In the PS membrane, PMS forms micelle-like structures containing uricase in an active state. This immobilized uricase membrane permits the permeation of oxygen, which is consumed by the uricase reaction. A good linear relationship is obtained over the concentration range of 5-105 microM. The concentration of uric acid was determined at a negative potential based on the decrease in the reduction current of oxygen and the interference of l-ascorbic acid can be completely eliminated.

Carbon felt-based bioelectrocatalytic flow detectors: highly sensitive amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide using adsorbed peroxidase and thionine.

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and thionine (TN) were co-adsorbed onto a porous carbon felt (CF), and the resulting HRP and TN-adsorbed CF (HRP-TN-CF) was successfully used as a working electrode unit of a novel bioelectrocatalytic flow detector for a highly sensitive amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). Co-adsorbed TN was essential to enhance the cathodic peak current of H(2)O(2), and the current responses of the HRP-TN-CF-based detector were much larger than those of the HRP-CF-based detector (without TN). When air-saturated 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) was used as a carrier at a flow rate of 3.9 ml/min, cathodic peak currents of H(2)O(2) (sample injection volume, 200 microl) obtained at an applied potential of 0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) increased linearly up to 50 microM with a detection limit of 0.1 microM. Repetitive 100 sample injection of 100 microM H(2)O(2) induced no serious current decrease, and RSD was 0.41 to 1.21% (n = 100). The HRP-TN-CF retained 42% of its original activity after 8 days of storage in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at 4 degrees C.

Application of polymaleimidostyrene as a convenient immobilization reagent of enzyme in biosensor.

Sulfhydryl groups of glucose oxidase (GOD) were reacted with maleimide groups of polymaleimidostyrene (PMS) which was coated onto the porous carbon sheet, and the carbon sheet immobilized by GOD was combined with an oxygen electrode to fabricate a glucose sensor. The activity of thiolated GOD immobilized to PMS is much larger than that of native GOD immobilized to PMS. The good linear relationship of glucose and oxygen current response was obtained in a concentration range from 0.1 to 2 mM and upper limit of linear range was found to be 3.0 mM. The immobilized GOD activity is highly dependent on pH at immobilization and the maximum activity was obtained at pH 5.5, probably because the SH groups of GOD that are indispensable for generation of enzyme activity is not exposed at this pH. It was found that PMS is very effective reagent to immobilize enzyme strongly via covalent bond, because high density of maleimide groups of PMS can catch not only exposed SH groups but also buried SH groups.