Recent advances in electrochemical strategies for bacteria detection.

Introduction: Bacterial infections have always been a major threat to public health and humans' life, and fast detection of bacteria in various samples is significant to provide early and effective treatments. Cell-culture protocols, as well-established methods, involve labor-intensive and complicated preparation steps. For overcoming this drawback, electrochemical methods may provide promising alternative tools for fast and reliable detection of bacterial infections. Methods: Therefore, this review study was done to present an overview of different electrochemical strategy based on recognition elements for detection of bacteria in the studies published during 2015-2020. For this purpose, many references in the field were reviewed, and the review covered several issues, including (a) enzymes, (b) receptors, (c) antimicrobial peptides, (d) lectins, (e) redox-active metabolites, (f) aptamer, (g) bacteriophage, (h) antibody, and (i) molecularly imprinted polymers. Results: Different analytical methods have developed are used to bacteria detection. However, most of these methods are highly time, and cost consuming, requiring trained personnel to perform the analysis. Among of these methods, electrochemical based methods are well accepted powerful tools for the detection of various analytes due to the inherent properties. Electrochemical sensors with different recognition elements can be used to design diagnostic system for bacterial infections. Recent studies have shown that electrochemical assay can provide promising reliable method for detection of bacteria. Conclusion: In general, the field of bacterial detection by electrochemical sensors is continuously growing. It is believed that this field will focus on portable devices for detection of bacteria based on electrochemical methods. Development of these devices requires close collaboration of various disciplines, such as biology, electrochemistry, and biomaterial engineering.

A Simple Method for Developing a Hand-Drawn Paper-Based Sensor for Mercury; Using Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles and Smartphone as a Hand-Held-Device for Colorimetric Assay.

Mercury ions are highly toxic at trace levels, and its pollution has posed a significant threat to the environment and public health, where current detection methods mainly require laborious operation and expensive instrumentation. Herein, a simple, cost-effective, instrument-free approach for selective detection of Hg2+ based on a hand-drawn paper-based naked-eye colorimetric device is developed. To develop a hand-drawn paper-based device, a crayon is used to build hydrophobic barriers and a paper puncher is applied to obtain patterns as a sensing zone. A green method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is applied using Achillea Wilhelmsii (Aw) extract. The sensing ability of Aw-AgNPs toward Hg2+ is investigated in both solution-phase and paper substrate loaded with Aw-AgNPs using colorimetric methods. For the paper-based sensor, the quantification of the target relies on the visual readout of a color-changed sensing zone modified with Aw-AgNPs. Under optimal conditions, the color of Aw-AgNPs in aqueous solution and on the coated paper substrate can change from brown to colorless upon addition of target, with a detection limit of 28 × 10-9 m and 0.30 × 10-6 m, respectively. In conclusion, the present study indicates the potential of this hand-drawn eco-friendly paper-based sensor for monitoring of mercury.

Earlier diagnoses of acute leukemia by a sandwich type of electrochemical aptasensor based on copper sulfide-graphene composite.

Due to high affinity and specificity of aptamers, they are widely considered for construction of aptasensor to specific recognizing of analytes in biological complex matrix. So, in this work we design a high selective and sensitive aptasensor for leukemia cancer cells (CCRF-CEM) via superior catalytic effect of copper sulfide-graphene (CuS-GR) nanocomposite as label and Au-GR nanocomposite as sensing platform. The CuS-GR nano-composite (label component) is CuS nanoparticles that wrapping on graphene sheets. Its catalytic activity (CuS-GR) increases the current of sensor in parallel with adding of CCRF-CEM and provide sensitive detection of analytes. The detailed of signal amplification and effect on the aptasensor performance completely discussed. This sensor has a linear range of 50-1 × 106 cell mL-1, with a limit of detection of 18 cell mL-1. Also, the developed aptasensor has a significance specificity, high sensitivity and accuracy. It was used for the identification of CCRF-CEM cells in blood samples.

Electrochemical analysis of anionic analytes in weakly supported media using electron transfer promotion effect: a case study on nitrite.

In this study, a simple technique was developed for the electrochemical detection of anionic analytes in weakly supported media. This was conducted by the use of electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs). A sensing platform was modified with nereistoxin and used to determine nitrite as a case study. The electrochemical response was improved due to the accelerated electron transfer between the sensing platform and the nitrite through the electrostatic interaction of the amino group of nereistoxin and the nitrite. The electrocatalytic current of the nitrite in the presence of nereistoxin was enhanced in the weakly supported media. By using nereistoxin as a signal enhancer, 97% of the electrochemical signal was obtained at the low ionic strength of the electrolyte, while less than 35% of this signal was obtained in the absence of nereistoxin. The limit of detection was as low as 20 nM using an ePAD. Generally, the proposed ePAD serves as a promising, efficient and low-cost device for sensing applications in weakly supported media.

One-step Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Isoimperatorin: Evaluation of Photocatalytic, and Electrochemical Activities.

In the current study, isoimperatorin, a natural furanocoumarin, is used as a reducing reagent to synthesize isoimperatorin mediated silver nanoparticles (Iso-AgNPs), and photocatalytic and electrocatalytic activities of Iso-AgNPs are evaluated. Iso-AgNPs consisted of spherically shaped particles with a size range of 79-200 nm and showed catalytic activity for the degradation (in high yields) of New Fuchsine (NF), Methylene Blue (MB), Erythrosine B (ER) and 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) under sunlight irradiation. Based on obtained results, Iso-AgNPs exhibited 96.5%, 96.0%, 92%, and 95% degradation rates for MB, NF, ER, and 4-CP, respectively. The electrochemical performance showed that the as-prepared Iso-AgNPs exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) reduction. It is worth noticing that the Iso-AgNPs were used as electrode materials without any binder. The sensor-based on binder-free Iso-AgNPs showed linearity from 0.1 µM to 4 mM with a detection limit of 0.036 µM for H2O2. This binder-free and straightforward strategy for electrode preparation by silver nanoparticles may provide an alternative technique for the development of other nanomaterials based on isoimperatorin under green conditions. Altogether, the application of isoimpratorin in the synthesis of nano-metallic electro and photocatalysts, especially silver nanoparticles, is a simple, cost-effective and efficient approach.

Electrochemical determination of the antipsychotic medication clozapine by a carbon paste electrode modified with a nanostructure prepared from titania nanoparticles and copper oxide.

A nanostructure was prepared from titania nanoparticles and copper oxide (TiO2NP@CuO) and used to modify a carbon paste electrode (CPE). The modified CPE is shown to enable sensitive voltammetric determination of the drug clozapine (CLZ). The sensor was characterized by various techniques and some key parameters were optimized. Under the optimum conditions and at a working potential of 0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), the modified CPE has two linear response ranges, one from 30 pmol L-1 to 4 nmol L-1 of CLZ, the other from 4 nmol L-1 to 10 µmol L-1. The detection limit is as low as 9 pM. The transfer coefficient (α) and catalytic rate constant (kcat) were calculated and the reliability of the sensor was estimated for CLZ sensing in real samples where it gave satisfactory results. Graphical abstract Applicability of the TiO2NP@CuO nanostructures in fabrication of an efficient clozapine (CLZ) sensor based on the use of a carbon paste electrode.

A nanocomposite consisting of reduced graphene oxide and electropolymerized ß-cyclodextrin for voltammetric sensing of levofloxacin.

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with a nanocomposite prepared from polymerized ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The modified GCE is shown to enable the voltammetric determination of traces of levofloxacin (LEV) by various electrochemical techniques. Experimental factors affecting the results including the amount of the substrates in preparation of the nanocomposite, accumulation time, the scan rate and pH value of the electrolyte were optimized. The modified GCE, best operated at a working potential of 1.00 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), has two linear response ranges, one for low LEV concentrations (100 pmol L-1 to 100 nmol L-1), and one for higher LEV concentrations (100 nmol L-1 to 100 µmol L-1). The limit of detection and sensitivity are calculated to be 30 pmol L-1 and 467.33 nA µmol L-1 cm-2, respectively. The modified GCE demonstrates a number of advantages such as high sensitivity and selectivity, low LOD, excellent reproducibility, high surface-to-volume ratio, and good electrocatalytic activity towards LEV. The sensor was successfully applied to the determination of LEV in spiked human serum samples. Graphical abstract.

Simultaneous Determination of Ascorbic Acid, Uric Acid and Tryptophan by Novel Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrode.

In the present paper, electrochemical methods were used to investigate the behavior of ascorbic acid at a carbon paste electrode modified with 2,2'-((1E)-(1,2 phenylenebis(azanylylidene)) bis(methanylylidene))bis(benzene-1,4-diol) (PBD) and oxidized multiwall carbon nanotubes. The modified carbon paste electrode showed high electrocatalytic activity toward ascorbic acid; the current was enhanced significantly relative to the situation prevailing when an unmodified carbon paste electrode was used. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the redox properties of this modified electrode at various solution pH values and at various scan rates. Using differential pulse voltammetry, the calibration curves for AA were obtained over the range of 1.0-80.0 and 80-4000.0 µM, respectively. The detection limit was 0.3 µM. The present method provides a simple method for selective detection of ascorbic acid. DPV also was used for simultaneous determination of AA, uric acid, and tryptophan at the modified electrode. Finally, the proposed electrochemical sensor was used for determinations of these substances in in biological systems and pharmaceutical samples.

An electrochemical immunosensor based on poly p-phenylenediamine and graphene nanocomposite for detection of neuron-specific enolase via electrochemically amplified detection.

In this work, a label-free electrochemical immunosensor was constructed on the base of poly p-phenylenediamine (PPD) and GR nanocomposite (PPD-GR). Screen-printed electrodes modified with PPD-GR nanocomposite and applied to advance enzyme-free and label free electrochemical immunosensor for detection of protein biomarker neuron-specific enolase (NSE). It was found that the PPD-GR nanocomposite exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity towards ascorbic acid (AA) oxidation as analytical signal based on EC' mechanism. Due to the excellent electrocatalytic activity of PPD-GR nanocomposite, determination of NSE antigen was based on its obstruction to the electrocatalytic oxidation of AA after binding to the surface of electrode through interaction with the anti-NSE. The proposed immunosensor exhibited a wide linear range of 1.0-1000 ng mL-1, with a low detection limit of 0.3 ng mL-1. Furthermore, the proposed immunosensor were successfully used for the determination of NSE antigen in human serum samples.

A new composite consisting of electrosynthesized conducting polymers, graphene sheets and biosynthesized gold nanoparticles for biosensing acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In this work we report the synthesis of a stable composite with excellent electrical properties, on the surface of a biosensor. Conductive polymers offer both high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. Many reports have focused on synthesizing conductive polymers with the aid of high-cost enzymes. In the current work we introduce a novel electrochemical, one-step, facile and cost effective procedure for synthesizing poly (catechol), without using expensive enzymes. The poly (catechol) conductivity was enhanced by modification with graphene sheets and biosynthesized gold nanoparticles. Four different robust methods, DPV, EIS, CV and chronoamperometry, were used to monitor the biosensor modifications. The peak currents of the catechol (an electroactive probe) were linearly related to the logarithm of the concentrations of target DNA in the range 100.0 µM to 10.0 pM, with a detection limit of 1.0 pM for the DNA strand. The current work investigates a new, stable composite consisting of conductive polymers and nanoparticles, which was applied to the detection of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Electrochemical immunosensor for the breast cancer marker CA 15-3 based on the catalytic activity of a CuS/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite towards the electrooxidation of catechol.

The authors report on an electrochemical immunosensor for the tumor marker carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3). It is based on the use of a composite consisting of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and copper sulfide (CuS) that was placed on a screen-printed graphite electrode. The electrode shows excellent activity towards the oxidation of catechol acting as an electrochemical probe, best at a working potential of 0.16 V. The electrode was modified with antibody against CA15-3. Once the analyte (CA15-3) binds to the surface of the electrode, the response to catechol is reduced. The assay has a linear response in the 1.0-150 U mL-1 CA15-3 concentration range, with a 0.3 U mL-1 lower detection limit and a sensitivity of 1.88 µA µM-1 cm-2. The immunosensor also shows good reproducibility (2.7%), stability (95% of the initial values after storing for four weeks). The method was successfully applied to the determination of CA15-3 in serum samples, and results were found to compare well to those obtained by an ELISA. Conceivably, this nanocomposite based detection scheme has a wider scope and may be applied to numerous other immunoassays. Graphical abstract A label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on copper sulfides/graphene nanocomposites was developed for enzyme-free determination of CA15-3 biomarker. This immunosensor can be utilized as a tool to detect of CA15-3 in real samples.

Enhanced performance of dye-sensitized solar cells with dual-function coadsorbent: reducing the surface concentration of dye-iodine complexes concomitant with attenuated charge recombination.

In this paper, we have investigated the effects of oleic acid as a dual-function coadsorbent on recombination and iodine binding in dye-sensitized solar cells. Oleic acid as a dual-function coadsorbent effectively shields the back electron transfer from TiO2 to I3(-) ions and also reduces the surface concentration of dye-I2 complexes via iodine binding to the unsaturated double bond on oleic acid. It was found that interaction between iodine and the double bond of oleic acid keeps the iodine molecules away from the surface and reduces the recombination rate between injected electrons in a semiconductor and iodine molecules and also increases open-circuit voltage. Furthermore, the interaction between iodine molecules and unexcited dyes affects the UV-Vis spectrum of them and prevents an unfavorable blue shift. Overall, the results point to an improved performance for DSC operation and development.

Nano composite system based on coumarin derivative-titanium dioxide nanoparticles and ionic liquid: determination of levodopa and carbidopa in human serum and pharmaceutical formulations.

The combination of coumarin derivative (7-(1,3-dithiolan-2-yl)-9,10-dihydroxy-6H-benzofuro[3,2-c]chromen-6-on), (DC)-titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) and ionic liquid (IL) yields nanostructured electrochemical sensor, formed a novel kind of structurally uniform and electrocatalytic activity material. This new ionic liquid-TiO2 nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode (IL-CTP) due to its enhanced conductivity presented very large current response from electroactive substrates. The modified electrode was characterized by different methods including a scanning electron microscope (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and voltammetry. A pair of well-defined quasi reversible redox peaks of coumarin derivative was obtained at the modified carbon paste electrode (DC/IL-CTP) by direct electron transfer between the coumarin derivative and the CP electrode. Dramatically enhanced electrocatalytic activity was exemplified at the DC/IL-CTP electrode, as an electrochemical sensor to study the electro oxidation of levodopa (LD) and carbidopa (CD). Based on differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), the oxidation of LD and CD exhibited the dynamic range between 0.10- 900.0 µM and 20.0-900.0 µM respectively, and the detection limit (3σ) for LD and CD were 41 nM and 0.38 µM, respectively. DPV was used for simultaneous determination of LD and CD at the DC/IL-CTP electrode, and quantitation of LD and CD in some real samples (such as tablets of Parkin-C Fort and Madopar, Sinemet, water, urine, and human blood serum) by the standard addition method.

Electrocatalytic oxidation and voltammetric determination of levodopa in the presence of carbidopa at the surface of a nanostructure based electrochemical sensor.

In the present paper, the use of a carbon paste electrode modified by meso-tetrakis(3-methylphenyl) cobalt porphyrin (CP) and TiO(2) nanoparticles for the determination of levodopa (LD) and carbidopa (CD) was described. Initially, cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the redox properties of this modified electrode at various scan rates. Next, the mediated oxidation of LD at the modified electrode was described. At the optimum pH of 7.0, the oxidation of LD occurs at a potential about 150 mV less positive than that of an unmodified carbon paste electrode. Based on differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), the oxidation of LD exhibited a dynamic range between 0.1 and 100.0 µM and a detection limit (3σ) of 69 ± 2 nM. DPV was used for simultaneous determination of LD and CD at the modified electrode, and quantitation of LD and CD in some real samples (such as tablets of Parkin-C Fort and Madopar, water, urine, and human blood serum) by the standard addition method.